West Virginia's satellite casino bill gets Senate approval

On March 1, West Virginia passed SB 100 bill allowing existing casinos/racetracks to open a second gambling venue in the same county. The satellite casino bill, which is almost the same one that died in the Senate in 2019, was brought back to debate by Senator Eric Nelson. It now applies to Ohio, Hancock, Jefferson and Kanawha counties, where casinos are already located. 

The bill has now been introduced in House, and faces discussions in House Judiciary and then Finance panels. Provided it gets signed into law, the West Virginia Lottery Commission would need to approve a location, with voters in that county having the chance to weigh in on the ballot.

One of the locations considered is the former Macy’s building at the mall. That building is owned by the Charleston Urban Renewal Authority and its officials said they would consider such a proposal if it becomes a legitimate possibility. 

Passed - SB100 - Establishing secondary location for racetrack video lottery terminals https://t.co/WSTxA4x6Ne

— WV Senate (@wvsenate) March 1, 2022

Nelson believes the Charleston Town Center could be a viable spot for a casino. “It could be anywhere in Kanawha County. When you look at our mall right now, the vacancy that we have and the opportunity to bring in another tenant, a casino has a lot of benefits there. It could help to diversify, bring some economic development and job growth”, WCHS reported. 

Charleston property broker Howard Swint is a bill detractor who believes that putting a casino in the mall is not a good decision: “The targeted market of Eastern Kanawha County, where you have people on low income and fixed income, suggests to me that this is a net loser for everyone. I also think that it could be a catalyst for more crime”. 

West Virginia Gaming and Racing Association President John Cavacini said the race tracks in the state are neutral to the idea. However, he supports the bill: “I think this has the possibility of being a winner as it relates to the mall and to the city of Charleston to a degree”. 

Back in 2019, a project was introduced in the House of Delegates seeking to allow West Virginia’s four racetracks to open one satellite casino in the same county where they were located, featuring video lottery terminals and table games.

Satellite casinos were also introduced in Pennsylvania, West Virginia's neighbor, where lawmakers approved "mini casinos" through the state in 2017, which also legalized sports betting, video-game terminals in truck stops, online gaming, and internet lotteries. 

The law authorized the state's 13 licensed casinos to apply for up to 10 satellite casino licenses, as long as the new facilities were no closer than 25 miles from an existing property.