Pennsylvania Democratic U.S. Senator Bob Casey joins Smart Talk to share his thoughts on the two mass shootings that took place in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, over the weekend. Casey is calling for the Senate to be called back into session to, at the very least, address proposed legislation that would require universal background checks on all commercial gun purchases.
Also, people across the state can now gamble online from home.
Pennsylvania began offering online casino-style gambling on July 15 after months of product testing by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
Parx Casino outside Philadelphia and Penn National’s Hollywood Casino near Hershey launched their online gambling sites in July as part of a three-day test monitored by state regulators.
Online gambling may reach audiences that don’t typically visit casinos. Online gaming is similar to video games that younger generations are accustomed to using at home, so it may attract a new audience.
Pennsylvania joins only three other states in legalizing online casino gambling: Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware.
Other states with online gambling have seen increased overall gambling revenue, but the majority of that revenue still comes from brick-and-mortar casinos.
Pennsylvania is already second in the country for commercial casino revenue, behind Nevada, at $3.2 billion last year, according to the American Gaming Association.
This gambling expansion raises concerns, however. How will gambling addicts be affected by online casinos? Who will benefit from the revenue? How will brick-and-mortar casino businesses be affected?
Joining Smart Talk to discuss how online gambling will affect Pennsylvania’s casino industry are Eric Raskin, managing editor of USBets, Brett Smiley, sports better and editor of SportsHandle, and Doug Harbach, spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
If you or someone you know is experiencing problematic gambling, call the PA Gambling Addiction 24-hour hotline at 1-800-GAMBLER. You can also search online for a gambling addiction participating provider, text or chat with CCGP’s 24-hour chatline, or request voluntary self exclusion from gaming activities.
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