Pennsylvania online gambling legislative push coming down to the wire

Pennsylvania’s online gambling future is coming down to the wire as the state’s legislative bodies continue to squabble over their long-delayed budget.

Pennsylvania legislators are in a race to agree on a budget covering the 2015-16 fiscal year, a document that is now more than five months overdue. On Tuesday, the state Senate and a House committee approved separate plans, with the House version containing a provision that would authorize online casino and poker games.

The favorable nod by the House Appropriations Committee wasn’t entirely unexpected, as last month saw the Gaming Oversight Committee approve HB 649, the Rep. John Payne-authored bill that would permit the state’s licensed casino operators to take their action online.

According to Penn Live, the House’s budget plan contains revenue provisions for $24m in one-time online gambling license fees plus $120m in online gambling taxes. The full House is expected to vote on the plan sometime on Tuesday.