Lawmakers in Pennsylvania may soon expand the scope of gambling in the state for the first time in several years.
Local reports indicate that a bill now before consideration in the state legislature could allow thousands of bars in Pennsylvania to “profit from gambling contests called small games of chance.”
The measure won approval from the state Senate Wednesday, but “fell off the fast track amid last-minute objections from Gov. Tom Corbett and House Democrats.”
The bill passed the Senate 39-11 without debate and senators had initially expected a speedy vote in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and a signature by Corbett. But that changed several hours after the Senate vote.
“House Democrats worried about objections by VFW post operators and other fraternal organizations to the added competition for the gambling dollars,” says Marc Levy of the AP. “Democrats also were suspicious about the bill’s speedy track after being negotiated among Republicans behind closed doors, a spokesman said.”
“Members on our side have learned from experience that that means something is up,” House Democratic spokesman Bill Patton was quoted in the report.
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