The US state of Pennsylvania is close to giving the nod to an expansion of gaming to help finance its budget, according to reports in the American press.
The proposals include the creation of 10 satellite casinos that may be operated by casinos currently licensed and by legalising online gambling.
The state’s Senate has agreed on the proposals but they are being held up by the House of Representatives. The reports suggest that a proposal to permit slots in locations licensed to sell liquor has been omitted.
But the satellite casinos would be permitted up to 500 slots each and table games. They would have to be 25 miles away from existing casinos and licences would cost between $7.5m and $10m each.
Other proposals including taxing slots at 26 per cent and table games and poker at 20 per cent, permitting sports betting if the federal law changes.
