Pa. lawmaker wants to legalize sports betting

Tortuga

A Pennsylvania lawmaker says he plans to introduce a bill that would legalize sports betting in the state’s licensed casinos.

Rep. Nick Kotik (D-Allegheny) said his legislation would create an exemption in the state law that prevents wagers on professional and amateur athletic events in Pennsylvania.

He said sports betting is extremely popular in Pennsylvania, but it is going unregulated.

“The intent of this legislation is to provide our casinos with an alternative form of entertainment, while also regulating a popular market,” Kotick said in a statement.

Kotick, the Democratic chairman of the House Gaming Oversight Committee, has also authored a bill that would allow Pennsylvania’s six international airports to operate slot machines within their terminals.

Link to article: http://abc27.com/2015/09/23/pa-lawmaking-wants-to-legalize-sports-betting/

sosoangry

The upside is with PA following NJ's path, perhaps a trend is developing. If enough states start to pile on, it will be difficult to continue to ban. However, the downside is it's PA, arguably a more conservative and less progressive, open-minded state than NJ. How does that work towards legalizing?

We saw this with legalized pot and gay marriage, takes years, but eventually one state after another gives in, and presto -- the SCOTUS makes it final (at least with gay marriage.... pot will be a few more years). If gay marriage bottom of 9th inning and pot at say 4th inning, where does that put sports betting?? Top of the 1st??

coyleray

I can just picture it now, a gay man on his honeymoon up the Poconos smoking pot and betting on the game. Life is good.

Tortuga

coyleray wrote: »

I can just picture it now, a gay man on his honeymoon up the Poconos smoking pot and betting on the game. Life is good.

StackAttack

YES. lets get it done.

wont hold my breath........

Tortuga

It'll happen someday. Hopefully it's sooner rather than later.