Table games would draw small bets in PA

    More than 65 percent of Pennsylvanians support allowing table games in casinos, according to a Quinnipiac poll released Wednesday.

    More than 65 percent of Pennsylvanians support allowing table games in casinos, according to a Quinnipiac poll released Wednesday. Pennsylvania lawmakers trying to balance the state’s budget are counting on revenue they could get if they allow table games to join slot machines in the state’s casinos.

    Listen:
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    Temple University professor Bryant Simon says table games tend to attract a different type of gambler than slot machines.

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    Simon: To play a game of blackjack on a Saturday night in Atlantic City or in Las Vegas, it’s hard to find a bet less than $10 per bet so really it’s hard to play with less than $100, $200 in your pocket. You can play slots for a fairly long time for $50. So it tends to skew toward people with a little more money in their pockets.

    So if Pennsylvania allows table games, will gamblers with thick wallets flock to the casinos?

    Simon says Atlantic City casinos offer free food, drinks, and hotel rooms to lure high rollers back to the casino. He says without those types of freebies it’s unlikely many big spenders would come for table games nearby in Philadelphia.

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