Democratic Virginia State Senator Louise Lucas sponsored a bill in the General Assembly that would have allowed gambling in her home city of Portsmouth. But she pulled the measure, knowing it would not make it through the House of Delegates. Lucas said she’ll offer the bill again next year despite formidable challenges, including an extremely divided legislature and the minority status of House Democrats.
Opponents are certain to point to Atlantic City, where three of its 12 casinos could be closed by Labor Day and where gaming revenue has dropped from $5.2 billion in 2006 to $2.86 billion in 2013. An industry observer blamed an “oversupply of gaming.” But another expert, Douglas M. Walker, a professor at the College of Charleston in South Carolina and author of two gaming books including Casinonomics: The Socioeconomic Impacts of the Casino Industry, said, “The latest research suggests there’s still the potential for positive economic impact in terms of wages, jobs and economic growth.” said. He noted Harrah’s recently closed a casino in Tunica, Mississippi, but others are about to open in Massachusetts.
Walker said one reason states continue to legalize casino gambling is that they want to recapture revenue that residents spend at casinos in other states. Currently gamblers from the Portsmouth area play at casinos in Dover, Delaware; Ocean City, Maryland; and Atlantic City, among others.
Walker said legislators must consider whether Portsmouth could attract enough players from neighboring communities and states. Also, he noted private casino companies must be willing to finance, develop and open facilities. “The casino companies have the strongest incentive to estimate, to understand whether the market is saturated,” he said.
