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Latest Press Releases
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 17th, 2010

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA

Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
P.O. Box 69060
Harrisburg, PA 17106-9060

CONTACT

Doug Harbach or Richard McGarvey (717) 346-8321

Gaming Control Board Awards 3 Law Enforcement Grants To Thwart Illegal Gambling In PA

HARRISBURG: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board on Thursday approved three grant requests totaling $315,760 to law enforcement agencies to fund programs designed to thwart illegal gambling in the Commonwealth.

These were the first awards approved by the Board under the Local Law Enforcement Grant Program since the program was amended by the state legislature in January of this year. Under the program, the PGCB is authorized to award up to $2 million annually in grants to local law enforcement agencies and the Pennsylvania State Police for the purpose of investigating, enforcing and preventing unlawful gambling in the Commonwealth.

A maximum award of $150,000 may be sought by any single local law enforcement agency and a maximum award of $250,000 may be sought by the State Police. Grant funds may be used for the purpose of attending or conducting education and training events, defraying costs associated with investigations, prevention, deterrence or enforcement of laws related to illegal gambling, or the prosecution of crimes involving illegal gambling.

The funding comes from revenues generated from licensed slot machine facilities.

Grants approved were to the:

•    Swatara Township Police Department in Dauphin County – $42,400
•    Borough of Freeland Police Department in Luzerne County – $23,370
•    Pennsylvania State Police – $249,990

“These grants go a long way in helping law enforcement offset the cost of uncovering and investigating illegal gambling operations, and then prosecuting violators,” said Gaming Control Board Chairman Greg Fajt. “Most importantly, shutting down operations which contribute no tax revenue to the citizens of the Commonwealth is important in stabilizing and maximizing revenues at the tax-producing Pennsylvania licensed casinos.”

Information about the Local Law Enforcement Grant Program is available under the Gaming tab on the Board’s web site home page at www.pgcb.state.pa.us.

About the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board was established in 2004 with the passage of Act 71, also known as the Race Horse Development and Gaming Act. Pennsylvania’s first new state agency in nearly 40 years, the Gaming Control Board is tasked to oversee all aspects of the state’s casino industry. To date, with nine of a maximum fourteen casinos in operation, legalized gaming in the Commonwealth has created over 8,000 new living wage jobs, revenue that has provided property tax reduction in each of the past three years for all homeowners, funds that have reinvigorated Pennsylvania’s horse racing industry, and new revenue to local governments that has funded scores of community projects. A wealth of information about the Gaming Control Board and Pennsylvania’s gaming industry can be found at www.pgcb.state.pa.us. At this web site, visitors can view videos of Board meetings and the operation of the PGCB, obtain information on identifying a gambling problem and gaining assistance, look up future meeting schedules and past meeting transcripts, access an interactive map of casino locations, request a speaker for their group, along with much more information.

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