Bars and nightclubs have become the primary subject discussed in the Queens legislature. John D. Sabini, a Queens Democrat proposed a gambling bill allowing for roulette games and low-stake Texas Hold’Em tournaments to be conducted in bars and nightclubs. However, the chances for it to have a legalized existence are pretty slim. The Republican dominated Senate is rather harsh with anything coming from members of the State Senate’s Democratic minorities.
Of course, there are other gambling bills, like charitable bingo that might have had better odds for a coup at the Senate. But that is not what Sabini is fighting for and not what he wants for the destitute tavern owners who’ve been battered by the state’s smoking prohibition. He maintained that casino games such as roulette and poker is what tavern owners need in order to recuperate their shattered businesses.
Though roulette, poker and other casino games are banned under the constitution, it never stopped the state to allow video lottery terminal be installed at the racetracks, or endow several Indian tribes with factoring the Las-Vegas style casinos. Yet, Assemblyman J. Gary Pretlow, a Westchester Democrat ratified that a bill with such an obvious countering to the constitution would have trouble finding a cosponsor in the Assembly.
| 
