Welcome to Delaware, where there is a slot machine on every corner. Or so the state government hoped for a while.
The news is that the Markell administration approached the state’s three casinos with the idea of creating satellite slots parlors spread around the state. The idea was, we suppose, that with more slots out in the open, the casinos could draw the cash of Delawareans too lazy to drive 10 or 15 minutes to a casino. Or perhaps, they had the idea of putting in an ocean-side slots parlor to give parents something to do while the kids play away at Funland in Rehoboth Beach. Even the casinos thought it was a dumb idea.
But if we are trying to be creative and cook up ideas as the administration suggests, why doesn’t Delaware roll all the legalized sin industries in a single package and place them on the borders with neighboring states? We could promote little islands of slots/sports bets/cheap cigarettes/cheap liquor parlors and let them dot the entrances to the state. If we really wanted to rev up the state’s take, Delaware should drop the cigarette and liquor taxes so our neighbors would really be enticed to visit the First State. (Don’t worry about the lower taxes on smokes and booze. We will make it up in volume.)