HARRISBURG -- Like a tennis ball, proposed changes to the July slot machine law have been lobbed back to the state Senate.

Last night, the House tweaked a Senate bill aimed at fixing holes in the law, which will eventually put tens of thousands of slot machines at up to 14 casinos across Pennsylvania.

The proposed changes probably won't be accepted verbatim by the Senate, but instead will be again revised in a conference committee meeting, several lawmakers said last night.

The biggest change, if it's eventually enacted, is a provision saying the state would use slots revenue to plug holes in the Pennsylvania Lottery if slots betting eats away at annual lottery proceeds.

If the lottery's fund balance drops in any fiscal year, the shortfall would have to be filled with a portion of the state's slots revenue before the state could spend its slots windfall on anything else. The lottery funds services for senior citizens.

Rep. Thomas Tigue, D-Monroe, warned colleagues that if the provision passes, the lottery would benefit at the expense of homeowners who are expecting property tax refunds.

Slots revenues are expected to fund a variety of programs and agencies across the state, and will also be used to fund a small property tax decrease for Pennsylvania homeowners in a few years.

On the House floor, members debated the slots changes for scarcely more than 30 minutes, following hours of closed-door negotiations earlier in the day.

"Obviously, there is no perfect solution, at least as I can see it," said Majority Leader Sam Smith, R-Punxsutawney. But the House fix "attempts to strike a compromise" between House Democrats and Republicans.

The proposed changes would expand the attorney general's role in monitoring criminal activity within the gambling industry and would close the loophole that could allow lawmakers to own a 1 percent casino share.

But the House-amended version of Senate Bill 1209 could open a new loophole, eliminating a provision in the original law that forbids a single company from owning more than one full casino and a one-third share in another.

Last night's amendment appears to allow a company to own as many casinos at it likes.

House amendments also keep intact two aspects of the original law: one saying slot machines must be bought through an in-state distributor, and another saying that in municipalities where casinos are built, local zoning laws can be overridden by the state's gambling board.

But the amendment also sets up an appeals process, so towns can object to casino plans.