New Consultant's Report Boosts Internet Gaming In Pennsylvania
By Tony Romeo
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) - The odds for Internet gaming coming to Pennsylvania appear to have increased following the release of a report commissioned by the state legislature.
In a report commissioned by the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee, Stephen Mullin of Econsult Solutions told the panel that Internet gaming could raise as much as $110 million dollars in tax revenues for the state without undercutting Pennsylvania's existing casino business.
"While there is a reasonable degree of uncertainty, the available evidence suggests the net effect of I-gaming would be to complement and not cannibalize existing land-based casino revenues in the state."
Shortly after the report was released, the top state senator, president pro tempore Joe Scarnati, released a statement saying Internet gaming "will be explored" in the Senate.
The Senate majority leader, Chester Republican Dominic Pileggi, said he also wants to know more about other new types of gaming – such as fantasy sports – identified in the report.
