“We have evidence from other operators that has been published, that online is a different customer.”Ĭomplicating the discussion is the fact taxes on Pennsylvania’s casinos help offset soaring property levies. Where Ricci is concerned that iGaming will saturate the gambling market, Ricci argues the market is already saturated, and that expanding the industry to online platforms will actually expand the customer base.

Hamilton supports iGaming, and fundamentally disagrees about its impact. “This will most assuredly be a losing deal for the commonwealth.”īut others, like Wendy Hamilton of Philadelphia’s Sugarhouse Casino, differ. “If it ain't broke don’t fix it,” he said of the current business model. In a joint public hearing on the subject, he said iGaming will gut profits at existing brick-and-mortar casinos. The gaming conversation at the Capitol often revolves around whether to legalize and tax online gambling.Īnthony Ricci, of Philadelphia-area Parx Casino, is against it. Tom Wolf’s spending plan for next fiscal year optimistically calls for $150 million to be filled with even more unspecified gaming money, and lawmakers don’t seem close to a consensus on what to do. Pennsylvania’s current budget has a $100 million hole state lawmakers intended to fill with some kind of gaming revenue.Įven so, Gov.