Lancaster Online – Allowing online gambling through Pennsylvania’s casinos could bring in $307 million annually to the state, according to a study commissioned by the Pennsylvania Senate.
The senate asked that potential gaming revisions be evaluated because of a leveling off and decline at some casinos and the expansion of gaming in surrounding states.
New Jersey, Delaware and Nevada now allow online gambling.
Of the Lancaster County lawmakers who could be reached for comment, only Democrat Rep. Mike Sturla favors legalizing online gambling.
And it’s not just because of the money, the Lancaster said.
“It really is a situation where, in some cases, it’s more of, at least in my perception, a consumer protection issue,” he said.
Sturla said he wasn’t convinced of online gaming’s revenue as projected in Philadelphia-based Econsult Solutions’ study, but he said the idea was worth looking into.
The House Democratic Policy Committee, which Sturla chairs, held a hearing on the Internet gambling earlier this month.
