Anticipate a big push by Pennsylvania's casino gambling industry on behalf of table games, now that another statewide poll has confirmed strong support for that gambling option.

The latest poll, which was conducted by Susquehanna Polling and Research, found that 60 percent of respondents support expanding the Keystone State's slot machine law to include table games.

A poll released about a week prior to Susquehanna's showed 63 percent of respondents in favor of poker, blackjack and other table games.

Meanwhile, the Susquehanna poll also found that, of those favoring the addition of table games, 80 percent want them legalized immediately, rather than waiting for all state-approved casinos to open.

"The Susquehanna poll is yet another strong indication that Pennsylvanians are ready for table games," said Bill Paulos, a principal with Cannery Casino Resorts (CCR), which owns the Meadows Racetrack & Casino in Washington County. "Our guests at the Meadows repeatedly ask about table games and are eager to see them in Pennsylvania."

Undoubtedly there is table games interest. However, before state lawmakers move to expand the gambling options here, they should look closely at neighboring West Virginia, particularly the Mountaineer Casino near Chester.

Last November, Mountaineer laid off 93 workers, or what then was 4 percent of its workforce, in a move described as necessary to enable the casino to remain competitive.

That was just about a year after West Virginia voters approved table games after a big push by the gambling industry based on the premise of bringing additional jobs to the state. About 700 new jobs were indeed created.

But rather than employment stabilizing after the 93 layoffs, in January 175 additional workers 9 percent of the casino's workforce were dispatched to the unemployment rolls.

That move was blamed on the worsening national economy leaving people with "limited discretionary dollars."

But some people who had frequented Mountaineer regularly prior to the arrival of table games were complaining at the same time that odds of winning anything significant on the slot machines had become worse since table games' arrival. And some of those people began traveling to places such as the Meadows, where they perceived the odds to be better than in West Virginia.

The bottom line then is that table games haven't been a panacea for the Mountaineer State.

And, the danger exists that they won't be a panacea for Pennsylvania either, if their arrival negatively impacts slots play and if West Virginia counters the table games competition with more generous gambling opportunities there.

The Meadows is touting the fact that its new casino, when it opens on April 15, will provide about 1,000 permanent family sustaining jobs, filled mostly by area residents. Meanwhile, CCR says about 700 additional family sustaining jobs would result from the addition of table games.

CCR also touts the fact that the Meadows purchases about 95 percent of all goods and services from local companies for its day-to-day operations.

The two rounds of layoffs at Mountaineer reportedly left that casino with about 1,900 employees.

And in January, when the 175-worker layoff was revealed, it provided third-quarter figures that showed that while table games had generated $13.2 million during that quarter, slots play had fallen by $4.2 million.

The new Meadows Casino will have more than 3,700 slot machines.

"The Meadows certainly would benefit from table games, but this is a real opportunity for the partnership between the gaming industry and state government to truly benefit thousands of Pennsylvanians by putting people to work and investing in local goods and services," Paulos said.

But as West Virginia can testify, the situation with table games in place would not necessarily be all thumbs-up. Uncertainties would remain, in conjunction with the danger of addicting more people to dreams of big winnings, which are a rare occurrence.

Yes, Pennsylvanians should prepare themselves for tempting arguments on behalf of table games in the months ahead, including promises of bigger savings on their property tax bills. And, no doubt such games remain a topic of much behind-the-scenes discussion in the Pennsylvania General Assembly, which initially downplayed the possibility of table games for this state.

The best advice for Pennsylvania at this time is to proceed with caution, regardless of the polls. The grass might not really be greener around a blackjack or poker table, if slots gambling takes a big hit in response to those new gambling options.