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It is not always easy for casino operators and politicians to get communities to welcome slot machines into their midst.  So slot machines are always pitched by informing the community how they stand to benefit from them.  Often times governments promise that a large potion of casino tax dollars will be contributed to schools or college scholarships.

In Pennsylvania the new slot machine parlors have created a tradition that benefit local charities before their doors ever officially open.  In order to test out the kinks in their slot machines, the casinos must have a few days of testing where the casino is run like any other business day.  The new slot machines in Pennsylvania can have anywhere from 500 to 3,000 slot machines running at one time.

For this purpose, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board allows the casinos 2 days to test their slot machines.  The testing days are invite only charity events.  Since the casinos are not officially licensed for gaming until their opening day, the casinos are not allowed to keep any of the profits from the slot machines.  The state of Pennsylvania will take their 55 percent share in taxes and the casinos remaining 45 percent goes to local charities.  In addition, the invited guests are also encouraged to make donations.

These testing days have proven to be very lucrative to charities in Pennsylvania.  Past slot machine testing days have produced as much as $600,000 for local charities and that is just the money that comes from the gambling.

When the Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course held their charity event in last year, guests donated approximately $142,000 for Pennsylvania charitable organizations. 

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