Meeting on casino rules gets a crowd

The timing of support by local officials for proposed casinos was debated Thursday by speakers before the Arkansas Racing Commission, which then moved forward with the next step of the state's process for making official the proposed rules on licensing and running the gambling facilities.

It was standing-room only in the 100-person capacity conference area where the commission met in a building near the state Capitol. Nearly a dozen people stood to voice their opinion about the most recent 340-page draft of the proposed rules, which were copied liberally from Nevada's gambling statutes and regulations. The proposed rules will be published for public vetting and comment, the commission voted Thursday.

The commission also discussed the proposed rules for off-site sports betting.

The commission has until March 14 to have the rules in place, according to constitutional Amendment 100, which authorized placing casinos in Jefferson and Pope counties as well as alongside existing gambling facilities at the racetracks in Hot Springs and West Memphis. Voters in the state overwhelmingly approved the measure in the November general election.

Read more: https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2019/jan/11/meeting-on-casino-rules-gets-a-crowd-20/