|
Tuesday, February 8, 2005
Honesty top priority of gaming watchdog
©Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. | ||||||
 |
||||||
AUGUSTA — The Maine Gambling Control Board's first executive director says the panel is neither pro-gambling nor anti- gambling. Robert Welch says his top priorities for the racetrack casino due to open next year in Bangor include making sure that the slot machines are run honestly. "The bottom line is that we don't want people associated with the racino if they're not honest," he said. Welch, 48, was chosen nearly four months ago from a field of more than 30 candidates to head the five-member panel that will regulate the racino and administer the state slots law authorized by Maine voters in 2003. He comes to the job after a 25-year career in law enforcement that ended in 2002, when he retired as deputy chief of the Bangor Police Department. Penn National Gaming plans to break ground this spring on a $75 million racetrack casino in Bangor. "With (gaming) licenses, the first thing we want to make sure of is that there is no infiltration of organized crime," Welch said. Welch said he had no such concerns about Penn National, which passed an extensive background check by Maine State Police detectives and a certified fraud examiner. But he noted that the concern has been raised by people who oppose slots on moral grounds. The Legislature is considering changes in the law to allow regulators to keep confidential some of the personal and proprietary information Penn National must submit before its conditional slots license is made permanent. Welch has been spending his first months on the job getting familiar with gaming rules for Maine and other states, attending racino-related meetings, hearings and work sessions, and compiling background information for the gambling board. Because the slots industry is new to Maine, Welch said processes and procedures need to be fleshed out. The state's gambling control unit has a staff of four, which is expected to grow to 10 after the racino opens and begins generating revenue. Yet to be brought on board are inspectors, an auditor, and someone to handle fingerprinting and background checks for the racino's projected work force of 400 to 500. After the opening, Welch's focus will shift to enforcing gambling laws, handling license applications and issues, overseeing background checks, reviewing transactions requiring gambling board approval, referring alleged violations to the Attorney General's Office for prosecution, and collecting racino fees and taxes.
|
||||||
Visit our