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House backs bill to bring gambling to internet, but not bars

LONDON - JULY 27: A woman looks at a casino website on July 27, 2004 in London. Internet gambling websites should introduce age-verification checks to prevent children from betting online, NCH (a children's charity) urged on Tuesday. The call by NCH came after it found that a 16-year-old girl was able to register with 30 gambling sites after lying about her age. (Photo iillustration by Graeme Robertson/Getty Images).

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is backing a measure to expand gambling to the internet and airports, but it rejected a more sweeping expansion of casino-style gambling to bars.

The measure passed, 115-80, in a preliminary vote Wednesday to allow gambling on websites and in airports. It also would regulate daily fantasy sports betting. An earlier vote to also authorize slot-machine-style gambling in thousands of bars failed by 37 votes.

Proponents say it would raise up to $270 million in license fees and taxes in an 11th-hour attempt at scrounging cash to help balance a deficit-plagued state budget.

A final vote was possible Thursday, just seven days until Pennsylvania's fiscal-year deadline. Its prospects are unclear in the Senate and Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf's support isn't guaranteed.

Three other states allow online gambling.

Associated Press

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