In the near future I plan to introduce legislation to amend the Pennsylvania Local Option Small Games of Chance Act to increase the cap on the operating week total prize limit.

Our local civic organizations, like VFWs, American Legions and Fire Companies rely on revenue from pull-tab games, punchboards and daily drawings to continue their work in the community.  These funds contribute to their efforts in promoting worthy public services like organizing nonprofit youth sports activities, supporting volunteer fire, ambulance and rescue services, scholarships, services to economically and socially support veterans to name just a few.

I have heard from numerous organizations that have had to shut down their small games of chance for a few days every week because they are hitting the weekly cap.  Currently, a club licensee may not award more than $35,000 in prizes during an operating week.  For instance, a pull-tab game with 1,500 pulls at $1 per pull and an 80 percent payout has a maximum profit of $300.  This results in the licensee counting the $1,200 dollars in payouts against its weekly prize limit.

The weekly prize limit has been set at $35,000 since 2013.  With the ever-changing gaming landscape in Pennsylvania coupled with increasing inflation, the weekly prize limit needs to be raised to $60,000 for our local club licensees. 

Please join me in co-sponsoring this important legislation to allow our local civic organizations to continue their community service work.