Pennsylvania disappointment

The Pennsylvania House Gaming Oversight Committee hearing on daily fantasy sports and online gambling legalisation scheduled for Tuesday did not take place, and there has thus far been no explanation for its cancellation, Pennsylvania media reports indicate.

Earlier reports from political insiders suggested that the hearing was designed to spur the state Senate into action regarding the legalisation issue; Our readers will recall that an omnibus gambling bill including DFS and e-gaming was included in the state’s budget bill approved by the House before the last adjournment, with the intention of generating $100 million in tax and fee revenues for the state. That bill is now with the Senate.

The current legislative season is drawing to a close with elections looming in November, and time is becoming increasingly critical if the legalisation issue is to be addressed this session.

The Senate did in fact make some progress, albeit only regarding DFS; a separate bill on daily fantasy sports was voted through the Senate Appropriations Committee soon after the Senate returned to work this week, complicating the issue further.

Senate foot-dragging, if not outright opposition, was expected on the omnibus bill; some Pennsylvanian senators are known to be less than enthusiastic about provisions in the bill that would allow slots at land venues like airports and off-track betting parlours.

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