Harrah’s Philadelphia General Manager Ron Baumann and Caesar’s Entertainment Group Executive Vice President Jan Jones Blackhurst gave insights into the value of online gambling coming to Pennsylvania during the hearing at Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino and Racetrack on Wednesday.

Rep. John Payne, chairman of the Gaming Oversight Committee, introduced HB 649 in February authorizing online poker and casino games approved by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.

“Today’s reality is that internet gambling is taking place in all 50 states, almost all of it illegally,” Blackhurst told the Pennsylvania House Gaming Oversight Committee. “It’s an environment that’s ripe for fraud and criminal activity and it provides no tax revenue.”

Blackhurst also said that legalizing online gaming, as several bills currently under consideration by the committee, would create a safer gambling experience by adding state regulation and consumer protections.