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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 28, 2014 02:44 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative John A. Lawrence |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | HB 1992 - Local Option Referendum for Keno |
| Dear Colleagues, For the past few months, Keno has been widely discussed as a potential addition to the Pennsylvania’s increasingly liberal gambling landscape. For those who do not know, Keno is a lotto-type game played on a video screen, where players attempt to match a pool of their numbers to a computer generated pool of numbers. In nearby Maryland, Keno is widely available in bars, and games are conducted as often as every four minutes. The introduction of Keno would represent a major expansion of gambling in the Commonwealth. While some areas of the state have welcomed gambling, there are many local communities that fear the social ills that come along with easier and easier access to multiple gambling opportunities. In the near future, I will introduce legislation that gives local municipalities a say on the introduction of Keno by requiring a local referendum. Similar to the local referendum available on small games of chance, my proposal will ensure local control over the increased expansion of gambling. I would appreciate your support of this initiative. |