Pennsylvanians Generally Positive on Casinos
Polling results released this week by Quinnipiac University found that while a healthy majority of Pennsylvania residents approve of the state’s current level of casino activity, most of them still prefer that the casino is not in their backyards.
Gambling called a “good thing”
The poll, which surveyed by telephone 1,061 Pennsylvanians who are registered to vote, found that Keystone State residents generally believe land-based casino gambling to be a “good thing” but still prefer that such properties aren’t built in their own hometowns.
Pennsylvania last year surpassed Atlantic City to become the nation’s second largest gambling market, thanks in large part to efforts in recent years to expand land-based casino gambling in Philadelphia and other areas of the state.
Fifty-five percent of Pennsylvanians polled said they had a positive view of the state’s gambling industry, whereas thirty-seven percent responded negatively.
State often mentioned as having potential to regulate online betting
While this year has seen a leveling off of gambling revenue in Pennsylvania, the state remains on the lips of those making predictions as to which state will be the next to regulate real money online poker and Internet-based casino games.
Many see Pennsylvania as likely to follow in the foot steps of nearby New Jersey, which became the third state in the nation to pass online gambling legislation when it did so earlier this year.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed the state’s iGaming bill into law last February as a means of providing a new source of revenue to Atlantic City, which has struggled with declining revenue as Pennsylvania and other neighboring states have lured gamblers with newer, more modern facilities.
By all accounts, the launch of real money online gambling in New Jersey has been declared a success.
The Garden State with its nine million residents is by far the most populous state to enact online gambling legislation – the only other states to allow Internet betting are relatively small Delaware and Nevada – and could serve as a guide for other well-populated states also looking to pass such legislation.
Voters polled see iGaming as path to elevated gambling addiction
It should be noted that Quinnipiac’s poll found that the Pennsylvanians questioned, however, were not in favor of legalizing online betting.
“Pennsylvania voters are OK with keeping the roulette wheels turning, but think internet gambling is a bad idea and gambling is a pathway to addiction,” said assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute Tim Malloy.
Seventy percent of voters interviewed believed that the regulation of online betting in Pennsylvania would lead to an increase in problem gambling, and twenty-six percent disagreed.
The full results of Connecticut-based Quinnipiac University’s poll can be found here.
