Senators on Thursday complained that state gambling regulators too often operate out of the public view and alleged the Gaming Control Board isn't doing enough to protect taxpayers.

Board Chairman Mary DiGiacomo Colins said her agency has been "very transparent" and is free from improper influence.

"I have to believe that if there's any state agency that ranks lower than the governor or the Legislature in (public trust), I'm looking at it," Sen. John Rafferty, R-Montgomery County, said during an often-contentious hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The board wants the Legislature to increase its $33 million budget by $2.4 million. Gov. Ed Rendell, seeking to close a $2.3 billion state budget gap, proposed freezing the board's budget. Little about the board's finances came up during the hearing, as lawmakers unleashed pent-up frustrations on a board many of them say is unresponsive and opaque.

Pennsylvania's Supreme Court is ordering a special prosecutor to look into alleged violations of grand jury secrecy in the case of a millionaire casino owner.

The court issued a pair of orders today that instructed Dauphin County President Judge Richard Lewis to appoint the special prosecutor.

It also released copies of a county judge's findings regarding grand jury secrecy to casino owner Louis DeNaples and the Rev. Joseph Sica, his friend who's accused of lying under oath.

Pennsylvania might risk forfeiting hundreds of millions of dollars in casino license fees if the Legislature legalizes video poker machines in bars and clubs, according to state Attorney General Tom Corbett.

Casino owners paid $50 million each for licenses. The 2004 slots law established that casinos get pro-rated rebates on the license fees if the state increases "the permissible number of licensed facilities" within 10 years.

"The essence of it is, if the state got in competition with casinos, they would get money back," Corbett said in an interview this week. He said his top civil lawyer raised concerns that legalizing video poker could impact licensing fees.

THE ECONOMIC gloom that's settled over the city is concealing the opportunities right in front of our eyes.

As Philadelphia's economic outlook worsens, the city has focused on cutting programs, services and personnel. Fiscal prudence and tough funding choices are required to prevent a monumental financial collapse.

But lost in the extensive coverage of the city budget crisis are two major economic development opportunities that haven't been capitalized on - our casinos. In the worsening national economy, the time is now to place our bets on two projects that will create hundreds of family-sustaining jobs and reinvigorate our local economy.

It's been more than two years since the SugarHouse and Foxwoods casinos were picked by the Gaming Control Board, yet neither has begun construction.