Legislation was approved last week by the state House of Representatives to expand gambling into bars and taverns in Pennsylvania. Social and fraternal clubs would also gain increased control of gaming revenue.
I personally am quite delighted by this. I believe gambling goes on in the region anyway, so why not make it proper? Legalize it. It’s fun and doesn’t harm anyone. And it’s about time. As executive director of the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage Association, Amy Christie pointed out, they have worked really hard on just this for over two-and-a-half decades to give small businesses a “more level playing field.”
Put the power back in the hand of the little guy I say, and give us all a great place to go – legally – to have fun at the end of a long working week. The only fear is that other places that offer it legally will lose out. Well, to them I say, rise to the challenge and make your legal gambling place better and we’ll choose that.
Increase competition and everyone benefits, and it seems like House Majority Leader Mike Turzai, R-Bradford Woods agrees with me. He described gaming expansion as being a “matter of fairness for businesses holding restaurant liquor licenses.” And still, there will be limits. Tavern games will have to institute single prize limits of $2,000 per chance and licensees won’t be allowed to offer more than $35,000 in total prizes per week.
Bring it on!
