A state lawmaker seeks to expand the type of entities that can place a bid for a Category 4/miniature casino license.

In a memo penned by Pennsylvania Rep. Doyle Heffley, R-Carbon, he recommended amending 2017's Act 42 to require the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to hold auctions for miniature casino licenses to non-casino entities. Currently only casinos in Pennsylvania are eligible to apply for a miniature casino license.

The gaming control board is allowed to auction no more than 10 miniature casino licenses and it currently has five licenses remaining with no other Pennsylvania casinos expressing interest, according to Heffley's memo.

Heffley also seeks to include a provision in his legislation allowing Carbon County to have a mini casino, which is also the district he represents in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Mini casinos, as defined in Pennsylvania legislation, are casinos with up to 750 slot machines.

— Victoria Hudgins, of the Law Weekly •