HARRISBURG: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today unanimously approved five applications for slot-machine gaming operator licenses, the first such licenses awarded under the Race Horse Development and Gaming Act of 2004.

The five licenses are all associated with horse-racing tracks that are operating or are under construction across the Commonwealth. Three of the entities approved today have indicated that they expect to begin gaming operations sometime between October 2006 and January 2007.

HARRISBURG: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today announced changes to its schedule of Licensing Hearings for Category 2 operator applicants.

Executive Director Anne Neeb said the schedule remains largely the same, with the exception that the Category 2 At-Large hearings have been moved from November 6-7 to December 4-5. She noted that the new hearing schedule assists the public and media by avoiding the busy November 7th Election Day, but without altering the Board’s overall timetable for awarding licenses by the end of the year.

HARRISBURG: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today announced that it will make available for review public files for Category 3 operator license applicants beginning on Thursday, October 19, 2006.

The files will be available at the Board’s Harrisburg offices on the 5th floor of the Verizon Tower in Strawberry Square on Walnut Street during normal PGCB business hours, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. through Tuesday, October 24th.

HARRISBURG: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today published on its Web site (www.pgcb.state.pa.us) an application and instructions for people with gambling problems to have themselves barred from Pennsylvania gaming facilities. This practice, known as “self-exclusion,” is used successfully by gaming regulators in jurisdictions throughout the U.S. to prevent and treat compulsive gambling.

HARRISBURG: Building on its initial award of five operator licenses in September, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today unanimously approved the application of Presque Isle Downs Inc. for a sixth gaming operator license under the Race Horse Development and Gaming Act of 2004.

All six approved licenses are associated with horse-racing tracks that are operating or under construction across the Commonwealth. Three of the approved entities have indicated that they expect to begin gaming operations between November 2006 and January 2007.

HARRISBURG: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board will hold a public meeting on Tuesday November 14, 2006 beginning at 1:00 p.m. This meeting will take place in the State Museum Auditorium between licensing hearings for Philadelphia Entertainment and Keystone Redevelopment. The State Museum is located at the corner of Third and North streets in Harrisburg.

HARRISBURG: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board unanimously appointed Eileen H. McNulty as its first Chief Financial Officer.

Since 2003, McNulty has served as Executive Deputy Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, an agency she also served as Secretary from 1991 to 1995 as a member of Governor Robert P. Casey Sr.’s cabinet.

HARRISBURG: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has updated its schedule of hearings for Category 2 and 3 applicants along with its public Board meetings.

All hearings and meetings will take place in the State Museum Auditorium, 300 North Street in Harrisburg.

The updated schedule for hearings and public meetings:

Monday, December 4 - beginning at 1:00 p.m.

    • PGCB Board Meeting
    • Public Hearing - Continuation of Category 2 and 3 applicants

Tuesday, December 5 - beginning at 9:00 a.m.

HARRISBURG: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board announced when particular operator licensing applicants from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh will continue licensing hearings begun in November. All hearings will be held in the State Museum Auditorium, located at the corner of Third and North streets in Harrisburg.

A total of four hearings, two each from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, remained open so that the Board would receive additional testimony from the applicants.

HARRISBURG: Due to significant public interest, The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has moved its December 20, 2006 Board Meeting from the State Museum Auditorium to the larger Forum Building located at 5th and Walnut Streets in Harrisburg. The meeting is still scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m.

The Board will vote on both stand-alone slot machine operator licenses and permanent status for operator licenses at Commonwealth horse racing facilities.