This week, some rumours that the gaming industry in Pennsylvania has reached the maximum of its growth have been roaming around the media. According to some reports, the gaming industry in the state has reached its peak after years over which no change in the gambling legislation was made.
As Casino Guardian has earlier reported, the competent authorities in the state of Pennsylvania have been recently considering some measures to make online gambling legal in order to improve the future of the casinos that have been already existing in the state.
The Current Situation
It seems that the situation within the state has been a bit stagnant lately, as there has been almost no change in the status quo. As far as the land-based casinos in Pennsylvania are concerned, they have faced half a year of declining slot revenue. Fortunately, the result has been neutralised to some extent by the performance of local table games, but the unfortunate performance of slots machines have raised the concerns of some industry experts, which eventually resulted in the belief that the decline was actually the start of a larger trend within the local gambling industry.
There are various possibilities related to the gaming industry in the state of Pennsylvania, which include the chance of new casinos being added to the currently existing ones, and new gaming licenses being issued. What is more, the state authorities need to have in mind the fact that the states of New Jersey, New York and Maryland have increased the competition in the region. At the same time, the concerns regarding the local share tax have been increasing, especially taking into account the fact that the Supreme Court of the state of Pennsylvania had struck down the tax.
Of course, the biggest concern of local gaming operators is what the state legislature would do in terms of changing the gambling laws in the short term.
Online Gambling and VGTs in Pennsylvania
Although the matters of related to online gambling in Pennsylvania has been a bit shaky over the last few years, two of the largest casinos in the state – Parx and Sands Bethlehem – have provided some evidence that online gambling would only help the local land-based casinos. According to some reports presented by the operators, such an expansion of the state’s gambling market would only be helpful and would not hurt the existing revenue in any way.
Online gambling legislation in Pennsylvania is expected to result in new revenue generated. In addition, online gambling operations are to help local operators attract new customers.
On the other hand, video gaming terminals (VGTs) have been another long-discussed topic in the state. A decision for making them legal in Pennsylvania would probably help the gaming revenue growth in the state. There was a similar proposal made in 2016, but it was unsuccessful.
The major concern of local competent authorities is the impact of VGTs over casinos in the state. According to some reports, at present times, there are thousands of video gaming terminals which operate in Pennsylvania without being licensed. The most reasonable step is for them to be legalised, so that the state casino revenue is not hurt any more.
- Author
Daniel Williams
