Imminent launch for Pennsylvania intra-state iGaming legislation

According to a report from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review newspaper, Democrat Tina Davis has acknowledged that she faces a ‘rough road to approval’ in the Republican-controlled legislature but remains optimistic that intra-state online gambling will come to Pennsylvania ‘someday’.

“It will happen eventually,” said Davis, who was elected in 2011 to represent the state’s 141st House of Representatives district just north of Philadelphia. “Considering the nationwide efforts to legalise Internet gaming, it is imperative that we maintain the integrity of our gaming industry amid inevitable federal pre-emption and competing states as well as possible expansion of Internet games through the privatisation of our own state lottery.”

Davis authored a memorandum earlier this month calling on her fellow members to co-sponsor legislation that would amend the existing Gaming Act and establish guidelines and regulations for intra-state online gaming. She now intends to launch the proposed measure that would permit only online poker and blackjack initially along with any variations of these games played in existing casinos.

Davis’ measure would only consider operators already holding land-based table and slot licenses with all games running via venues’ existing websites. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board would be tasked with inspecting and approving online gambling software and devices.

In addition, players are to be required to establish an account via one of the licensed facilities using an active bank account before competing online while sites would be prohibited from offering credit. Players would also be obliged to sign an agreement preventing them from letting others access their accounts.

The proposed cost of an online licence would be us$ 16.5 million, which is the same as the existing duty for a table game license.