On Tuesday, New Century Entertainment announced that they would be removing their name from the list of slot machine distributors within the state of Pennsylvania, and would be giving up their license. The group claims that it has been shut out of the slot machine business by the companies that make the slot machines, as well as the politics of the state itself. 

The company, a large minority owned corporation, had been looking to do slot machine distribution, and was planning on a large portion of their proceeds to go back to several charities within the state, many of which were minority based charities. The company consists of George Miles, the multimedia president of WQED – a Pittsburgh public television station; Jim Roddey, ex-county executive who was voted out in 2003; and Doris Carson Williams of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania.  

Without naming names, the company stated that they were being pushed out of every market that they were competing in. The company is one of 16 that hold the “middleman” license from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. The board made a decision on June 28^th that determined that each company could compete statewide for contracts, instead of being restricted to certain areas of the state.  The whole idea could be mute, as the Republican based Senate has approved a bill that will eliminate the need for the middleman in the slot machine process. The bill states now that all slot machines are to be purchased through these middlemen, or distributors. The process was supposed to eliminate corruption, but many feel that that part of the bill was only to get more money for the state’s buddies, and those without enough influence would still not see any of the money. The democrats say that it is a way for smaller companies to get a vested interest in the slot machine business in the state.

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