HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Ohio residents have voted in favor of a plan that would allow casinos and table games in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo.
Pittsburgh's new Rivers Casino only has slot machines, but spokesman George Matta said he doesn't think Ohio's move will hurt business, even though the casino currently gets buses of customers from Ohio.
"We probably will be up and running (with table games) in six to nine months -- probably more like eight," Matta told Channel 4 Action News reporter Bob Mayo. "In Ohio, they're probably three or four years away from their casinos being a reality."
Table games are attractive to casinos because the gamblers tend to be younger and have more disposable income.
"My friends like the table games a lot," said Derry's Stephanie Nace, who was at the Rivers on Wednesday and said she would "definitely" visit more often if the casino adds table gaming.
First, the issue will have to clear the Pennsylvania Legislature, where the legalization of table games in casinos has yet to be finalized. Gov. Ed Rendell said the delay is "inexcusable" because it's a key piece of the state's budget.
Rendell is still holding up $723 million in discretionary taxpayer dollars slated for Penn State and several other Pennsylvania universities until table games are approved.
The Senate's Republican majority and the House's Democratic majority still disagree on key parts of the bill.
Those include how high to set the tax rate on the casinos' take from table games and whether to allow more slot machines at the state's miniature "resort" casinos.
Sen. Jane Orie, the Republican Majority Whip, could not be reached by phone or e-mail on Wednesday afternoon for a comment about the status of the table gaming bill.
Currently, anyone who wants to play blackjack at the Pittsburgh casino can only go to a "virtual dealer" at what is really a slots machine.
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