Auditor General to Review Pa. Casino Gambling

Wants to know whether promises of jobs and tax relief have panned out.

The Morning Call reports that Auditor General Eugene DePasquale will review whether casino gambling is paying its way in Pennsylvania — specifically if it is bringing promised jobs and tax revenues to the state.

“We’re going to be curious to see how effective they’ve been there,” he said. “The big picture about this is making sure that … the system is running cleanly and, No. 2, is that the promises of jobs and property tax relief are being as maximized as they can be.”

Pennsylvania legalized slot machines in 2004, saw its first casino, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in Plains Township, open in November 2006, and expanded gambling by legalizing table games in July 2010. The revenues have funneled billions of dollars in tax relief to homeowners, but the average tax relief is only about $200 and property taxes have continued to rise with costs.

Earlier audits have found shortcomings in casino operations throughout the state.