State-sanctioned gambling appears to be on the rebound and, in fact, growing in Pennsylvania as the coronavirus pandemic wanes and life in the Keystone State returns to some semblance of normal.

But that has prompted the revival of an important and evergreen question from a researcher at the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy: “Is the growth of gaming in Pennsylvania a good thing?” asks Frank Gamrat, executive director of the Pittsburgh think tank.

There can be no doubt that gaming revenues in Pennsylvania have become an important source of government funding. From property tax relief (though far less than promised) and contributions to general fund revenue and county and municipal host government payments, state and local governments are reliant on gaming.