Four Republican senators in Pennsylvania, led by state Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, are preparing to introduce legislation to allow Internet gambling, according to the publication Philly.com.
The forthcoming bill was advertised Wednesday in a memo to fellow senators advising that the new measure will permit existing Pennsylvania casinos to offer Internet gambling.
Players will have to be present in the state and have a registered account in order to use the new gambling channel.
The move is another positive development as Pennsylvania makes progress toward joining New Jersey, Delaware and Nevada in allowing Internet gambling.
A Scarnati spokesman said the bill promises hundreds of millions of dollars for the state treasury, along with the help of other provisions that let casinos expand traditional gambling offerings.
Pennsylvania governor Tom Wolf’s office said he is open to discussing Internet gambling legislation, although he doesn’t view new gambling revenue as a replacement for the higher taxes he’s seeking to close a massive projected budget deficit.