Las Vegas video poker ‘nightmare’ feared

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Friday, July 14, 2000 | 10:55 a.m.

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Lawmakers agreed to a permanent moratorium on bringing new video poker machines into North Carolina and to prohibit children from playing the games.

The state House and Senate also agreed on a host of new restrictions on the machines but stopped short of an outright ban.

"The alternative, which is to do nothing, will allow the nightmare of Las Vegas style gambling to become a reality in North Carolina," said Rep. Wayne Goodwin, D-Richmond.

Some lawmakers predicted the regulations would the cripple video poker industry in North Carolina. Others predicted machine owners would find ways around the new law.