Pennsylvania to Regulate Online Gambling

Pennsylvania could become the latest US territory to regulate internet gambling, executive director of the state Gaming Control Board has revealed following a meeting on Thursday.

The State of Pennsylvania could become the latest US territory to legalize online gambling.

The Pennsylvania House Democratic Policy Committee met last Thursday to discuss different aspects of internet gaming and the possibility of regulating online gaming within the state of Pennsylvania.

Kevin O’Toole, the executive director of Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board revealed that online gambling had the potential to be effectively regulated in the state, adding that the land-based casinos could be given a license to operate on the internet as well.

State representative Mike Sturla has also suggested that the Oil State is likely to allow online gaming in the near future.

“It exists anyway,” Sturla said after the Committee hearing Thursday. “So the question is do we make it safe? Do we make it a revenue source? Do we protect some consumers who are currently being scammed by illegal online gaming interests?”

Similar to Caesars Entertainment that extended its operations online in the state of New Jersey, various brick and mortar casinos in Pennsylvania are relishing the prospect of acquiring a license to offer their services online, and their representatives were visibly delighted with the outcome of the hearing.

The issue of online gambling affecting the action in land-based casinos was also discussed, with Caesars Entertainment Corp representative David Satz offering his contribution. Satz went on to reveal that 91% of their online players in the state of New Jersey had never set foot in their offline establishments, while some of their land game players were found to gamble online as well.

In case the regulation is passed, the state of Pennsylvania should be able to generate an average of $450 million per year in estimated revenue, which is another strong reason for the state officials to regulate online gambling sooner rather than later.