HARRISBURG — State gambling regulators on Tuesday approved six slot-machine manufacturing companies to sell their machines in Pennsylvania.

The licenses were the first approved by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board for any category of business seeking to take part in the state's fledgling gambling industry.

The manufacturers are: Aristocrat Technologies Inc.; Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty. Ltd.; International Game Technology; NRT Technology Corp.; Western Money Systems; and WMS Gaming Inc.

Seven applications for a manufacturer's license are still being considered, the board said. Licensing the six manufacturers was a relatively easy process because the companies had already qualified for a license in another state where regulations were considered commensurate with Pennsylvania's.

Tad Decker, the board's chairman, said he anticipates issuing conditional licenses to racetracks to operate slot-machine parlors by the end of summer.