Pennsylvania Explores Online Gambling, Keno

HARRISBURG — (Associated Press) - With top Pennsylvania state lawmakers and Gov. Tom Corbett seeking ways to plug a projected budget deficit, they are considering expanding lottery gambling and, possibly, legalizing online gambling.

The Senate Finance Committee will hear testimony Wednesday that focuses partly on adding keno to the Pennsylvania Lottery's game lineup.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports (http://bit.ly/1mKvq5T ) that Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi of Delaware County says there hasn't been much controversy about introducing keno, but that debate is more likely to center on where the game's proceeds should go.

In the meantime, the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee is studying the potential effect of online gambling on Pennsylvania's casinos and state tax collections. A report is due back May 1.

Only three states now allow online gambling: Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey.