Pennsylvanian land casino exec speaks up for legalise online gambling

John Culetsu, general manager of the land-based Mount Airy Casino Resort in Pennsylvania, has spoken up for online gambling as debate on the possibilities continues to thrive in the eastern state.

Legalised online gambling would attract new and younger visitors to the state’s casinos, creating a much needed fresh revenue stream, he said this week.

Culetsu was less enthusiastic about another proposal doing the political rounds in Pennsylvania, opining that a plan to permit land casinos to open satellite locations with no more than 250 slot machines each would have a negative effect on the revenue the main properties generate, and would not increase the state’s take.

The satellite facilities language is part of a casino bill that is currently being reviewed by the Pennsylvania Legislature.

The proposed legislation would allow Pennsylvania’s brick-and-mortar casinos to open up to two new satellites each at land locations of their choice, with no more than 5,000 slot machines permitted for any one operator, including satellites.

Any satellite should be within 20 miles of another gambling facility, unless officials of the two properties agree otherwise.

The satellite proposal would see each main operator paying a $5-million fee to open each satellite. Sen.

Revenue at Pennsylvania’s twelve land casinos amounted to $278 million in May this year, up 1 percent year-on-year. Slot machine revenue increased 0.18 percent year-on-year to reach $211.2 million in May.

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