Pippy Joins Colleagues to Announce Package Strengthening PA Gaming Law
Changes would close loopholes to open up licensing process, keep organized crime out.

Harrisburg – State Sen. John Pippy (R-37) joined a group of legislators today in announcing legislation that would strengthen Pennsylvania’s gaming law by implementing the recommendations of a Grand Jury investigating the crime ties of a Pennsylvania casino owner.

Pippy, who sponsored a gaming reform law in 2006, said the legislation would close the loopholes that continue to exist in the gaming law in an effort to keep organized crime out of slots operations and make structural and procedural reforms to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. A major component of the legislative package involves creating a Division of Gaming Enforcement under the Attorney General, where it would have the complete authority of a law enforcement agency in carrying out investigations.

Other components of the legislation include decreasing the number of board members from seven to five and limiting their outside employment. The legislation would also amend the casino ownership licensing process and procedures that the board follows by requiring public hearings on the qualifications of applicants and tightening the license and permit disqualification criteria.

“This is part of the ongoing effort to open up the process of awarding slots licenses and conducting better investigations of applicants so that citizens can have confidence in the integrity of the Pennsylvania’s gaming law,” said Pippy. “The original slots law was enacted in 2004, and revisions were adopted in 2006. Now that process of awarding licenses is underway, we’re able to identify weaknesses that need to be fixed, and that’s what we’re doing. We want a better screening process for applicants and more openness.”

Under the new bill, sponsored by Sen. Jeffrey Piccola (R-15), felons would be prohibited from holding a gaming license. People proven to be associated with organized crime and career criminals would also be prohibited from holding a license.

The legislation is based on the recommendations made by a Dauphin County Grand Jury in their investigation of casino owner Louis DeNaples, who was charged with perjury for allegedly lying to the state gaming officials about his ties to organized crime.

Pippy sponsored Act 135 of 2006, which added a list of ethical safeguards to the state gaming law, closing a loophole that allowed public officials to hold up to one-percent ownership in gaming-related companies, and establishing a Code of Conduct for the Gaming Control Board.

Pippy Joins Colleagues to Announce Package Strengthening PA Gaming Law Changes would close loopholes to open up licensing process, keep organized crime out.

Pippy Joins Colleagues to Announce Package Strengthening PA Gaming Law
Changes would close loopholes to open up licensing process, keep organized crime out.