Pennsylvania approves casino project as exclusion list again rises

Pennsylvania approves casino project as exclusion list again rises

Pennsylvania online casino

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has given the green light for developing a Pennsylvania casino resort in College Township, Centre County.

The license grants SC Gaming OpCo permission to run between 300 and 750 slot machines in their PA casino at any given time, with the option to file a petition for up to 30 table games for a fee of $2.5 million. The casino destination in Pennsylvania is expected to cost $35 million to build and will give 700 people jobs.

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The approval of the PA casino project coincides with the regulator’s announcement of additional state-wide casino exclusions to be implemented.

Ira Lubert, who won the auction bid with $10,101, is now able to move forward with the construction of the PA casino hotel facility at the former Macy’s Department Store location at Nittany Mall, which will be operated by “Bally’s”.

The 94,000-square-foot building is expected to feature 750 slot machines, 30 table games, a retail facility, a sports betting area, a live music venue, and quick-serve food and beverage outlets. The construction is estimated to take 12 months from the start date, but no official “opening date” has been set.

This decision follows a recent study that found that nine children were left unsupervised at three Pennsylvania casinos, with 303 cases and 486 young people involved in incidents where adults allowed minors to gamble. The PGCB has also added four more names to a list of people who are not allowed to go to casinos in the area.

Expansion of Table Games and Gambling Offerings 

This petition would require the addition of 10 table games after the first year of operation. The unanimous award of the process to SC Gaming OpCo concludes a process that began in September 2020. This new thing is happening at the same time the regulator said more state-wide casino bans would be implemented.

Bally’s Tapped to Operate Casino Facility

After securing the right to do so with a winning auction bid of $10,101, Ira Lubert is now able to move forward with the construction of the gaming facility, which will be operated by Bally’s and will occupy a 94,000-square-foot space at the Nittany Mall that Macy’s Department Store formerly occupied.

Following this, the PGCB completed an in-depth background study of the application, as well as the collection of public input from residents, community groups, and public authorities. This was done in conjunction with the conclusion of the investigation. Concerning the proposal, questions were also directed at representatives of SC Gaming.

Overall Expenditures in the Gambling Market 

It is known that the construction costs will likely be $35 million, and it is expected that 700 jobs will be created, with an equal number of jobs in the construction industry and jobs in full-time work after construction is done.

It is anticipated that the building will feature 750 slot machines, 30 table games, a retail facility, a sports betting area, a space for live music and other special events, and outlets for quick-serve food and beverages.

The opening date has not been determined at this time; however, officials from SC Gaming have informed the board that construction is anticipated to take around 12 months from the time it begins. In addition to this, the state agency in charge of gaming regulation has added the names of four more people to the list of those who are involuntarily excluded from casinos around the region.

Stricter Rules Proposed in PA Casino Market

This comes after it was discovered that nine children, ranging in age from one to 14 years old, were left unsupervised at the Valley Forge Casino Resort, the Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino, and the Mohegan Pennsylvania Casino for periods of time ranging from five minutes to more than two hours. In addition, the requests of two people who wanted to be removed after separate occurrences in 2020 involving a total of three children being left unattended to gamble were denied. These requests were made after the year 2020.

The PGCB also claimed that throughout the year 2022, it discovered 303 cases in which adults left children alone at Pennsylvania casinos in order for the children to gamble. A total of 486 young people were involved in these incidents.

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About Lou De Aguila

Lou Aguila is a news and feature writer for Golden Casino News. For over a decade, Lou has published news and featured articles for some of the most reputable sports betting and online casino sites in the world, including BetNow.UK, VegasOdds, and BWin. Apart from being a hardcore live casino punter, he also covers sports stories in North American leagues from time to time.