In a recent move The Arkansas Supreme Court disqualified a proposal to legalize casinos in three counties from the November ballot. On Thursday in a judgement justices of the Supreme Court sided with opponents of the proposed constitutional amendment that would give three private companies rights to run casinos in Boone, Miller and Washington counties. Now with this judgement out by the judges of the Supreme Court officials would not count any votes for this measure in the Nov.8 election.
The state Supreme Court handed down a 3-1 ruling disqualifying issue 5 because it didn’t clarify that voting yes would put the state in conflict with federal law. The court in addition the language authorizing the operation of three casinos, Issue 5 also defined gaming with a very broad brush “accepting wagers on sporting events, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any game, divide, or type of wagering permitted at a casino [in any of seven different states, including Nevada] as of Nov. 8, 2016.”
As per the court ruling which pointed out the federal Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) restricts single game sports betting to Nevada, while allowing tepid sports lottery wagering in Delaware, Montana and Oregon. However no form of legal betting is allowed in Arkansas.
As per the opinion written by Associate Justice Karen Barker, which states that Arkansas voters are “entitled to a ballot title that is honest, impartial and intelligible and will give them a fair understanding of the issues presented.”
The lawsuit was filed by a group which was funded by dog and horse tracks in the state that currently offer video poker and other forms of electronic gambling. If this was approved that the ballot measure would have allowed the state to awarded three new casino licenses, all of which would have competed with the casinos operated by Oaklawn Park horseracing track in Hot Springs and Southland Park grey hound track in West Memphis.
Though with these three new casinos the state would have received ample of tax revenue which they could have used in many development activities for the state. Now the group Arkansas Wins in 2016 whose principal members include the companies that hopes to receive casino licenses have five days in which to ask the court for a rehearing. Thus in a week’s time it would be clear in which direction this entire thing moves.
