| Senator Vincent Fumo is
the main architect of the 2004 slot machine law in Pennsylvania.
The law has recently been subjected to some criticism; however an
aid to the Democrat Senator is defending the language in the law
that requires Pennsylvania casinos to go through slots distributors
to purchase their slot machines.
Christopher Craig is a legal counsel to
Senator Fumo. Craig is voicing his disagreement with right-wing
opponents Senator Jane Orie of McCandless and Representative Mike
Turzai of Bradford Woods. They are currently making an effort to
alter the 2004 slots law so that purchasing from slot machine
distributors is optional. They would prefer to cut costs to
casinos and allow them to purchase directly from slot machine
manufactures.
Craig stresses that the objective of the slot
machine supplier clause is to create at least several hundred new
jobs all across Pennsylvania. Craig also points out that, much like
the operators of Pennsylvania’s 14 coming casinos, all slot machine
manufacturers are established out of state.
Commenting on the supplier mandate, Craig
said, “[The supplier mandate] is a purposeful attempt to ensure that
the legalization of slot machine gaming in Pennsylvania is more than
just a windfall for Nevada gaming companies. It is an attempt to
provide economic development and business opportunity for
Pennsylvania companies.”
Currently, 23 firms have applied for
state-issued supplier licenses. According to Craig, if each of the
firms receives a license, hundreds of jobs will be created in
Pennsylvania.
Senator Orie and Representative Turzai fear
that the slot suppliers will serve as “a form of political
favoritism” to the advantage of politically well-connected
Pennsylvanians. Craig gravely disagrees. New firms require the
ability to supply, sell, and service thousands of slot machines
across Pennsylvania.
Many states, including New Jersey, Louisiana,
and New Mexico have slot suppliers, but Pennsylvania is the only
state that requires casinos to purchase slot machines from them.
Quite a few slot machine manufactures utilize suppliers to market
their latest products to casinos.
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