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Pennsylvania casinos currently offer electronic table games at their casinos but many patrons would love to see the real thing. Gamblers may get their wish as Pennsylvania lawmakers are trying to pass legislation to offer blackjack, craps and poker at the casinos. A new House bill has been created to legalize the table games to help bring money to lessen the state budget.Lawmakers are looking to compromise with legislative leaders to legalize the table games to raise state revenue. The state currently has a budget deficit of $3 billion. Pennsylvania casino operators also want to add the table games. They have argued the point that blackjack, craps and poker would boost the casino profits as well as create thousands of jobs as well as more tax revenue for the state.
The new bill created, if passed, will see each facility that offers the table games paying a $10 million fee plus a $500,000 annual renewal fee. Although many people want to see the bill passed, the governor Ed Rendell has threatened to veto the budget plan.
Representative William DeWeese has commented that even though the governor has said he will veto the plan, the table games will be at the casinos eventually. DeWeese commented: "While the timing might be marginally premature, since the governor said he would only embrace table games once all the slot facilities were up and running, I think the imperative nature of the budget and the agreement by Senate Republicans, who had been tentative, will greatly accelerate gaming conversations over the next week."
2009-09-17
