This initiated bill allows slot machines or a casino in York County. The initiated bill authorizes the Department of Public Safety, Gambling Control Board to accept applications for a license to operate slot machines or a casino from an entity that owned in 2003 at least 51% of an entity licensed to operate a commercial track in Penobscot County that conducted harness horse racing with pari-mutuel wagering on more than 25 days in 2002 if certain criteria are met. The operation of the slot machines or casino must be approved by the voters or the municipal officers of the municipality in which the slot machines or casino will be located. The slot machines must be located and operated in a slot machine facility or the slot machines and table games must be located and operated in a casino.

Current law provides that a casino operator license or slot machine operator license may not be issued to operate any casino or slot machine facility within 100 miles of a licensed casino or slot machine facility. This initiated bill exempts a slot machine operator or a casino operator licensed under the provisions of this initiated bill from the 100-mile restriction.

This initiated bill raises the limit on the number of slot machines allowed to be registered in the State from 3,000 to 4,500. The operation of the slot machines or casino is subject to regulation by the Gambling Control Board. The applicant for a slot machine operator license or casino operator license must pay the $5,000,000 license fee set out in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 8, section 1018, subsection 1-A.

The slot machine or casino operator must collect and distribute 1% of gross slot machine income to the Treasurer of State for deposit in the General Fund for the administrative expenses of the Gambling Control Board. The slot machine or casino operator must collect and distribute 39% of the net slot machine income to the Gambling Control Board for distribution by the board as follows:

1. One percent must be deposited to the General Fund for administrative expenses of the board except for a certain amount that must be transferred annually to the Gambling Addiction Prevention and Treatment Fund;

2. Ten percent must be credited to a fund to supplement harness racing purses;

3. Three percent must be credited to the Sire Stakes Fund;

4. Three percent must be credited to the Agricultural Fair Support Fund;

5. Ten percent must be credited to the Department of Education to be used to supplement and not to supplant funding for essential programs and services for kindergarten to grade 12;

6. Two percent must be forwarded to the University of Maine System Scholarship Fund and to the Board of Trustees of the Maine Maritime Academy to be applied by the board of trustees to fund its scholarship program;

7. One percent must be forwarded to the Board of Trustees of the Maine Community College System to be applied by the board of trustees to fund its scholarship program;

8. Two percent must be credited to the Fund to Encourage Racing at Maine's Commercial Tracks;

9. Three percent must be forwarded to the Treasurer of State, who must distribute that money at the municipal level throughout the State to be used to reduce property taxes;

10. One percent must be distributed to the tribal governments of the Penobscot Nation and the Passamaquoddy Tribe;

11. One percent must be forwarded to the Treasurer of State, who must use the money to fund drug education initiatives throughout the State;

12. One percent must be distributed to supplement programs at the office of aging and disability services within the Department of Health and Human Services; and

13. One percent must be forwarded to the municipality in which the slot machines are located.

The casino operator must collect and distribute 16% of the net table game income to the Gambling Control Board for distribution by the board as follows:

1. Nine percent must be credited to the Department of Education to be used to supplement and not to supplant funding for essential programs and services for kindergarten to grade 12;

2. Three percent must be deposited to the Gambling Control Board administrative expenses Other Special Revenue Funds account;

3. Two percent must be forwarded to the municipality in which the table games are located; and

4. Two percent must be deposited into the Coordinated Veterans Assistance Fund.