Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
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The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is a governmental agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, founded in 2004 as the state licensing and regulatory agency responsible for overseeing the casino slots industry. The first completely new agency created in Pennsylvania in over 30 years, the PGCB administers the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act, also known as "Act 71", and its regulations to assure public trust and confidence in the credibility and integrity of the casino industry and gambling in Pennsylvania.
The PGCB does not oversee games of chance in the Commonwealth such as the Pennsylvania Lottery or other permitted games of chance at clubs and non-profit organizations.
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[edit] Composition
The board consists of seven voting members, three of which are appointed by the Governor of Pennsylvania and four of which are appointed by the leadership of the Pennsylvania General Assembly.[1] By statute, the State Treasurer, Secretary of Revenue, and Secretary of Agriculture are non-voting ex-officio members.[2]
[edit] Economic effects of gambling
Revenues produced from slot machines in Pennsylvania go to property tax relief and rebates, the horse racing industry, economic development, tourism, and the local governments of gambling establishments. Slot-machine revenue also funds the PGCB and other enforcement and oversight agencies. The PGCB estimates that slot-machine gambling is producing tens of thousands of new jobs in the Commonwealth.[3]
But there is also evidence to suggest that gambling's hidden costs outweigh any economic benefits.[4] One anti-casino group, Casino-Free Philly, estimated that approving a plan for riverfront casinos would cost Philadelphia $52 million a year.[5]
[edit] Casino licenses
The board is authorized to issue up to 14 licenses for slot machine operations only. Broken down, seven licenses may be issued to existing horse race tracks, or racinos, five licenses may be issued to stand-alone casinos, and two licenses may be issued to existing hotel resorts. All can have up to 5,000 machines, except the last two resort licensees, which can have up to 500. The Act also mandated that two of the five stand-alone casinos be located in Philadelphia, one in Pittsburgh, and the remaining two at-large.
[edit] Racinos
On December 20, 2006, the board voted to grant six permanent casino licenses for existing horse racing facilities.[6] The board previously voted to grant these locations temporary licenses on September 27, 2006.[7] The licensed facilities are:
- Harrah's Chester
- Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs
- Philadelphia Park Casino
- Penn National Race Course
- Presque Isle Downs
- The Meadows Racetrack & Casino
[edit] Casinos
On the same day, the board voted to grant five permanent casino licenses for stand-alone casinos. The licensed facilities are:
- SugarHouse Casino, Philadelphia (opening April 2009)
- Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia (opening November 2008)
- Majestic Star Casino Pittsburgh (opening May 2009)
- Mount Airy Casino Resort, Paradise Township, Monroe County (opened October 22, 2007)
- Sands BethWorks, Bethlehem (opening second quarter 2009)
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Members, www.pgcb.state.pa.us
- ^ Ex-officio members, www.pgcb.state.pa.us
- ^ Gaming Benefits for Pennsylvanians, www.pgcb.state.pa.us
- ^ Bad Odds: As more states look to win the economic jackpot with casinos, evidence suggests they are playing a losing hand, Wall Street Journal, June 11, 2007
- ^ Casino-Free Philly: "You Pay Even If You Don't Play"
- ^ "PA Gaming Control Board Approves 11 Permanent Operator Licenses", www.pgcb.state.pa.us
- ^ "PA Approves First Gaming Licenses", www.pgcb.state.pa.us