New video gambling ban surfaces in House

Rep. Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, said he had been asked by his local sheriff to take action to halt the growth of large video gambling establishments, which have multiplied across the state.

Under current law, Hall said, "it doesn't matter if you have one or 100 machines. All that matters is how many times you've been charged."

Video sweepstakes, video poker and other gambling games are illegal under state law, but sheriffs in many counties have been slow to charge video gambling parlor owners, in part because the first offense is a misdemeanor and the parlor usually reopens the next day.

Calling the parlors "a breeding ground for crime," Hall said his bill "gives law enforcement a tool to be able to shut them down immediately."

Rep. Bert Jones, R-Rockingham, asked why the higher penalties shouldn't apply for even one video gambling machine. He was echoed by Rep. Harry Warren, R-Rowan, who suggested the bill might effectively legitimize the possession of a single machine.

Hall disagreed, saying possessing one machine would still be a misdemeanor. The problem the bill is trying to address, he argued, is the large gambling parlors that have moved into strip malls across the state, especially in low-income and rural areas.

"One can understand one machine to not necessarily being a gambling house," Hall answered. "When you’ve got two machines, you’re running an operation."

"I'm trying to forge my own path because this is an issue in my district," he told the committee.

The bill cleared the committee on a voice vote that appeared to be unanimous. Its next stop could be the House floor. But its prospects are unclear. Legislative leaders have said they plan to adjourn the 2018 session on Friday, and the measure would have to make it through at least three votes in the House and Senate before then.