Barash looks back on Pennsylvania's gambling growth and future

David M. Barash, Chairman of the Pennsylvania Gambling Management Committee, announced his retirement on July 15. He was a member of PGCB from 2007 to 2008 and was appointed President in 2015 by Governor Tom Wolf. Denise Smiler was named new president.

Barash was chairman of the Pennsylvania Gaming Commission from 2005 to 2015. The biggest challenge was the expansion of gambling. He was worried about collusion in bidding. The first round raised more money than the governor and the General Assembly expected.

In October 2018, Governor Wolf signed a gambling expansion bill. In June 2019, online sportsbooks began to be launched in Pennsylvania. Barash is a part-timer. He did everything he could to prepare for the deadline.

Barash is worried about underage gambling and online casinos. VGT has always been conceptually problematic. When gambling on casino slot machines, surveillance is done in real time and there are people working at the casino’s PGCB. No one can enter all truck stops.

Coronavirus closed PA Casino for 3 months starting in March 2020 and for several weeks in December. Barash's PGCB hasn't been together as a group for 18 months. There was little direct contact between board members.

Barash is taking the lead at the Pennsylvania Gaming Commission. Three of the four legislative appointees were defeated or did not run in the most recent election. There have been more changes to the board in five years than at any other time.

Growth of iGaming in Pennsylvania. Online casino began arriving in June 2021. Revenue from i gaming in PA for 2020/21 was $ 897.2 million AGR (Adjusted total income).

Barash is surprised by the growth of iGaming and sports betting in Pennsylvania. He doesn't know if it's a temporary phenomenon. He thinks more people will be able to play in the casino in next few months.

Barash was chairman of the Pennsylvania Gambling Commission. He was a lawyer for 47 years. His career spanned state, federal and private practices. Barash defended the state Three Mile Island Nuclear Accident Proceedings and the utility case that appeared in the Supreme Court. As a US lawyer, Baras was the Attorney General Ernest Plate Jr.

Barash is the chair of the board of directors and he has a lot of opinions. He didn't talk to the media when he was chairman.

Barash watches streaming services and doesn't go to the cinema. He thinks about going to Pennsylvania casinos.

Barash looks back at Pennsylvania's gambling growth and future.

Barash thinks it's a challenge for a real-store casino. He thinks the first experience of legal iGaming and sports betting disconnected the physical store casino connection. Barash and his wife will never stop curbside pickups from giants.

Barash, 73, is a former chair of the Pennsylvania Lottery Commission. He attends Cornell University Law School.

Barash misses being involved in public policy issues. He was happy to do this for the governor. He also misses watching shows on the stands and discussing public policies.