In West Virginia lottery funding is given under the 1985 State Lottery Act to Senior Citizen programmes, education enhancement and tourism promotion. Funding is also provided for other programmes which the Legislature deems appropriate. Now West Virginia’s casinos will be able to buy new slot machines under a yearly funding programme of US$10 million, established to help casinos in the state compete with Pennsylvania and other neighbouring states.
Over the next decade up to US$100 million will be provided by lottery funding, with West Virginia’s casinos eligible for US$1 in funding for every US$2 they spend on upgrades. The four casinos will be able to divide the yearly US$10 million depending on their revenue results and upgrade programmes. However, as the lottery money allocated to the scheme previously went into state coffers, and state revenues are likely to decline, it is not certain that the US$10 million will remain available for the next ten years.
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In October 2007 the West Virginia Lottery Commission gave final approval to the operation of table games at the four racetrack casinos. Operators estimated that since the opening of slot machine venues in Pennsylvania in June 2007, gross revenue had fallen some US$22 million. It was hoped that table games would offset some of the losses by attracting new customers. In July 2010 Pennsylvanian casinos also began table game operations, leaving West Virginia once again to find a new way to gain a competitive edge. (E-10.25.11)
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