Table Games By Mid-Summer

A Gaming Control Board official says the first table games will start appearing at Pennsylvania casinos by mid-July.
All nine Pennsylvania gaming venues have applied for table games licenses, as has the SugerHouse Casino in Philadelphia, which hasn’t opened yet.
Gaming Control Board spokesman Doug Harbach says that’s led to busy times at the agency.

"We must approve their certificate within sixty days of when it’s received. So somewhere in there we have to hold the hearing, the board has to look at all the evidentiary evidence that comes in, and then make a decision in that period of time."

A big focus during the application process is security – table games require a lot more oversight than slots terminals, which are all plugged into a central computer system that monitors the amount of money being wagered.
Harbach says progress is being made.

"The timeframe for these casinos to take a look at some time in July to have the first games up and running is probably doable in some cases. But a lot of it still rests with them, to make sure they have all these employees in place. To have everyone properly trained. Because the last thing they want to do is open this up, bring in patrons, and there are glitches in the running of the table games system."

Casinos implementing table games also need to ramp up their dealer and security staff.
Harbach says the expansion could create as many as five thousand new jobs in the coming year.
An official with the Penn National Casino in Grantville, Dauphin County, says he expects people hired to oversee blackjack, craps, roulette and other games to make between 35 and 45-thousand dollars a year, in addition to health benefits.