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Gov. Wolf Allows Pa. Lottery To Oversee Virtual Sports Games At Bars, Restaurants

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HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania bars and taverns can soon offer a new pastime: virtual sports games.

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf announced Friday that the Pennsylvania Lottery will start offering the games, which have random drawings based on animated fake sports events watched on monitors.

The games are projected to bring in as much as $75 million to the Pennsylvania Lottery over the next five years combined. The struggling Pennsylvania Lottery had $4 billion in sales last year, and $1 billion in profits. It supports programs for the elderly. The games are offered by several other state lotteries.

Retailers get a 5 percent commission.

Gambling legislation awaiting Wolf's signature allows the lottery to take its games online and offer keno. Online games are estimated to add $10 million to lottery profits this year.

(© Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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