Penn. Legislators Enact Budget, Still Considering Gambling Expansion

Gambling News - November 9th, 2009 - Written by Glen

Though delayed by over an entire quarter of the fiscal year, the Pennsylvania legislation finally enacted the budget for the '09-'10 year. In October a $27.8 billion dollar spending package was approved by Governor Rendell, but has left questions of funding - a question that could potentially be answered by the expansion of table games in the casinos.

Nine casinos have already been built in Pennsylvania, and the addition of blackjack, roulette, dice, and even poker would bring not only more revenue on a yearly basis, but also the addition of the one time, instant generation of $15 million dollars in licensing fees per casino. Just in these licensing fees alone, backed by the construction of a tenth casino, could send $150 million dollars into the state by June.

The particulars of the bill have yet to be decided on. How much tax revenue is to be taken from the games has been at the top of the list, as every possible party involved has expressed their own opinion. The casinos aim for 12%, 14% is what the Senate demands, while the Governor has suggested 16%. House Democrat Bill DeWeese has proposed a 21% tax rate, while the gaming panel has suggested a whopping 34% tax rate.

Unfortunatley, the delay brought several Universities and institutes in the state to see their state appropriations postponed. Some of these funds were supposed to come from the proposed $200 million to be raked in by the state from table games, sending them into potential hardship.

Until the issue is resolved, players and students alike will have to stay in a grey area. Legislators have been moving forward slowly with the Bill, though added pressure from neighboring states and their casinos may prompt legislators to pick up the pace. Unfortunately, the best USA Gambling sites do not have to kick taxes to the state, though they still provide players with an adequate platform of table games.

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