Pennsylvania House committee approves Rep. Payne’s online gambling legislation

A Pennsylvania state government committee has approved an online gambling bill, the first tangible forward progress any state legislature has made on this front in years.

On Wednesday, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Gaming Oversight Committee voted 18-8 in favor of committee chairman John Payne’s HB 649, which would authorize the state’s licensed casino operators to branch out into online poker and casino gambling.

The bill would also allow the addition of slot machines at racetrack operators’ OTB venues and at the state’s six international airports. An amendment that would have allowed video gaming terminals at restaurants and bars was struck from the bill before the vote.

HB 649’s next stop will be a vote by the full House membership. Assuming that vote is favorable, the state Senate would then need to give their stamp of approval before Gov. Tom Wolf would have the opportunity to sign the bill into law. Should the Senate amend the bill before voting, HB 649 would have to return to the House for a second vote before arriving at Wolf’s desk.