Pennsylvania Allows Casinos To Serve Alcohol 24/7Governor Signs Bill For Looser Liquor Laws |
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Gamblers soon might no longer have to worry about “last call” at Pennsylvania casinos.
As the state considers legalizing online casinos, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf signed a bill Wednesday that allows the state’s 12 brick-and-mortar casinos to serve alcohol 24/7. Pennsylvania has a gambling market already worth more than $3 billion annually, but it’s not really growing.
Pennsylvania casinos will have to purchase a license to be more like their counterparts in Las Vegas. Currently, the casinos can only serve alcohol for 19 hours each day.
State lawmakers have been busy trying to figure out ways to bolster the Keystone State gaming industry. The gambling reform package on the table that includes online casinos also involves discussion of allowing slot machines at taverns, social clubs, volunteer fire halls and airports.
Additionally, there is a push for regulating daily fantasy sports contests. On Thursday, a lawmaker in Pennsylvania’s House re-introduced the Fantasy Sports Consumer Protection Act, which is slated to have a hearing later this month.
DFS is considered a form of online gambling, so it’s possible it could ultimately be included in the larger gambling reform discussions. Pennsylvania is eyeing gambling expansion in order to increase tax revenue and also protect its betting industry from competition in neighboring states.
“We are, like it or not, the majority shareholder in the casino industry because we get 54 percent of the [revenue],” State Rep. John Payne, sponsor of the online poker bill, said at a hearing late last month. "In the private sector that would mean we are the majority shareholder. It behooves us to make sure our casinos do well because we get more money.”
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