Gambling Contribution Ban Lifted in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is the US state with second-highest casino income – only trailing to, you guessed it, Nevada…

...With such a large gambling revenue, casino operators' contribution to political parties and campaign was potentially very substantial, so much that the state law prohibited it. But this is no longer the case.

Doors Are Again Open

The law that made this impossible (or, if nothing – unlawful) was officially lifted last Wednesday, when US District Judge, Sylvia Rambo, deemed it unconstitutional.

Despite the legitimate concern that such an amount of money might give the gambling industry too much power in potentially influencing political decisions, the ban was lifted because Rambo thought the ban “included a too broad category of individuals and companies”...

...From here on, therefore, any casino owners or casino stake holders wishing to make a political contribution or a donation are free to do so.

Individuals whose actions such as these will no longer be considered unlawful are even those “slightly associated with casino industry,” as well as casino managers and directors.

Controversial Move?

Since the intent of the original legislation that made this illegal was to eliminate any lobbying and corruption, many analysts are surprised by this turn of events...

...Judge Rambo explains her decision by stating that the ban acts as an overall prohibition of campaign contributors and “exceeds the scope of the original idea.” She also called for a narrower and more specific definition of those who should not be allowed to make political contributions.

With 12 land-based casinos currently operating in PA and one more still under construction, the iGaming industry has raked in a total of $3.2 billion in revenue in 2017. That is still a long way off from Nevada's annual income of $11.6 billion, but is the second-highest score in the whole US.