Mini-casinos move forward in Pennsylvania

As hundreds of others statewide, six municipalities in Franklin County are interested in developing their own venue.

US.- The Pennsylvania gambling expansion continues to develop and hundreds of towns have already shown their interest in hosting one of the ten mini-casinos it foresees. That’s the case of six municipalities in Franklin County, which -like many others- have not opted out of the chance to have their own: Chambersburg, Orrstown and the townships of Greene, Washington, St. Thomas and Lurgan.

“We did not opt out,” Washington Township Manager Jeff Geesaman said and added: “I think we would strongly consider allowing one into the township if we were approached. I don’t think we’ll be approached.”

The Pennsylvania State Gaming Board will hold its third of ten auctions for mini-casino licenses this Tuesday. It already has approved the Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing Association LLC US$50.1 million bid for a mini-casino in the York area and the US$40.1 million bid by Stadium Casino LLC for its own in Derry Township.

A mini-casino should be about a tenth the size of a large casino as it is allowed to have 300 to 750 slot machines and up to 30 table games.