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Table-games bill introduced in Pennsylvania

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania -- As reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer: "State Rep. Bill DeWeese officially introduced his proposal yesterday to add table games to Pennsylvania's casinos. Under the measure, casino operators would pay a $10 million fee up-front to inaugurate games such as blackjack, poker and craps at their currently slots-only facilities.

"'I feel confident," said DeWeese (D., Greene), who introduced table-games legislation last year that failed to reach a vote. This year, he noted, the sputtering economy and the state's $3.2 billion budget shortfall could work in his favor.

"'Discussions I have had with the Senate president and House Appropriations chairman lead me to believe that our table-games proposal has significantly more momentum now than it did just a week or two ago,' DeWeese said. 'I just think that reality is starting to set in. Republicans are telling the governor they are not voting for broad-based taxes.'

"One local Republican, Bucks County State Sen. Tommy Tomlinson, confirmed yesterday that he would soon roll out a table-games bill similar to DeWeese's. Tomlinson, whose district includes PhiladelphiaPark Casino & Racetrack, the state's top grossing slots parlor, said he and Sen. Robert J. Mellow (D., Lackawanna) started crafting a proposal a couple weeks ago..."

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