Cash-strapped Pennsylvania eyes video gaming terminal legalization

Pennsylvania legislators are now in a deadlock over plans to legalize video gaming terminal in a bid to break the 9-day-old budget stalemate.

Pennlive.com reported that the House and Senate are divided over plans to legalize slot-style video gaming terminals at thousands of bars, restaurants and private clubs across the state in order to support Pennsylvania’s $32 billion 2017-18 state budget.

On one hand, the senate had been pushing for providing new, repeating revenues in the range of $450 million to $550 million for the new fiscal year, with the balance made up by fund transfers and other one-time moves.

The House of Representatives, on the other hand, has been dangling the gambling expansion card as a solution to the budget stalemate. Lawmakers talked about the expansion of “satellite casinos” in secondary markets across Pennsylvania, and the legalization of Internet-based casino games.