Pennsylvania Proposal To Legalise Table Games

In the American state of Pennsylvania, a member of the House Of Representatives has introduced legislation that would permit slot casinos to add table games such as blackjack, poker and roulette to their offering.

The state has a projected budget deficit for this year of $3.2 billion and House Democratic Whip Bill DeWeese projects that his measure, called House Bill 21, could produce at least $200 million in new revenue from Pennsylvania’s 14 casinos.

According to a report from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, DeWeese believes his proposed legislation would produce $300 million for the state in the first year because casinos would have to pay a one-time fee of ten million dollars in order to gain a license.

DeWeese's bill calls for an 18 percent tax on gross revenues from table games with the money going into the state's Property Tax Relief Fund. This account is now funded by a 34 percent tax on slot revenues.

In addition, House Bill 21 calls for a two percent share for the municipalities and counties where the casinos are located. These now get four percent of slot revenues but DeWeese’s legislation would also give one percent of table games’ revenues to agriculture and county fairs.

'The astounding recent popularity of poker by ESPN, celebrity tournaments and local fundraisers are making table games a much more popular form of gaming,' said DeWeese.

'Pennsylvania also must stay competitive with our neighbouring states because if we don't, the gaming dollars will go elsewhere.'

DeWeese stated that adding table games would add 16,000 jobs once all 14 casinos were operating.