Pennsylvania senators condemn lottery egaming plans
Politicians want online gambling to be removed from Camelot's 20-year contract in bid to protect land-based casino revenues
Five Pennsylvania senators have written to Governor Tom Corbett calling for the state lottery to be prohibited from hosting online gambling games.
The move follows Republican Corbett’s backing of UK National Lottery operator Camelot’s bid for the state lottery management contract last week- currently before the attorney general for review “ which would include internet-based gambling and keno.
Camelot would be obliged to provide at least US$34.6bn in profit by year 20, however the five Republicans, including Senate president pro tem Joe Scarnati and Senate majority leader Dominic Pileggi, have now voiced their opposition.
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the senators wrote: “Not only is this a broader expansion of gambling than has been described, but these games will directly compete against our highly regulated casinos.”
Senators Kim Ward, Tommy Tomlinson and Pat Browne have also signed the letter dated 16 January.
The lawmakers’ opposition is the latest in a series of complaints the contract bidding process has attracted. Earlier last week, GTECH’s reasons for dropping out in November last year were revealed, with the gaming supplier criticising the state’s request for online revenue forecasts within the tender document. GTECH complained that it would be held accountable for the loss of lottery profits should the federal government prohibit lotteries from hosting online gambling games, which Senator Harry Reid was planning to do at the time.
State Democrats have also accused Corbett of handling the privatisation bids too secretly.
Egaming has not yet been legalised in Pennsylvania, but last year Corbett confirmed that a proposal to offer online gambling through the state lottery should soon be considered.