The Arkansas Supreme Court has disqualified a November ballot question that would have legalized casinos in three counties, because the language of the amendment would have given three private companies the exclusive rights to operate casinos in Boone, Miller and Washington counties. The companies are owned by supporters of the proposal.
The court ordered election officials to not count any votes for the measure in the November 8 election. According to an Associated Press report, the court held that the ballot question “does not honestly and accurately reflect what is contained in the proposed amendment.”
The decision was reached in a lawsuit filed by a dog- and horse-racing interests in the state, which currently offer video poker and other electronic gaming at racinos. The lawsuit claimed the proposal misled voters.
Supporters and opponents of casino legalization in Arkansas have spent more than $2 million to air more than 2,333 television ads on the issue. The spending was split more or less evenly between Arkansas Wins in 2016, the pro-casino group, and Protect Arkansas Values/Stop Casinos Now.
A study funded by the pro-casino group had estimated that the three casinos would generate an extra $122 million in annual tax revenue in addition to creating around 3,200 new permanent jobs and 3,400 construction jobs. The study, conducted by Oklahoma-based Economic Impact Group, was dismissed as “political propaganda” by the anti-casino group.
