BENEFIT-COST-ANALYSIS OF RIVERBOAT GAMBLING

On November 26, 1991, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives rejected a bill to legalize riverboat gambling by a vote of 118-81. Six months prior, we undertook a study, the outcome of which was essentially to convince the Pennsylvania legislature and the world-at-large that it is not to the advantage of Pittsburgh to authorize this bill. Here is what we did and a brief description of the outcome. It is known that Governor Robert Casey would have vetoed the bill if it had passed. Also, Representative Frank Gigliotti, the original sponsor of the plan and its most vocal supporter, said he was inclined to wait for a new governor in three years before trying again.