HARRISBURG -- Currently, plainclothes state police are watching out for problems at the state's six casinos on a 24/7 basis. But that could drop to a 16/7 basis in a month or so.

One eight-hour shift will have to be eliminated, probably the midnight to 8 a.m. shift, if the state police don't get an additional $3 million, spokesman Jack Lewis said yesterday.

The current 2007-08 budget allocates $11.5 million for the state police to staff the five racetrack casinos and the one non-track casino that just opened in the Poconos.

State police originally asked for $14.5 million for this budget year, which ends June 30. Gov. Ed Rendell trimmed that request to $13.6 million. In budget negotiations with legislators in July, the amount was further cut to $11.5 million, said Mr. Lewis.

The money that pays for the state police presence actually comes from each of the casinos, which get 45 percent of the gross revenue from slots, said Rep. Paul Clymer, R-Bucks, an outspoken critic of gambling. The casinos pay for the gaming-related costs of four state agencies: the state police, the attorney general, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board and the Department of Revenue.

Act 71 of 2004, which legalized slots, "says state police should be given what we need to provide security at the casinos,'' Mr. Lewis said. "The money comes from the casinos. It's not general tax money.''

The state gets the other 55 percent of the casinos' gross revenue, to use for property tax reduction, economic development, payments to the host counties and municipalities and for horse breeding and training.

Mr. Clymer said he'd be willing to sponsor a "supplemental budget'' of $3 million, which would come from the casinos and be used for the additional state police.

"I'm sympathetic to the needs of the state police,'' he said. "This [gambling] industry is subject to corruption and crime, and we're playing tiddlywinks making sure they have the proper police complement. The casinos complain their financial burden is too heavy, but they're also in the paper bragging about how much money they are making.''

Mr. Clymer said each casino has its own private security force, but he still thinks state police should be on the scene around the clock.

Chuck Ardo, a spokesman for Mr. Rendell, supported the state police reduction if it becomes necessary.

"The choice to reduce state police coverage of casinos during the least problematic hours is best,'' he said. The governor would support an increase in the state police funding, he added.

The state troopers make sure underage patrons aren't allowed in the slots areas and aren't served alcohol. Working with private security officers, they break up any fights or disturbances. State police also do background checks and fingerprint checks on applicants who seek to work at a casino.

If there were a criminal incident between midnight and 8 a.m. and no state trooper was on the scene, casino officials would have to call the nearest state police barracks to get troopers to quell the disturbance, Mr. Lewis said.

"That could slow down the response,'' he said.

Officials at The Meadows, one of the six existing casinos, had no comment on the police situation. Kevin Feeley, a spokesman for Mount Airy Casino, which just opened, said, "We will make sure we meet our security needs.'' He didn't elaborate.

Other casinos didn't return phone calls. A seventh casino, at Penn National Race Course near Harrisburg, is due to open in early 2008, which will put a further strain on state police resources.