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Pennsylvania Lawmaker Wants Gambling Laws Rewritten

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania – As reported by the [Sunbury, Pennsylvania] Daily Item: "As the debate over legalizing big-time gambling drags on, a state lawmaker says it's time to rewrite the laws governing the small-scale gambling already legal in Pennsylvania.

"Rep. Paul Semmel, R-Lehigh, chairman of the House Veterans and Emergency Preparedness Committee, is drafting legislation to expand the scope of the small games of chance and bingo games that are a major fund-raising source for thousands of volunteer fire companies, ambulance and rescue groups, veterans posts, fraternal organizations and religious and charitable groups.

"…Semmel said his legislation will offer a comprehensive overhaul of the 1981 law that legalized bingo and 1988 law that legalized small games of chance, including punchboards, raffles, 50-50 lotteries, fishbowl tickets and pull tabs.

"…Semmel is proposing to remove the limit that an organization can award no more than $5,000 worth of prizes during one week for small games of chance with the exception of special raffles and to increase the limit on individual prizes from $500 to $1,000…"

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