Pennsylvania is about to have its casino industry reviewed, as two public hearings on the matter have been organized by the state Gaming Oversight Committee. Both meetings are to be held at Northeastern Pennsylvania casinos.
The first one is scheduled for tomorrow, April 28, at Mount Airy Casino Resort in Paradise Township, and the other is to take place on Wednesday, April 29, at Mohegan Sun Pocono in Plains Township. Casino owners are expect to attend both meetings.
Lawmakers’ main goal is to come up with a package of bills by June that would help Pennsylvania’s gambling venues blunt the competition coming from neighboring states as well as generate more revenue.
The Gaming Oversight Committee is currently discussing matters concerning the viability of the state’s gambling industry. Several bills that would allow the legalization of online gaming, sports betting, and bingo at casinos have been proposed and are currently reviewed by the committee. In addition, legislators are to revise a state law introduced back in 2013 concerning licenses for games at taverns as well as the introduction of video games at social clubs.
Rep. John Payne, who was appointed as Chairman of the Gaming Oversight Committee during the 2015-2016 legislative session, commented that the closure of four casinos in Atlantic City should motivate Pennsylvania to have its own casino industry thoroughly examined. He pointed out that legislators need to review the laws that were passed back in 2004, when gambling was legalized in the state, and see if those are “still pertinent.”
Recently, Rep. Payne introduced HB 649, which calls for the legalization of online casinos and poker rooms at the brick and mortar gambling venues across the state. If approved, the legislation would ask casino owners to pay the amount of $5 million, in order to be able to obtain licenses for the provision of online gambling options at their properties.
Rep. Aaron Kaufer was among the committee members that questioned HB 649. He pointed out that online gaming might affect brick and mortar casinos in a negative manner. According to him, the legalization of sports betting might prove to be a profitable move, as such operations might bring new range of customers to the state gambling venues.
The debate over Internet gambling has both its proponents and opponents among casino executives. It seems, however, that they all are on the same page regarding matters such as restricting the introduction of new casino-like gaming options at gambling properties, eliminating the license for a third casino resort, granting tax credit to owners to encourage the state gambling industry to invest more in their properties, etc.
