INDIANAPOLIS -- The only agreement reached between lawmakers and casino representatives is that something needs to be done to help Indiana's casino industry.
The best course of action is something no one can agree on.
Lawmakers met Wednesday to try and hash out the differences between the House and Senate versions of House Bill 1540. The biggest source of disagreement has been live dealers at the two racinos in Anderson and Shelbyville. The House version of the bill said racinos could add a limited number of live dealers at their table games for the next five years. After that five-year period, they could petition the Indiana Gaming Commission for more live dealers.
The Senate took that language out and said the racinos could have live table games in 2021. Sen. Luke Kenley, R-Noblesville, said the live tables were pushed back to give French Lick and Rising Star casinos time to prepare for the increase in competition.
John Keeler, counsel and General Manager for Centaur Gaming, which owns Hoosier Park Racing & Casino and Indiana Grand, said he thinks the limited live dealers over the next five years would give the casinos time to prepare.
"I would ask you to look at re-inserting the language giving us a limited number of table games," Keeler asked the committee.
The conference committee is comprised of Kenley, Rep. Tom Dermody, R-LaPorte, who authored the bill, and Anderson lawmakers Terri Austin and Tim Lanane.
Lanane said he thinks the Senate bill is unfair to the racinos.
"I think the house bill was an attempt to look at the industry as a whole and I think it did a good job of that," Lanane said. "I also think it created jobs, which will help the east-central Indiana region."
Austin said she hoped the committee could get back to the House version, which she said was an accurate reflection of the summer study committee.
A representative from Lawrenceburg's Hollywood Casino said his casino would lose jobs if racinos were able to add live dealers. He said the Indianapolis market makes up about 15 percent of their customers.
After hearing about an hour of testimony, the committee recessed and they are expected reach a decision behind closed doors.