Eight of the 15 members present voted against House Bill 16-225.
Six voted in favor of the measure and one abstained. Five were absent.
Saipan Republican Rep. Ramon Tebuteb, who sponsored the bill, said the annual license fee of pachinko slot machines should be lowered to encourage amusement establishments to operate them.
He said more pachinko slot machines in operation would mean more taxes for the cash-strapped CNMI government.
“More machines offered will entice more players, translating to more license fee revenue and jackpot winning taxes for the general fund,” Tebuteb said.
