At least $1,180,166 -- Includes lobbying expenditures from 1993-94

June 9, 1997

Old Dominion is home to a state lottery, one pari-mutuel horse track, two off-track betting parlors, and charitable bingo, but no casinos of any kind. Last year the House of Delegates killed a riverboat gambling bill by a 69-28 vote, despite a splendid four-year lobbying effort by casino companies and boat operators. That same day the House also tabled a controversial measure to allow lottery keno or other casino-style lottery games -- but in a display of ambivalence, told the state Lottery Department to go ahead and join the multi-state Powerball lottery.

The tide seems to be turning against gambling, though. Early this year Sen. Mark L. Earley, R-Chesapeake, introduced a bill that would amend the state constitution to prohibit the General Assembly from authorizing casino-style gambling.

The state Board of Elections and the Secretary of the Commonwealth both keep their respective campaign contribution and annual lobbyist disclosure records on paper and charge 25 cents a page for copies, the familiar burdensome routine. An indication of how much is being spent: according to a July 31, 1995, story in the Washington Post, lobbyists milked $1,180,166 out of gambling interests in 1993-94.

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