Worried about video poker, Cooper vetoes casino night bill

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has vetoed legislation that would make casino nights and some raffles already run by nonprofits officially legal because he’s worried it could open the door for illegal video poker operations to resurface.

Cooper announced the veto Wednesday – his seventh since taking office. Republicans overrode the first five, while a sixth is pending.

The governor says he’s not opposed to legitimate nonprofits holding game nights occasionally for worthy causes.

But he believes the bill language could cause unintended problems and allow the video poker industry to “masquerade” as a charity.

Cooper also signed 13 more bills on his desk Wednesday, including one that directs driver’s education curriculum and license handbooks to tell motorists how to respond during police stops.

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