In a move designed to increase revenue, Pennsylvania lawmakers issued a preliminary budget and outlined ways to increase state revenue to help pay for the $28 billion plan according to the Associated Press.

Most notably was the inclusion of legalized poker and other table games at Pennsylvania’s current slot-machine casinos. Unfortunately, the AP is also reporting Governor Ed Rendell, and GOP lawmakers are unhappy with the current plan, making it unlikely to pass in its current form.

The hypocrisy of the whole legalized gambling debate is that people see nothing wrong with slot machines –which offer some of the worst odds in all of gambling—and keno/lottery/scratch tickets –which are the worst odds in all of gambling: usually paying back a mere $.60 on the dollar—yet they take issue with table games that in almost every case have a 96% pay-back rate.

An even more egregious oversight is poker. Poker offers casinos steady income (since the casino itself is not wagering anything on the game), and gives players a chance to have the odds in their favor! Of course, to have the odds in your favor you have to have some skill at the game; but at least poker offers players the chance to become skillful and win: No other casino game can make that claim.

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Tags: Legalized poker, Pennsylvania poker, Poker News

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