Table stakes

Looks like no land-based casinos in Indiana, at least for now. The argument for letting "riverboat" casinos move to dry land was that it would protect the revenue stream we already have, projected to decline by about 35 percent from increased competition in adjacent states. But the argument that won the day was that allowing the moves would amount to continuing the "slippery slope of gaming expansion."

"It's a march that won't be done until there are slot machines in the kindergarten rooms," said House Minority Leader Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis. "

[. . .]

"Pretty soon, we will have slot machines in the nursing homes," Murphy said, "and they'll wheel one up next to your bed and you'll be able to use your Medicaid match as your money."

Say, that's a thought, isn't it? Cradle-to-grave slot machines.

I suspect the state is only delaying that kind of ubiquitousness, not preventing it. As the story notes, the state gets $900 million a year from casinos, its third-largest revenue stream behind sales and income taxes. The pot has gotten too big for us to get out of the game now, so all we can do is check on a hand or two in order to catch our breath.