House Shuffling Table Games Into Budget

BENSALEM, Pa. - Pennsylvania lawmakers debated late into Sunday night bringing table games to the state's casinos.

It's an effort to find new tax revenue to offset a big budget shortfall.

During the rare Sunday session, state lawmakers struggled to finalize the budget that's already three months overdue.

It looks like legalizing table games may be the way they aim to do it.

Sunday's House session ended at 11 p.m. after eight hours of discussion.

Aside from legalizing table games, the Democratic-penned bill would expand smaller resort casinos and include provisions for combating corruption.

Democrats are hoping to raise $250 million from a 34-percent tax that casinos would take on table games and an additional $20 million casinos would pay for the right to operate.

But Republicans and casino operators say those costs may be too high to make a profit.

The debate also turned heated after Republicans opposed other crucial aspects of the bill.

That debate will continue today with a vote expected on Tuesday, Fox 29's Kerry Barrett reported.