The Kansas Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the state’s expanded gaming law in an opinion released Friday.
    Kansas is now the only state in the nation to allow state-owned and operated casinos.
    State Rep. Vince Wetta, D-Wellington, said the ruling is a huge victory for the state.
    “It’s just one more hurdle that we’ve crossed after the last two to three years of work,” Wetta said. 
    Wetta has been a supporter of a centrally-located casino in Sumner County and the state’s expanded gaming law, which allows the construction of a destination-based resort casino in the county.
    “The central location of Sumner County has worked so hard to get to this point and I’m very confident that two months from now the state will reward our persistence and hard work by granting the casino to the central location,” Wetta said.
    Casino developers Penn National Gaming and Marvel Gaming have proposed centrally-located casino developments near the Wellington exit of the Kansas Turnpike, while Harrah’s Entertainment has proposed a casino development just south of Sedgwick County and west of Mulvane.
    Under the state’s expanded gaming law, the state has negotiated contracts with each developer.  The final decision will be made by the Gaming Facility Review Board August 21 and 22.  Presentations by the three casino developers before that board will be made at the Belle Plaine High School Thursday and Friday, July 10 and 11.
    The Kansas Constitution allows a state-owned and operated lottery. The court held in 1994 that the term "lottery" was broad enough to include slot machines and other casino games.
    The state passed the expanded gaming law in 2007, and at the suggestion of Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius a “friendly” challenge to the law was made in Shawnee county District Court, where its constitutionality was upheld, and challenged again by the Attorney General with the Kansas Supreme Court.
    The state has plans for casinos in four gaming zones including Wyandotte, Cherokee, Sumner and Ford counties and for slot machines at racetracks.  State lawmakers hoped to eventually collect about $200 million a year through expanded gaming.