Rivers Casino talks Table Games

With table games being considered in Pennsylvania casinos, Rivers Casino President Ed Fasulo weighs the consequences. Although there is 120,000 square feet of space to open this August, Fasulo says there is 30,000 square feet of “shell space”. In other words, the space has exterior walls but no interior. It remained from the previous casino project, and it can quickly be utilized if such a bill passed. However, Fasulo says they would not be profitable unless the 55 percent tax rate could be lowered for table games. He suggested a 20 percent tax rate would still make them profitable. The lower rate would be in order to provide pay for the several hundred dealers that would need to be hired and trained, as well as having surveillance equipment for each table. Democratic House Whip Bill DeWeese of Waynesburg is preparing a bill to legalize table games.