AUGUSTA (AP) – A legislative committee decided Monday to send a bill to allow casino gambling in western Maine to the full Legislature for debate but also called for studies to establish a clear gambling policy for the state.

The Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee’s action addressed major gambling bills to come before the Legislature this year, but it leaves them unresolved.

“It does conclude the battle, but it does not conclude the war,” said Sen. Nancy Sullivan, the committee’s co-chair.

The panel deadlocked 5-5 on Rep. Sawin Millett’s bill to allow a casino in Oxford County, provided voters in the host town allow it.

The split vote, which still leaves three committee members to weigh in, almost guarantees debate when the bill reaches the House and Senate.

Maine voters last fall rejected a citizen-initiated referendum proposal to allow an Oxford County casino.

But Millett has noted that the idea carried in western Maine counties and remains an economic development opportunity for a region hard-hit by job losses in wood products, textile and other industries.

The Waterford Republican’s bill requires the operator to pay 40 percent of gross gaming income to the state for economic development and transportation improvements and for distribution to the host municipality.

Maine now has only one casino, Hollywood Slots in Bangor, which is owned by Penn National Gaming Inc. and is tied to the commercial harness race track in the city.

In other action Monday, the Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee voted to carry over to next year’s session separate bills that call for a state-controlled casino and operation of video gaming terminals by nonprofit organizations.

Sullivan, D-Biddeford, said the committee hopes the bills will evolve into a state policy or “blueprint” so gambling issues won’t have to be addressed in a piecemeal fashion each session.

The committee killed a bill that sought to allow slot machines at a casino in Oxford County and a tribal casino on Indian-owned land at an unspecified location. The state’s Passamaquoddy and Penobscot tribes have lost several legislative and referendum attempts to operate gambling facilities.

Sullivan asked that the bill be carried over for next year’s session, but the committee voted to reject it.