Casino operator Las Vegas Sands has won the latest auction for Pennsylvania’s new satellite casino licenses.

On Wednesday, Sands submitted the winning $9.9m bid that won the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board’s fourth auction for the new Category 4 licenses. Sands has elected to build its new mini-casino in Mercer County close to the Ohio border.

Sands operates the state’s number two casino Sands Bethlehem, which has been the subject of acquisition talk over the past year or so. It remains to be seen whether the Cat 4 license pursuit reflects the company’s intention to stay in Pennsylvania or whether it’s simply bulking up its local presence to make Sands Bethlehem a more alluring takeover target.

Sands Bethlehem president Brian Carr did his best to convey the former impression, saying Pennsylvania “remains a great gaming market and we believe some parts of the state are actually underserved.” Carr promised to offer further details on the company’s Cat 4 property in due course.