Slots Referendum Wins in 59% Landslide
Measure Wins in EVERY Jurisdiction in Maryland

Question 2, the slots referendum, won by a landslide 59% in the Nov. 4 statewide election, carrying every jurisdiction by comfortable margins, including Baltimore City and the DC-suburban counties of Prince George’s and Montgomery. Two-thirds of similar elections usually lose, even when they outspend their opponents. Specifically, since 2000, 17 of 24 measures to legalize slots and other forms of gaming have failed nationally, a loss percentage of 70%.In winning, Question 2:
· Won every jurisdiction of the state, including Baltimore City and ALL 23 counties
· Was supported by Democrats, Republicans, all Marylanders
Now that the referendum has been approved, the slots program approved in the 2007 special session of the Maryland General Assembly automatically takes effect.
Details of the slots program may be found under “Synopsis of Slots Legislation” below.

“The state of Maryland has chosen to invest revenues from the slots into agriculture, specifically the horse industry. We believe that increasing the monetary incentives in the Maryland-bred program is essential to the revitalization of our industry,” said MHBA President Jim Steele. “The farms and horsemen that we have in Maryland are superior to our surrounding states. Now with available funds, we will once again become very competitive.”

SYNOPSIS OF SLOTS LEGISLATION

Prepared by Bruce C. Spizler, Senior Assistant Attorney General and Counsel to the Maryland Racing Commission. The following is a summary of legislation approved in the November 2007 special session of the Maryland General Assembly. The slots program called for in this legislation took effect when approved by voters in a statewide referendum in November 2008.