Effort to allow new private casinos in Michigan gets new life from state Supreme Court

Proponents of an effort to allow eight more private casinos in Michigan scored a victory in court today.

The Michigan Supreme Court has ruled in favor of a group called Citizens for More Michigan Jobs.

The group is pushing a ballot measure that would amend the state constitution to permit the private casinos.

An appeals court had ruled that the proposal's language was unconstitutional because it didn't include text of the law the group wants to amend.

The group believes allowing the additional casinos would pump cash into communities  and create nearly 4,500 permanent jobs.

Representatives of Detroit's three casinos as well as three  tribal casinos dispute those claims. They say the new venues would harm existing gambling sites.

The proposal would also increase the current casino tax from 19 percent to 23 percent.