RALEIGH -For the second year, the N.C. Senate is betting that a ban on video poker machines throughout most of the state can pass the N.C. House.

The Senate voted 48-1 to ban the machines, which allow bettors to play poker and other games of chance for payouts. Sen. Hugh Webster, R-Alamance, was the only Senate opponent.

"It's not good; it's not healthy. And if we can change that, we should do so," said Senate leader Marc Basnight, who has called the gaming machines one of the state's worst legal vices.

But resistance may again come in the House, where the leadership hasn't warmed to the issue.

"If it's like it was last year, it does more than ban video poker. Same old, same old," said House Democratic Speaker Jim Black of Matthews. Last year Black objected to bills to end video gaming because the bills continued to allow video poker machines on Indian reservations.

The Senate approved the ban overwhelmingly last year, and while Black, then the sole House speaker, said he would look into the issue, the proposal wasn't given a hearing.

Some critics argued that donations to Black and others from the video poker interests had pushed Black and leaders in both parties to squash the bill.

The delay last year led to a comic standoff, in which Rep. Sam Ellis, R-Wake, repeatedly filed resolutions calling for a ban, which Black immediately shunted off to a committee. In the end, Black, appointed a special committee to study the issue.

Black now shares House leadership with Republican Speaker Richard Morgan, R-Moore, who said he would talk with Black before deciding whether to let the proposal go forward.

Video poker gambling is currently allowed on the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian reservations, in accordance with an agreement with the state. The current law also allows video poker in the rest of the state as long as payouts are limited to less than $10 in merchandise or game credits. Cash prizes are illegal, but state investigators and sheriffs say that is almost impossible to enforce. The N.C. Sheriff's Association has led the calls for a video poker ban.

The Cherokee would still be allowed to have machines under the Senate proposal. Some gaming opponents argue the law would allow the Cherokee to add machines on reservations.