The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed legislation Wednesday night to expand casino-style gambling to websites, airports, bars and off-track betting parlors. It also would allow online lottery games and reinstate a requirement that casinos pay millions to host communities. The measure still needs approval in the Senate, which passed a narrower gambling bill last month. Here is a look at the highlights:
GAMBLING AT BARS
A liquor license holder, such as a bar, hotel, restaurant, truck stop or fraternal club, could operate slot machine-style gambling machines, called video gaming terminals. As many as 40,000 terminals would be allowed statewide. Each establishment could operate up to five, while a truck stop could operate as many as 10. The state would take 37.5 percent of the gambling revenue, with certain amounts set aside for the Lottery Fund, volunteer emergency services grants and compulsive gambling prevention programs. The license holder would get 26 percent of the gambling revenue, terminal operators would get 31 percent, host counties and municipalities would each get 2 percent and the rest would go to the cost of regulation.
ONLINE GAMBLING
Licensed commercial casinos in Pennsylvania can apply to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to operate casino-style gambling on websites and mobile applications. The fee to operate a website would be $8 million. Gross revenue from online gambling would be taxed at a 16 percent rate to the state, 2 percent for economic development projects and 1 percent to the host county. Just three states — New Jersey, Delaware and Nevada — allow online gambling.