ALBANY – Legislation that would expand hours and types of games for video lottery terminals at racinos at Monticello and Yonkers raceways has been approved by the state Senate.

The measure, sponsored by Senator Jeffrey Klein, whose district includes a portion of Westchester County, would generate an additional $100 million annually for state aid to education.

The bill, which at this point has no companion Assembly version, would expand the hours of operation and expand video lottery gaming to include electronic table games the likes of baccarat, roulette and blackjack.  The measure would also apply to racinos at Saratoga, Vernon Downs, Tioga Downs, Buffalo Raceway, Batavia Downs, and Finger Lakes Raceway.

Klein said adding those games would help New York remain competitive with other states like Pennsylvania and New Jersey, which routinely attract gamblers across borders.

In 2007, nearly a quarter of the more than 26 million visitors to Atlantic City were from New York State, with each spending an average of $550, with a total estimated negative economic impact on New York of $3.3 billion, Klein said.