A major Republican businessman and donor in North Carolina has urged lawmakers in the state to oppose casino expansion and to reject contributions from the gaming industry.
Bob Luddy, founder of CaptiveAire Systems, submitted an open letter to legislators on Tuesday calling for opposition to casino expansion.
“Casino gambling corrupts everything it touches and creates long-term costs for law enforcement, Medicaid, and families,” Luddy said.
“I am asking lawmakers to refuse casino money and stand with voters who do not want gambling in North Carolina.”
Luddy Offers Lawmakers A Different Economic Plan
In the letter, Luddy outlines what he sees as North Carolina’s recipe for economic success: taxes, school choice, and a pro-business and job growth environment.
Luddy opposed the re-election bid of Senate Leader Phil Berger, who lost his Republican primary this month. Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page won that race after the two candidates sparred over the possibility of expanding gambling in the Tar Heel State.
Luddy and his wife Maria each contributed $6,400 to Page’s campaign after supporting Berger in the past. In 2023, Berger supported a bill to bring three casinos to economically disadvantaged areas of the state.
The letter from Luddy may be an attempt to solidify opposition to expanding gaming in the state. Recent efforts at gambling legalization have failed so far.
Limited Gambling Options
North Carolina currently has just three tribal properties in Cherokee and Kings Mountain. Luddy’s efforts wouldn’t affect tribal casino expansion because of their tribal sovereignty. The Lumbee Tribe announced the purchase of 240 acres of land in January with plans of building a casino on the site.
Even though efforts to legalize commercial casinos in the state appear to be dead for a while, most North Carolinians favor legalization, according to a recent poll from Meredith College. The poll found that 58% of North Carolina voters support legalizing commercial casinos, with just 32% opposed.
“Most North Carolinians seem accustomed to all forms of gambling, so supporting casino gambling in the state does not seem unusual,” poll director David McLennan said. “We have the Lottery and have just adopted online sports wagering in the state.
“Plus, many states, including those on the border of North Carolina, now have casino gambling, so even citizens who might have had objections to casino gambling 20 years ago might be resigned to the fact that all forms of gambling are inevitable.”
In related news, efforts to legalize casinos in neighboring South Carolina have also failed in recent years. Georgia has also seen some gaming legislation in recent years as well, but those bills have also come up short.
