As the November presidential election looms closer, all eyes are set on the high-stakes showdown between the Republican candidate Donald Trump and the Democratic contender Kamala Harris. While the main event has everyone’s attention, industry experts are doubling down on the importance of state office races instead.
Casino Workers Should Keep the State Elections in Mind
Like a masterful game of poker, the upcoming US presidential elections are generating a buzz of intense betting among Americans. Every debate is like a fresh card dealt, shaking up the betting markets, and leaving audiences both exhilarated and on edge.
The gambling industry is all in as well, keenly anticipating how the electoral outcomes will shuffle the political deck in the USA for the next few years. Both candidates are laying down their hands, promising a slew of changes that could impact the gambling and hospitality sectors.
However, seasoned legal and political experts are urging casino industry workers to place their bets on the state office races. In a candid interview with Casino.org, Robert Jarvis, a respected law professor at Nova Southeastern University’s Shepard College of Law in Florida, emphasized that the president holds little sway over state gaming regulations.
“These are state, not federal, issues… Casino issues are state and local matters,”
— Robert Jarvis
Mark P. Jones, an authoritative political scientist at Rice University, echoed Jarvis’ sentiments, highlighting that state elections hold the high cards. Jones pointed out that the regulatory landscape is predominantly shaped at the state level, directly influencing the livelihood of casino workers.
Mark your calendars, because these critical state elections will roll out on the same date as the presidential election: November 5.
Trump and Harris Might Not Be Able to End the Taxes on Tipped Workers
Turning to the grand spectacle of the presidential race, Jones noted that most casino workers are likely to cast their votes driven not by industry-specific factors, but by broader economic conditions and personal political leanings. Their decisions hinge on their overall affinity for figures like Harris and Trump.
Jarvis further dissected the four major issues likely to sway the election outcome: the cost of living, immigration, abortion, and the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine.
When it comes to casinos, many industry insiders have historically favored the Republican Party, Jarvis explained, largely due to the former president’s 2017 tax cuts. However, he cautioned that such matters ultimately rest in Congress’s hands, the true authors of the law.
Both Harris and Trump have pledged to abolish taxes on tipped workers, dangling this promise like a carrot. But Jarvis opined that the odds of such a measure even getting through Congress are slim. And even if it does, he warned, the change might be balanced out by higher taxes elsewhere.
The stakes are high, the decks are shuffled, and as the clock ticks down to November 5, it’s clear that for the gambling industry, the real action might just be at the state level. So, place your bets wisely, and may the best hand win.
