Gambling is illegal in Washington, D.C., but that's not stopping one group to push for a casino in downtown Anacostia. WAMU reported that this group, which is funded by an anonymous corporation registered in Delaware, hopes to convert three connected properties at the intersection of Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard SE and Good Hope Road SE into a 9,000-square-foot "gaming facility." There would be no slot machines, but guests would be able to play card games like poker and blackjack.
In order to legalize gambling, Barry E. Jerrels, the chairperson and treasurer of the Citizens Committee in Support of the Limited Gaming Initiative of 2016, will need to collect 25,0000 signatures by July 2016. After doing this, the "Limited Gaming Initiative of 2016" will appear on the ballot in November and may or may not be rejected by voters.
WAMU further reported that while there are no specifics on who is behind the group pushing for and funding the initiative and casino, it is more likely than not Shawn A. Scott. Scott is a wealthy entrepreneur who has launched over a dozen gambling ventures across the nation and has been denied gambling licenses in several states due to issues like financial mismanagement and hidden partnerships, as reported by The Washington Post. In 2004, Scott attempted to legalize slot machines in Washington, D.C., but was shot down with a $600,000 fine for allegedly submitting forged signatures.
For more information on gambling laws in Washington, D.C., you can give them a read here.
• Group Pushing Legalized Gambling In D.C. Wants To Open Casino In Anacostia [WAMU]
• Criticism Shadows D.C. Slots Catalyst [The Washington Post]