Pennsylvania lawmakers were slated to reconsider and vote today on two separate amendments to a gaming expansion bill that would legalize online gaming in the state, with sites to be operated by current casino licensees.
Two weeks ago, as the state House of Representatives moved to vote on a state budget, the gaming bill HB 1925 was brought to the floor. The measure would authorize current casino licensees to place slot machines at airports and off-track betting facilities. Two iGaming amendments to that bill—one that would legalize online gaming along the New Jersey model of casino-located servers, and another that would do the same but also would legalize video gaming machines in bars and taverns.
Both amendments were voted down, but confusion as to the sponsorship of the amendments and their contents led the chamber to overwhelmingly vote to reconsider them at a different date, which was tentatively set for today, June 6.
The pure iGaming amendment—without accompanying VGTs in bars—was sponsored by Rep. John Payne, the House Gaming Oversight Committee Chairman who sponsored a bill to legalize a complete slate of online casino games on sites operated by Pennsylvania casino license-holders. The amendment is identical to Payne’s gaming bill, which was never brought to a floor vote.
The amendment including VGTs, sponsored by Rep. Mark Mustio, was defeated the first time by a lopsided vote. Payne’s amendment was a closer vote.
The bill for which the amendments are being considered would also legalize round-the-clock cocktail service in casinos (current state law dictates cocktails cannot be served later than 2 a.m.) in addition to slots at the airport. It has much opposition in the state legislature, critics assailing the expansion of gaming as a zero-sum proposition that will transfer money from current forms of gaming to new ones, at the risk of increasing problem gambling.
Reconsideration will include a speech by Payne and debate before a final vote. Should both iGaming amendments or the gaming expansion bill itself fail, the online gaming issue is likely to be back early in the next legislative session.
Leading lawmakers, though, hope to get an expanded gaming bill through this week, so projected revenues can be counted in the state budget. “Our goal is for gaming revenues to be part of the final budget package,” House Majority Leader Dave Reed told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “We wanted to kind of test it out in May, but obviously when we come back in June it will be full guns a-blazing trying to get a budget done, and that will be part of that process.”
