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By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

TOPEKA (AP) -- Casinos in four areas and slot machines at dog and horse tracks in three cities were approved Monday by the House, giving supporters of expanded gambling hope that they could end 15 years of legislative failures.

The 64-58 vote sent the gambling bill to the Senate. Rep. Ed Trimmer, D-Winfield, and Rep. Vince Wetta, D-Wellington, voted in favor of the bill, while Rep. Kasha Kelley, R-Arkansas City, voted against the bill.

Backers of the measure contend the state eventually could realize $200 million a year from the hotel-and-casino complexes and tracks with slots.

The bill would permit large tourist-attracting casinos in Ford County, Wyandotte County, either Sedgwick or Sumner county, and either Crawford or Cherokee counties. It also would allow up to 2,200 slot machines initially, distributed among Wichita Greyhound Park; the Woodlands in Kansas City, Kan., and the now-closed Camptown Greyhound Park, in Frontenac. Supporters of the bill said Kansans already are gambling, at Indian casinos in northeast Kansas and in Oklahoma and at casinos in Missouri.

"I know a lot of people say it creates economic problems and it's immoral, but we already have gambling 15 miles away in Oklahoma," Trimmer said. "If gambling was illegal everywhere, that would be different. But since they have it in Oklahoma and Missouri, it would be good to keep those revenues from leaving the state."

Trimmer also said the provision where two percent of the profits would go toward treatment programs for people with gambling problems. Oklahoma casino revenues do not do anything to help the gambling addict from Kansas.

Under the bill, the Kansas Lottery would own the casinos and slots operations but would hire private companies to manage them. The Kansas Constitution permits only state-owned and operated gambling. That would make Kansas unusual, if not unique, among states.

Two critics cited Bible verses. Rep. Steve Brunk, R-Bel Aire, cited "a duty to God to promote a moral culture and just society."

Kelley called the measure "an abomination," saying it was "of, by and for the gambling industry." Several said expanded gambling will lead to more gambling addicts and broken families.

"We have gone to the dark side," said Rep. Don Dahl, R-Hillsboro.

Senators must now decide whether to accept the House's casino-and-slots plan or demand negotiations over the final version.

The bill calls for casino operators to invest at least $225 million and pay a one-time, nonrefundable fee of $25 million. Supporters have estimated those programs eventually could receive between $16 million and $17 million a year.

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Roy Graber of the Courier staff contributed to this report.