A meeting notice in Pennsylvania has brought life back to the online gambling prospects for the state. Online gambling has been on the table for some now, yet no legislation has moved forward to the point of hitting the Governor’s desk. Yesterday, a meeting notice was sent to the Pennsylvania Senate Community, Economic & Recreational Development Committee members, indicating that a vote on H 271 would take place today.
As reported by OnlinePokerReport, the amended version of H 271 could be voted on this week based on information in the memo. The memo advised members that the Committee would be holding a voting meeting to consider House Bill 271 with amendment. The meeting was said to be taking place in the Rules Room and members would be provided with information, including a summary of the bill and amendment.
The House originally passed the bill last month and unlike other options the House was vying for, this bill would only allow tablet gaming at particular airports. In the past, the House wanted to see a comprehensive gaming package move forward which would include several areas of gaming expansion.
It is unclear as to what the amended version of the bill might look like. The Senate is expected to have a gaming package that will cover several topics such as the local share tax as well as online gambling. A number of topics have been on the table in order for the state to find a way to bring in much-needed funds to meet a budget deficit.
A major concern in regards to online gambling for the state is the tax rate. In the past, the House has suggested a rate of 14 to 16 percent. However, other recommendations have included rates as high as 54% for gaming. This of course would keep many operators from seeking licensing due to the amount they would have to pay back to the state.
For now, no news has been provided as to if the meeting has taken place. It will be interesting to see which topics are covered and what the House decides to do in regard to the amendments made to the bill.
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