It seems that not everyone in Pennsylvania backs up the state’s gambling expansion which has recently been passed. This week, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) rolled out a web page listing municipalities which chose not to host satellite casinos.
So far, a total of seven municipalities have decided that they do not want to host mini-casinos under the provisions of the recently-passed gambling expansion law.
The names of the first municipalities that have voted not to participate in the future gambling expansion of the state were published on Monday, with the list to be updated. Pennsylvania municipalities have been given time until December 31st to decide whether to opt out of the mini-casinos expansion and if they do, to inform the PGCB for their decision.
Some Municipalities Choose to Ban Mini-Casinos
At the time when the web page was launched by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, the Board’s spokesperson Doug Harbach told The Morning Call that the first one to express its intention to opt out from the mini-casinos expansion was the Kennett Township in Chester County. As Harbach explained the Township supervisors had informed the state’s gaming control board for their decision to ban satellite casinos.
Reportedly, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has also received resolutions from Limestone Township and Washington Township in Lycoming County, Lancaster County’s Strasburg and West Earl townships, Tioga County’s Westfield Township, Heath Township in Jefferson County, Bucks County-located Lower Makefield Township, all of them saying that they do not want to be part of the gambling expansion and host any mini-casino business.
Satellite Casinos to Be Established under Gambling Expansion Law
Mini-casinos are part of the gambling expansion law which has been officially signed by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf at the end of October.
A competitive bidding process to host a satellite casino is set to start in December, with the already existing casinos in Pennsylvania to be given the chance to become the first ones to operate mini-casinos in the state.
Under the provisions of the new piece of legislation, a total of ten satellite casinos are allowed to be established on the territory of the state. These so-called “mini-casinos” can offer up to 40 table games and 750 slot machines. However, the new gambling expansion law has also implemented some rules to protect the state’s already existing casinos from possible negative effects.
In order to make sure that larger land-based casinos in Pennsylvania would not be hurt by the gambling expansion, the law signed by Governor Wolf on October 30th requires that satellite casinos must be located at least 25 miles away from the larger casinos in the state. In addition, part of the revenue generated by satellite casinos is planned to be redirected to struggling casinos in the state, too.
- Author
Daniel Williams
