Monthly Archives: December 2016

Pennsylvania DA: Sands Bethlehem on its own if it won’t pay host fee

Casino operator Las Vegas Sands has been warned that it can’t ignore its Pennsylvania tax obligations and expect state law enforcement officials to respond to the casino’s calls for assistance.

In September, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court struck down a community ‘host fee’ and slots tax as unconstitutional due to many of the state’s dozen casinos paying different rates depending on the size of their gaming operations.

The Court stayed its decision until January 26 to give legislators time to fix the situation. A quick fix bill failed to resolve the issue as the 2016 legislative session ended without an affirmative vote. The casinos are scheduled to make their next payment on January 15, making some kind of deal necessary before the April 15 payment deadline.

Five casinos have since reached deals with their host communities to ensure the money keeps flowing so local police, fire and medical services are adequately funded.

Pennsylvania DA: Sands Bethlehem on its own if it won’t pay host fee

Casino operator Las Vegas Sands has been warned that it can’t ignore its Pennsylvania tax obligations and expect state law enforcement officials to respond to the casino’s calls for assistance.

In September, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court struck down a community ‘host fee’ and slots tax as unconstitutional due to many of the state’s dozen casinos paying different rates depending on the size of their gaming operations.

The Court stayed its decision until January 26 to give legislators time to fix the situation. A quick fix bill failed to resolve the issue as the 2016 legislative session ended without an affirmative vote. The casinos are scheduled to make their next payment on January 15, making some kind of deal necessary before the April 15 payment deadline.

Five casinos have since reached deals with their host communities to ensure the money keeps flowing so local police, fire and medical services are adequately funded.