A bill introduced in the Pennsylvania Senate would give local municipalities up to 90 days to ban video gambling after a community business applies for a license to offer video gambling machines.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is currently fielding license applications from truck stops across the state to participate in the VGT program created by the state’s 2017 gaming expansion law. Businesses meeting the law’s definition of a truck stop are each permitted to offer up to five VGTs.
SB 87, sponsored by state Senator Scott Martin, would give each host municipality to nix any plans to offer VGTs in their jurisdictions. The board would then be compelled to deny VLT applications in the host municipality, as long as the local government holds a vote to ban VLTs within 90 days after a VLT application is filed.
“The applications now are popping up everywhere, and convenience stores, these rest stops are making requests to change things on their property to accommodate that,” Martin told Transport Topics. “Our local governments, our citizens have been upset that all of these applications for video gaming terminals are popping up.”
Martin’s bill, which has five co-sponsors, is currently pending in the state Senate Community, Economic and Recreational Development Committee. No hearings have been scheduled.
Since the gaming board began to take applications, 65 of an estimated 300 eligible truck stops have applied for VLT licenses, with 43 given conditional approval.
