Within three years, Pennsylvania must have an independent laboratory to test and certify all slot machines used in the state, the state gambling board was told Tuesday.

Testing is required under the slots law, approved by the Legislature last July, that will eventually allow up to 61,000 slot machines at 14 locations, including a casino in Pittsburgh.

The laboratory is needed to guarantee fair and honest play on the machines, a consultant told the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board yesterday.

Lynn Stelle, a consultant for the state Department of Revenue, told the board the lab probably will employ six to eight people and would need a space comparable to the expansive meeting room at the Marriott hotel where the board meeting was held.

Stelle said the lab will test the operations and communications of each machine, or a sampling of machines. He was referring to communications with the central computer system that will monitor all slot machines.

"The real difficulty is acquiring the talent and knowledge necessary to do the job," Stelle told the seven-member board.

Pennsylvania's board will need to use a private laboratory during the start-up phase, he said.

Licensees -- not taxpayers or the gaming board -- will pay for slot machine testing, Stelle said.

The board leaves today to visit New Jersey officials who oversee gambling in Atlantic City. Board Chairman Thomas "Tad" Decker said board members will gain valuable information from that state's experience with gambling.

On another matter, board member Mary Colins said proposed regulations for manufacturers and suppliers should be available for the board to review at its April 12 meeting. The board won't vote to approve them at that time. They will be issued for public review and comment.

The board is gearing up to hire 42 more employees by June 30. Ten employees have been hired, and seven staffers are on the job.

The focus is on three of the top positions: executive director, director of the bureau of investigations and chief counsel.

The board met in closed session yesterday to continue to interview candidates.

Two employees were hired:

# Cheryl T. Posavec, of Harrisburg, as an administrative assistant to board member Jeffrey W. Coy. Posavec's salary will be $44,000.

# LaMonte J. Williams, now an attorney in the state Department of Administration in Harrisburg, as deputy chief counsel for administration for $90,000 a year. He also will serve as the board's equal employment opportunity officer, board members said.

They were hired pending background checks by the state police