A week before the election, Maryland voters remain divided over the slots referendum.
If passed on Election Day, Question 2 would provide revenue for education and a subsidy for the state's horse racing industry, which has fallen on hard times, by legalizing slot machines.
Anti-slots groups held a rally in Annapolis Tuesday evening. Politicians and preachers opposing slots called them socially irresponsible. Slots are addicative and would provide a subsidy for the gambling industry, they said. Marylanders United To Stop Slots calls slot machines the crack cocaine of gambling.
Supporters of legalizing slots include labor unions, teachers and retailers. Slots revenue would provide $660 million for schools, they said.
Representing 850 businesses statewide, the Maryland Chamber of Commerce is a strong supporter of legalizing slots.
Maryland is surrounded by states that have slots -- Deleware, West Virginia and Pennsylvania -- and those states attract players from Maryland.
