After last week the Governor Tom Wolf announced a budget proposal related to the addition of extra $250 million for a “gaming expansion”, both analysts and media thought that was a hint that online gambling legalisation remain as part of Pennsylvania’s plans for the future. However, the scheduled hearing to discuss the gaming expansion in question was cancelled and various guesses were made on the matter.
Still, despite the cancellation, most experts remain optimistic about the future of online gambling legalisation in the state of Pennsylvania. The hearing in front of the House Gaming Oversight Committee, was cancelled, but a number of sources close to the situation have reported that there are currently efforts to schedule a joint gaming reform hearing both at the House and the State Senate. If there really is such a joint hearing, the process of online gambling legalisation is expected to be speed up, as the two legislative bodies would be given the chance to patch up their differences in terms of the gaming reform bill.
There have been a disagreement between the Senate and the House Gaming Oversight Committee on the matters of gambling expansion in general, as well as in terms of online gambling.
Still, as mentioned above, there is a light of hope when it comes to the online gambling legislation passing in the state of Pennsylvania. Governor Wolf also proposed a budget for the upcoming fiscal year, presenting specific data, citing the revenue expected to be generated as a result from the future gaming expansion. What is more, late last week, a number of Pennsylvania House of Representatives members introduced a gaming reform package that is considered to serve as a lever for any upcoming changes, or at least, for a hearing.
The cancellation of the hearing could be discouraging, but if the rumours of a joint hearing between the Senate and the Committee, things could go pretty well for online gambling legalisation in the state of Pennsylvania.
This is not the first gaming reform in Pennsylvania. Only last week, the HB 392 bill was officially introduced as similar to a bill which have been unanimously passed by the House of Representatives late in their 2016 session. The state Senate, on the other hand, decided not to vote on that bill before the ending of the 2016 session.
If the HB 392 bill finally gets the approval of the state’s competent authorities, it would legalise online gambling in Pennsylvania. But that is not all. The bill also seeks the legalisation of daily fantasy sports, as well as permission of skill-based and hybrid slot machines, permission of tablet gaming at some airports and permission of multi-state progressive slot machines. The new reform bill would also fix the local share tax issues and remove the casino amenity requirement that has been imposed on casinos from Category 3.
- Author
Daniel Williams
