by KYW's Tony Romeo

A Pennsylvania House committee has held a hearing on a bill that would add table games to Pennsylvania casinos.

Robert Soper, general manager of the Mohegan Sun casino at Pocono Downs, argued on Thursday that adding table games is not an expansion of gambling. 

He was challenged by Rep. Will Gabig (R-Cumberland County, in file photo at right):
 
“You want to grow the industry, get more profits, make more money, grow your business.”

Soper responded:

“In the next ten weeks we’re going to add 1,300 slot machines. If you consider that expanding gaming, we’re expanding gaming anyways.”

It may be a moot point, at least for the near future. Governor Rendell says the time isn’t right to consider table games:

“In my view, that’s way premature.”

The attorney for state senate Republican leaders also says that table games are a bad bet anytime soon.

(File photos)