AUGUSTA — Maine’s Gambling Control Board has its work cut out.

Executive Director Robert Welch, who is leaving his post for a job in Orono as lieutenant for the University of Maine police, on Wednesday presented the board with a report on what to expect over the next few years now that the Black Bear Entertainment resort casino has been approved.

Welch estimated the board will face about $2.7 million in added expenses over the next three years, including hiring three new detectives and clerks in 2011 and eight inspectors in 2013.

He said those figures could change, depending on the final bill approved by the Legislature.

The Oxford casino referendum approved by voters includes a cut of revenue from slot machines and table games going to fund the Gambling Board. However, the board will have to hire new employees to assist in initial investigations before the casino is built.

While the six-year-old board has experience regulating slot machines, table games will be new territory. Welch said that in reviewing other states’ gambling laws, he found that the New Jersey Gambling Commission had 51 pages of rules governing blackjack alone.

Welch said writing rules probably would take the board seven to eight weeks.

He said the state would have to start an auditing process for table games. Slot machines, which are computerized, are monitored by Scientific Games, a New York-based company that works with local governments to ensure gambling machines adhere to laws.

The state’s contract with Scientific Games means the company will monitor slot machines at the Oxford casino, as well, Welch said.

Board Chairman George McHale, who has been on the board from its inception, said he was confident the board could adapt to its new responsibilities. In the beginning, “none of us knew what a random number generator was, but we learned very quickly,” he said, referring to a computer code necessary to electronic slot machines so that winnings are randomized.

McHale is also leaving the board, as his position is a political appointment from Gov. John Baldacci. Gov.-elect Paul LePage is expected to appoint McHale’s successor soon after taking office.

He cautioned the board to take its work slowly and carefully. “Haste will make waste,” he said, “and will make trouble.”

Several members of Black Bear Entertainment attended the Gambling Control Board meeting. Investors Suzanne Grover and Jim Boldebook were there, as was spokesman Peter Martin, who also holds a small share in the venture.

Also in attendance were spokesmen Mark Robinson and Scott Smith and Oxford Town Manager Michael Chammings.

Boldebook and Martin gave board members a short version of the presentation they gave last week in Oxford, and said that in the past week, Black Bear Entertainment had received nearly 4,000 job applications and vendor inquiries through the mainecasino.com website.

Martin addressed the upcoming recount, set to begin in December. He said election officials first would count votes in Maine’s five largest cities — Portland, Lewiston, Bangor, South Portland and Auburn — after which Oxford Hills NO on 1 and CasinosNo! can concede or request further recounts.

Hollywood Slots in Bangor recently announced it would request that the Maine Legislature allow that facility to have table games. Martin said Black Bear Entertainment wasn’t opposed to the Bangor racino getting table games, but said the group would reserve final comment until it sees the proposed legislation.

With Welch gone, the Legislature will have to waive a hiring freeze on new state employees to replace him.

treaves@sunjournal.com

Editor’s note: In a previous version of this story, Robert Welch’s new position with the University of Maine Police was misidentified. It has been corrected.

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