PA Gaming Control Board Announces Deadline Extension

Conditional Category 1 License Applications to Be Accepted Until Dec. 28, 2005

HARRISBURG: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has extended the deadline for submission of applications for conditional Category 1 operating licenses to Dec. 28, 2005, from the previously announced deadline of Oct. 31, 2005.

Act 71 of 2004, which authorized expanded gaming and created the Board, permits the issuance of seven Category 1 operating licenses, which must be associated with either a licensed thoroughbred-racing track or a licensed harness-racing track. A track operator may pursue a conditional Category 1 license that allows the operator to begin gaming operations before the applicant is fully compliant with all of Act 71’s licensing requirements. The operator must, however, become fully compliant with those requirements before the conditional license becomes a permanent Category 1 license. Operators may also choose to pursue a permanent Category 1 license instead of a conditional Category 1 license.

The Gaming Control Board has not set a date for acting on any conditional Category 1 applications it receives.

The Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission has issued thoroughbred-racing licenses to three facilities that will be eligible to apply for either form of Category 1 gaming license. The Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission has also licensed three facilities that will be eligible. The final gaming-eligible license will be issued by the Harness Racing Commission.

Because the final harness license has not been issued, the Gaming Control Board has also extended the deadline for receiving both conditional and permanent Category 1 gaming license applications from the recipient of the final racing license. That deadline is now 30 days from the harness commission’s awarding of the racing license.