PA Gaming Board Begins Public Comment Period For Draft Regulations

HARRISBURG: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today opened a month-long public comment period on draft regulations covering the manufacturers and suppliers of gaming equipment and general administration.

“The adoption of manufacturer and supplier regulations will be a major step toward the eventual licensing of the 14 gaming sites permitted under Act 71,” said Thomas A. “Tad” Decker, Chairman of the Board. “The public comment period is a key part of the regulatory process.” Pennsylvania’s gaming law requires that equipment manufacturers and suppliers be licensed for at least 90 days before gaming facilities may be licensed.

The Board unanimously approved the posting of the draft regulations, as well as proposed amendments offered by member Jeffrey W. Coy, for public comment beginning immediately. All comments must be postmarked by Friday May 13, 2005, for inclusion in the final record.

Board member Mary D. Colins, who oversees regulatory issues for the Board, said the draft regulations will be available to the public via three sources: the Board’s Web site, www.pgcb.state.pa.us; the April 23 issue of The Pennsylvania Bulletin; and by mail from the Board. People or organizations wishing to obtain a copy of the regulations by mail must first send a certified check for $20 to cover copying, staff time and mailing costs to PGCB, P.O. Box 69060, Harrisburg, PA, 17106-9060, Attn: Regulations. Checks should be made out to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Comments on the draft regulations may be submitted to the Board by U.S. mail only, Colins added. Comments should be sent to PGCB, P.O. Box 69060, Harrisburg, PA, 17106-9060, Attn: Public Comment.

Colins noted that people wishing to submit comments for the public record must include the following information: name, organization represented (if appropriate), mailing address, telephone number, e-mail address, county, topic/regulation section number discussed. The mailing address, telephone number and e-mail address are for verification purposes only and will not be published in the final record, she added.

Colins also noted that submissions may be excluded from the final record if they do not address the topic of regulating manufacturers and suppliers of gaming equipment or general administration.

Once the public comment period is closed, the Board will make the complete record of comments and Board responses available to interested parties via three sources, Colins said. The Board will publish the record on its Web site, www.pgcb.state.pa.us; make it available for public inspection at the Board’s offices by appointment during regular business hours; and provide copies via mail at a price to be determined once the extent of the record is known. Details of these procedures will be announced when the final record is published. The tentative date of publication is Thursday May 19, 2005.