Slots at Scarborough Downs stopped

December 18

In Maine, the plan to bring slot machines to Scarborough Downs has been removed from the Legislature's schedule for the next session.

For now, Penn National Gaming and Scarborough Downs are not going forward with their plans to get legislation this session to introduce slot machines to the track. Scarborough Downs is a harness track located in the southern part of Maine.

That being said, lawmakers are now planning to position their focus on Bangor Raceway, where Penn National wants to have slots in operation around June 2006. Now, the company is depending on a bill that would permit regulators, instead of the public, to evaluate corporate and personal information put forward to the state for a slot license.

Additional bills going before the Legislature would eradicate ATMs at tracks with slot machines and introduce a tax on the winnings of gamblers who don't live in Maine but gamble there.

In 2003, voters permitted a referendum to allow slot machines at Maine's two commercial harness tracks. Because the Downs and Penn National didn't get local approval, they need new legislation to bring slots to those two tracks.