Pennsylvania online gambling postponed

Legislation that would allow online gambling in Pennsylvania will not be passed until at least the autumn after it was left out of the state’s spending bill.

The $31 billion ($28 billion) budget was signed by Governor Tom Wolf on Monday, however a fiscal plan to pay for its provisions has not yet been agreed.

The Pennsylvania House passed the online gambling proposal late last month, which would introduce a 16% tax on revenue, but it has stalled so far in the Senate amid the budget negotiations.

According to a report by the Associated Press news agency, lawmakers are looking at online gambling as an immediate $100 million revenue stream.

It has been estimated that an online gambling market in Pennsylvania could generate revenues of $300 million a year, which would add about 10% to the state’s existing casino gambling market.

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