After more than two years since lawmakers approved a slots law, Pennsylvania will probably get its first casinos by early 2007.
With the first gambling licenses expected to be given on September 27th to racetracks, Western Pennsylvania could have a casino open at The Meadows harness-racing track in Washington County by February following a permanent casino and grandstand in 2008.
Gambling industry analysts are watching Pennsylvania this month as it is moving toward licensing slot machines at racetracks, which is the first step toward the eventual operation of 14 casinos in Pennsylvania.
The state Gaming Control Board will hold hearings Monday and Tuesday on conditional licenses for six tracks.
On Tuesday, the Senate Rules Committee is scheduled to conduct a hearing on several reform measures to amend the July 2004 law. The changes range from eliminating a provision that enables public officials to own one percent of casinos, to eliminating part of the law that requires in-state suppliers to sell machines to casinos, which critics claim is a potential for corruption.
Those proposals have been stalled in politics since it was vetoed by Democratic Governer Ed Rendell in November 2004. Rendell faces re-election November 7th.
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