Pa. widens bidding in new casino license auction

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) -- Pennsylvania is widening the bidding pool for the fifth mini-casino license authorized by lawmakers to scrape up cash for the state's tattered finances.

Wednesday morning's scheduled auction comes a month after owners of Pennsylvania's most expansive casino licenses didn't bid on the license. Minimum bids are $7.5 million and, under the state law, owners of all casino licenses in Pennsylvania and winners of the first four auction rounds can bid.

The first four rounds raised $120 million.

Each mini-casino can have 750 slot machines and 30 table games.

With 17 licenses and 12 casinos operating, Pennsylvania is the nation's No. 2 state for commercial casino gross revenues, second to Nevada. At $1.4 billion, it already rakes in more tax revenue from casino gambling than any other state.