Owners of such “stop-and-go” convenience stores circumvent this requirement by obtaining restaurant liquor licenses, which mandate that the establishment have at least 30 chairs. Often, 30 chairs are stacked in a corner, with gaming machines placed next to soda fountains, candy, and snacks often found at such quick stops.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Police officials told the committee they’ve recently ramped up their efforts to tackle the mounting problem. Pennsylvania State Police Major Scott Miller said they currently have 40 pending cases before judges, and have seized an average of 650 machines a year since 2011.<\/p>\n
To cover the $2.2 billion budget shortfall, Governor Tom Wolf (D) wants to increase taxes on the production of Marcellus Shale, raise consumer utility consumption fees, and hike sales taxes on internet purchases from sellers like Amazon. The Senate is on board with the governor’s plan, but the House remains opposed.<\/p>\n
The lower chamber, adamant against any tax increase on residents, instead wants to legalize more gambling in what’s already the US’ second-ranked commercial casino state.<\/p>\n
\nMiller, who wasn’t advocating one way or another for the gaming machines, did express the fact that the illegal devices aren’t currently providing any economic benefit to the state. Nor are consumers playing them protected with set payout requirements.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nWolf hopes to have a budget funding plan on his desk by October 1. After that time, the Democrat warns that the state could see its credit rating once again downgraded.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Pennsylvania Senate Law and Justice Committee Chairman Chuck McIlhinney (R-District 10) says business owners allowing illegal gambling operations to take place at their establishments will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. That is, of course, assuming the state legislature, which is currently mulling multiple gambling expansion measures, one being to allow slots […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":58999,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,60,13,61],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Pennsylvania Senate Law Committee to Crackdown on Illegal Gambling<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n