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HARRISBURG — Gov. Tom Wolf on Monday signed legislation authorizing a major expansion of gambling in what's already the nation's second-largest commercial casino state, as Pennsylvania government leaders searched for money to plug holes in the state's tattered finances.
Under the measure, the state will become the fourth state to allow offer online gambling, joining Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware. It also makes Pennsylvania the first state to allow online play for both commercial casinos and the state lottery, as both go in search of newer and younger players.
The new law also will give rise to more casino sites. State regulators will hold an auction allowing 10 of the state's 12 existing casinos to bid on a license for a new, smaller casino with hundreds of slot machines. Bidding would start at $7.5 million, with a table games certificate costing an extra $2.5 million.
