Maryland may not have a single slot machine up and running from the 2008 referendum, but some lawmakers are following the lead of a state commission’s suggestion and proposing to expand gambling to table games.

Del. Frank Turner, D-Howard, filed a bill today to allow anyone with a state slots license to also offer games such as blackjack, poker and craps. The fiscal note, which would show how much money that could produce, isn’t available yet.

It is interesting Turner is backing this since he heads the subcommittee on Ways and Means dealing with gambling (he played a large role in the local electronic bingo ban controversy a few years back).

There are major caveats on how this whole thing will develop, however. First of all, Gov. Martin O’Malley isn’t so keen on table games and the gut-wrenching maneuvers needed to get just slots passed still weigh on legislators' minds. Such a bill would also have to go before the voters for approval since gaming can only be added through the state constitution. No matter how much sway Turner may have on some of these issues, those are big hurdles (another one is named Busch).

A bill with more ambiguous chances was also introduced today by Sen. Catherine Pugh, D-Baltimore City, and it would just study table games.