No bidders wanted state mini-casino license

HARRISBURG — Lack of interest has thwarted Pennsylvania’s latest casino expansion attempt.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board on Wednesday received no bidders for a casino license auction ordered by lawmakers as part of an aggressive gambling expansion launched by a cash-hungry state government.

Pennsylvania is already the nation’s No. 1 state in tax revenue from casino gambling. But lawmakers in 2017 authorized the auction of 10 mini-casino licenses to help plug a budget hole.

The first five auctions raised $127 million. Wednesday’s auction was the gaming board’s second unsuccessful attempt to auction a sixth license, and there are to be no further auctions under current law.

The auction was limited to owners of Pennsylvania’s full-size casinos. Minimum bids were set at $7.5 million and potential locations were limited to parts of northern and central Pennsylvania.