Pennsylvania Lawmaker Again Trying For Vegas-Style Gambling

Pennsylvania Representative William DeWeese believes that his state could be the East Coast equivalent to Las Vegas. With Atlantic City casinos struggling, DeWeese feels the time is right to allow full scale casino gambling in Pennsylvania.

Of course, he felt the time was right last year as well. When he proposed the table game gambling last year, his proposal was defeated. Now, he is back and once again trying to persuade fellow lawmakers that table games could make the difference between gaining or losing customers to Atlantic City.

"I really feel like I have more wind behind my back this time," said DeWeese on Tuesday, "Revenues are down, taxes are not bringing in that much. The physical challenges for the Keystone State are so achingly difficult that any new possible revenue has to be considered."

Governor Ed Rendell is not opposed to the table games, but he has made it clear that he wants all fourteen slot parlors in the state to be up and running before table games are added. There still could be some time before that goal is achieved.

"The governor will consider all the options available to him to close the budget gap," said Rendell's spokesman, Chuck Ardo, "but again, he believes it is too soon to consider the expansion of gaming to table games."

DeWeese is not fully on board with the way the governor is thinking. He feels that neighboring states that are building casinos will beat Pennsylvania to the punch. If that happens, it will be hard to change gambler habits, leaving Pennsylvania casinos out in the cold.

June 3, 2009
Posted By April Gardner
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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