Casino industry refuses to dance in Nevada budget crisis

Friction appears to be building between the land casino industry in Nevada and state legislators scrambling to find a solution to the state’s yawning $900 million budget gap…and this time an economically struggling industry is reluctant to bail the state out.
Suggestions by the Nevada State Legislature Speaker Barbara Buckley that the industry should accept additional taxes or fees to help address the worrying budget deficit were this week met with a strong refusal. Buckley had proposed that the casino industry put up the cash to cover the operations of the Gaming Control Board in addition to the usual taxes and fees.
Some analysts believe that the situation could be good for the online gambling legalisation cause as raising revenue becomes ever more urgent, whilst others seem to feel that the pressure would be focused on the Democratic Party and its expensive social spending program.
Responding to Buckley’s call for assistance, the Nevada Resort Association said it was unable to “reach a consensus among our statewide membership” to support the proposal.
“We gave blood before and have given blood time after time,” said Billy Vassiladis, a lobbyist for the group.
Legislators are not giving up as easily as that, it appears. Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford went on record as saying: “We are not done. Gaming must participate.”

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