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Oct 31, 2008 9:14 pm US/Eastern
State Rep. Wants To Legalize Video Poker
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
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It's illegal to gamble on the machines, but local bar owners tell KDKA their machines don't pay out – they're for entertainment only.
KDKA
A group of state lawmakers wants to legalize video poker machines.
The bill in the state House would affect bars, taverns and other establishments in Allegheny County.
Now that casinos are opening in Pennsylvania, there has been a crackdown on video poker.
It's illegal to gamble on the machines, but local bar owners tell KDKA their machines don't pay out – they're for entertainment only.
State Rep. Don Walko says the bill would level the playing field for the taverns and VFWs that have liquor licenses.
The proposal would force bar and tavern owners with machines to pay Allegheny County $500 a year for each machine for a license.
KDKA's Paul Martino reports 25 percent of the take would go to the vendor, 25 percent would go to the bar owner and Allegheny County would get 49.5 percent of the pot. The City of Pittsburgh would get .5 percent.
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