Pennsylvania is considering legalizing intra-state online betting, but one state legislator is calling for stiff penalties for gamblers already playing on illegal sites.
State Rep. Mario Scavello, a Monroe County Republican, outlined a plan to penalize people who gamble online. Currently online gambling is illegal in the state, but carries no penalty.
Scavello said online gaming is a threat to both underage and problem gamblers.
“Here again, online gambling is best described as the Wild West. Online, there’s no one around to keep an eye on someone who doesn’t know when to stop,” Scavello said according to a report at Phily.com.
Scavello’s bill would make a first violation a summary offense with a possible $300 fine and up to 90 days in jail. A second violation would be a misdemeanor bringing a $2,500 fine and up to a year in jail.
“I believe that if you hit people in their wallets, we can start to crack down on the lawbreakers,” Scavello said.
The Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling immediately supported the plan. Led by Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, the coalition—backed mostly by Adelson’s private fortune—is leading a campaign to outlaw online gambling in the U.S.
“We call on the Pennsylvania Legislature to vote in favor of this bill and send a powerful message that online gaming has no place in American society,” coalition officials said in a statement.
The Pennsylvania Senate has authorized a study of the future of gambling including online gaming.
