Petition to put York County casino referendum on 2016 ballot

A citizen initiative could grant licensing rights to casino developer Shawn Scott.

US.- The residents of York County, Maine, have presented an initiative for the construction of a casino or the addition of slot machines in the county, called “An act to allow slot machines or a casino in York County.” The move could resurrect the debate over gambling in the state.

If approved, it requires a specific number of signatures from residents first, the citizen initiative would authorize the Maine Gambling Control Board to accept applications for a casino license. And media reports show that the former owner of the Bangor Historic Track in Penobscot County, Shawn Scott, could probably be the only qualifying bidder to receive the license and then be able to include slot machines and tables games at a facility of his choice somewhere in the county. This raised concerns, because over the past years Scott has been involved in legal battles over the gambling facilities he has owned.

Maine has currently two Las Vegas-style casinos: Oxford Casino in Oxford and Hollywood Casino in Bangor.