HARRISBURG -- The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has approved slot machine supplier licenses for two more companies, both from Western Pennsylvania.

One is Gaming Ventures LLC of Pittsburgh, whose most prominent members are former Pittsburgh City Councilman Sala Udin, former Steelers defensive back J.T. Thomas and Gregory Spencer, chairman of the African-American Chamber of Commerce of Pittsburgh.

The company, formed late last year, is minority-owned. One of the goals of the slots law has been to involve minority-owned and women-owned firms in the operation and maintenance of the 14 casinos to be created in the state.

The other slots supplier firm approved this week is Winner Security LLC of Sharon, Mercer County, whose officials are James Winner Jr., Donna Winner and Steven Kohler.

Mr. Udin declined to talk about his slots supplier company yesterday, and other members of both groups couldn't be reached. Both firms will have to pay the gaming board a $25,000 fee for their supplier licenses.

The gaming board's action this week brings to 17 the number of companies approved for supplier licenses. There are a couple more firms still seeking approval, including one from North Huntingdon.

The suppliers are considered middlemen; they will buy slot machines from manufacturers and resell them to casinos.

Some legislators, including Sen. Jane Orie, R-McCandless, have been trying to amend the 2-year-old slots law to remove the requirement for using the middleman supplier firms. No other state requires the use of such suppliers.

In June, the Senate approved Ms. Orie's bill to delete the use of slots suppliers, but it isn't known if the House will take up her bill when its members return to work Sept. 25.

Under Act 71 of 2004, the slots law, there are to be 14 casinos created in Pennsylvania: seven at racetracks, five at non-track locations -- including one in Pittsburgh -- and two at resort hotels, probably those at Nemacolin Woodlands in Fayette County and Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Somerset County.

The gaming board has said it will act Sept. 27 to license the first racetrack/casinos. As many as six could be licensed, including The Meadows in Washington County. The first racetrack casinos could be in operation by early 2007.