From the Baltimore Sun —-
Penn National Gaming says it might delay the scheduled opening this month of the state’s first slots casino in Cecil County, as state regulators examine whether the gambling giant inappropriately interfered with another company’s efforts to build a casino in Anne Arundel County.
The State Lottery Commission conditionally approved Penn National Gaming’s license Thursday, but it did not rule on claims by Baltimore-based Cordish Cos. that Penn National breached its licensing agreement for a 1,500-machine slots parlor in Perryville. Regulators decided to seek guidance from the state attorney general’s office about what to do next.
Karen M. Bailey, a spokeswoman for Penn National, said the company wants to wait for legal clarification to determine whether the company can continue its involvement in a campaign against a November referendum on slots in Arundel.
The granting of a license is a matter between the State and the applicant. How can a competitor “interfere” with another license? I think this is a vague and overreaching regulation. The free political speech of Penn National is being stifled. I firmly believe that I have a right to yell “movie” in a crowded firehouse.