Not every Kansas community is ready to gamble on a state-owned casino.

Sedgwick County residents bucked the state trend Tuesday by rejecting both casino gambling and slot machines. The casino measure lost decisively by a margin of 56 percent to 43 percent. The margin was closer on slot machines – just 343 votes out of a total of about 101,000 – but the owner of Wichita Greyhound Park, where the slots would have been located, already has announced he will close the track rather than pursue a recount.

It appears Wichita will miss the Kansas gambling boom.

Legislation passed earlier this year provided for lottery-owned casinos in four areas – Ford County (Dodge City), Wyandotte County, either Cherokee or Crawford county in southeast Kansas, and either Sedgwick or Sumner county. Voters in each of those counties were required to approve new gaming before it could be developed. All of the other counties in that group already have received voter approval for expanded gaming.

In fact, casino advocates in Sumner County, just to the south of Sedgwick, felt like they had won the lottery Tuesday night when the election results became clear. With Sedgwick County out of the picture, the chances of a casino in Sumner County are considerably improved.

Comments posted on the Wichita Eagle’s Web site seemed to put casino opponents in two categories. Some voters apparently were put off by the fact that they were being asked to approve a casino without having any idea about the location or other details. What appeared to be an even bigger group, however, were those who opposed the casino on moral or religious grounds.

Proponents saw a potential economic boon for the community. The economic impact of a casino probably was easier for Wichita to pass up than it was for communities in southeast or southwest Kansas who are desperate for any kind of economic boost.

At any rate, Sedgwick County voters have spoken – and in a decisive manner. Tuesday’s special election drew a 43 percent voter turnout, higher than Lawrence can claim for most city commission and school board elections.

Many Lawrence residents probably are supportive of Wichita’s stand. A proposed tribal casino north of Lawrence got a cool reception here a number of years ago, and local voters are unlikely to approve any development proposal they can’t fully examine in advance.

With American Indian casinos north and west of here and a state-owned casino proposed in Wyandotte County, it seems that Lawrence residents will have more than their share of gambling opportunities. Time will tell whether the benefit the state and individual communities will derive from casino gambling will be worth whatever problems the facilities bring with them.