- Senator Fontana wants Pennsylvania bars to be able to have sports betting kiosks within their establishments.
- Kiosks could help local bars make extra money to aid in the financial relief needed due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.
HARRISBURG, Pa. – Senator Wayne Fontana is currently spearheading a new effort to free Pennsylvania bars from a regulation that prevents them from hosting sports betting kiosks at their facilities.
While this is universally unaccepted in most states, Fontana is striving to be part of the tide that changes that for his home state.
The Bill In Question
Fontana is hoping to achieve his goal via his new bill proposal Senate Bill 843, which would see a “terminal placement agreement” instituted.
This agreement allows bars and casinos to work in accordance with each other; the casino operator would have to obtain a $10,000 kiosk license from the state’s government and allow the bar owner $100 for hosting the kiosk plus 25% of all revenue made.
A Form Of Financial Relief For Small Businesses?
Fontana claims to believe that this new bill could assist smaller establishments that are struggling after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“During the Covid-19 pandemic, many industries were negatively affected during the mandated shutdown. This included our local small bars and taverns. To try to even the playing field for mom and pop businesses as well as grant them an additional source of income, I will soon be introducing legislation that would allow online sports betting kiosks in taverns which is defined as R Licensees (with beer, wine, and liquor) but would not include stop and go’s, hotels or golf courses,” said Fontana in a memo.
Is It Necessary?
The idea of in-person sports betting kiosks is certainly novel, and could potentially do well in sports bars for those who love to watch games while out with their friends. However, sports betting in Pennsylvania is already accessible on mobile devices.
It’s possible people would rather just take advantage of their mobile apps than bother with a kiosk at all. However, perhaps the novelty and convenience of the kiosk would be attractive enough to justify its placement in bars.
Pennsylvania already allows both in-person and online sports betting, so it’s not a stretch to imagine this bill passing too.