The Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association strongly opposes recently introduced legislation in the state Senate that would gravely endanger the ability of PFMA members to offer video gaming in truck stop establishments.
Senate Bill 321, sponsored by state Sen. Scott Martin, would allow a municipality to prohibit the location of a video gaming establishment within its borders. The legislation has been reported from the Senate Local Government Committee.
“This measure would rewrite the rules of the game before our members have even had an opportunity to begin operations,” PFMA President & CEO Alex Baloga said. “We are urging our members to contact their senators and ask that he or she oppose this legislation.”
PFMA believes this sets a dangerous precedent by giving broad authority to local government to prohibit legal business activity any time they choose. The original draft limited local opt-outs to those counties that currently host a casino. Local opt-outs would most certainly result in protracted litigation at a significant cost to local and state companies.
“Many of our members have invested thousands of dollars in good faith to prepare for a lucrative expansion of operations,” Baloga said.
In 2017, Gov. Tom Wolf signed legislation to expand Pennsylvania’s gambling. Forty-two percent of the revenue generated by VGTs will go into a Video Gaming Fund, which will be deposited into Pennsylvania’s General Fund, while 10 percent of the revenue will be used for grants to any county in the Commonwealth and administered through the Commonwealth Finance Agency.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board recently granted the sixth license to York-based CHR Corp., for its Rutter’s convenience store off Route 75 in Walker Township, Juniata County. Fifty-five additional applicants still have applications pending.
Senate Bill 321, sponsored by state Sen. Scott Martin, would allow a municipality to prohibit the location of a video gaming establishment within its borders. The legislation has been reported from the Senate Local Government Committee.
“This measure would rewrite the rules of the game before our members have even had an opportunity to begin operations,” PFMA President & CEO Alex Baloga said. “We are urging our members to contact their senators and ask that he or she oppose this legislation.”
PFMA believes this sets a dangerous precedent by giving broad authority to local government to prohibit legal business activity any time they choose. The original draft limited local opt-outs to those counties that currently host a casino. Local opt-outs would most certainly result in protracted litigation at a significant cost to local and state companies.
“Many of our members have invested thousands of dollars in good faith to prepare for a lucrative expansion of operations,” Baloga said.
In 2017, Gov. Tom Wolf signed legislation to expand Pennsylvania’s gambling. Forty-two percent of the revenue generated by VGTs will go into a Video Gaming Fund, which will be deposited into Pennsylvania’s General Fund, while 10 percent of the revenue will be used for grants to any county in the Commonwealth and administered through the Commonwealth Finance Agency.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board recently granted the sixth license to York-based CHR Corp., for its Rutter’s convenience store off Route 75 in Walker Township, Juniata County. Fifty-five additional applicants still have applications pending.
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