September 9

In West Virginia, the City Council has imposed a six month moratorium on any new business that wants to offer video lottery while council members prepare an ordinance to regulate where such operations can be located.

Council members unanimously approved the moratorium on Tuesday, Dunbar Mayor C.B Rigney said. He also stated that they would like to see the establishments remain in the business districts and not in the neighborhoods.

Beckley City Council took similar action in August, approving a six-month moratorium to give that city's planning commission time to study what it can do legally.

Payouts for the poker-style video lottery machines were legalized by the Legislature under the Limited Video Lottery Act of 1999, which allowed 9,000 machines in bars, private clubs and other adult settings.

For a business to operate video lottery machines, the state only mandates that it serve food and alcohol. The businesses do not have to apply for any type of gambling license from the city.

However, cities can regulate where video lottery establishments can be located. Charleston and Vienna have banned video lottery establishments from residential neighborhoods. Charleston also has banned video lottery businesses from opening within 1,000 feet of a church, school, community center or the state Capitol or within a 2,000 feet radius of an existing business.