LOOK FOR ANOTHER VOTE ON GAMBLING

Get ready for another round of divisive wrangling over gambling issues across Missouri. A legislative panel that spent months studying gambling in Missouri has recommended removing Missouri's $500-per-cruise loss limit, which would mean that gamblers could lose any amount.

As with previous moves to abolish the loss limit, this one should fail. Gambling companies knew when they came into Missouri that they were dealing with the loss limit. It was part of the deal. Even the chairman of the panel that produced the report doubts that the General Assembly will approve such legislation.

Part of the reason for this is that all such issues are overshadowed by the 800-pound gorilla in Missouri gambling: the boats-in-moats issue. A November Supreme Court decision held that boats offering games of chance must float on surface streams of rivers, not in artificial basins fed by water from the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers.

Since that decision, riverboat operators have battled in court with gambling opponents over whether the boats are operating as intended by voters. It seems clear now that in order to resolve the question, gambling companies are preparing for a huge, well-funded initiative campaign to persuade voters to change the Constitution. Their effort will seek to abolish the loss limit and in some manner fix the boats-in-moats problem. Look for their effort to attempt to place these issues before voters in either August or November -- and for many millions of dollars to be spent. One way or another, it would appear voters will get another crack at gambling issues in Missouri.