North Carolina House approves toughened video gambling moratorium

Scott Mooneyham

Tuesday, July 11, 2000 | 9:49 a.m.

RALEIGH - The North Carolina House on Monday night toughened a proposal to put a moratorium on video gambling machines, increasing penalties for violators and extending the period in which the law would be in effect.

The plan, which places a three-machine limit on businesses, was approved by a 96-15 vote after two hours of debate.

"We want to stop it, stop it cold, stop it now," said Rep. Wayne Goodwin, D-Richmond.

In the closing days of the session, lawmakers have tried to rush through legislation to stop an influx of the video gambling machines anticipated on the heels of South Carolina's July 1 ban on the devices.

A Senate bill approved two weeks ago calls for total ban on the machines, but the House has been unwilling to go that far.

The House plan makes it illegal for any machines not operating at businesses on June 29 to be put into operation. It also requires machine owners to register them with county sheriffs, and locations where machines are operated would have to be 300 feet apart.

Currently, North Carolina law allows businesses to operate an unlimited number of video gambling machines, but they cannot have cash payouts or offer merchandise worth more than $10.

Dropped from the original House plan was a so-called "sunset clause" that would have allowed the moratorium to expire on July 1, 2002, unless lawmakers took further action. House members also dropped a provision that would prevent police from destroying machines operated illegally if the owner was unaware of how they were being used.

A provision was added that would allow merchants' retail licenses to be seized if they were found in violation of the law.

But even with the tougher penalties, some House members don't believe the legislation went far enough.

Rep. Joe Kiser, R-Lincoln, said the Senate ban is the best solution.

"They're taking the high road and we're taking the low road," Kiser said.

Kiser, a former Lincoln County sheriff, questioned how law enforcement officers would know machines weren't in the state on June 29, as called for in the moratorium, when the registration provision doesn't go into effect until Oct. 1.

"How do you put a moratorium on something that you don't know who owns them, how many there are, or where they are?" Kiser said.

House members did reject a number of other proposed changes to the bill. They included:

Rep. Billy Creech, R-Johnston, said supporters of those changes were simply trying to destroy the businesses that have the machines piecemeal.

"If you want to do this thing, a total ban, go back and get the whole thing," Creech said.

The legislation now goes back to the Senate for consideration. The Senate can either accept the House version, or reject it and appoint negotiators to try to work out a compromise.