On April 19, 2018, it was announced that The Bon-Ton would be closing, as the chain was going out of business. All Bon-Ton stores were to be closed "within a few months" after that April announcement. Bon-Ton at York Galleria was fully closed by the end of August. On April 26, 2018, it was announced that Sears would be closing its York Galleria store in August 2018. Sears' communications director said it involved an acceleration of their previously announced closings of unprofitable stores, related to "store space and productivity". According to Springettsbury Township officials in February 2018, Penn National Gaming expressed interest in the York Galleria area as a potential location for a mini-casino. The casino operator won the right from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to build or renovate such a facility, with up to 750 slot machines and plans for 30 table games, in the south central part of the state – specifically, within of Yoe. The township solicitor said Penn National Gaming is looking at the first floor of the Sears property. A public hearing was held in late July 2018 for feedback on proposed ordinance changes for a potential gambling facility. Many expressed disapproval of a local casino and no one spoke in favor of the casino during the hearing. A township supervisor said residents have separately informed him of support, and after the hearing, supervisors approved related changes to the ordinances. Penn National Gaming had a September 2018 deadline to apply to the control board to open a mini-casino in York County, and confirmed that month its selection of York Galleria's former Sears store as such a site, filing an application with the Gaming Control Board on September 12, 2018. A public hearing was held on November 1, with 14 speakers including four current and former township supervisors. One resident, who said 38 neighbors shared his opinion, expressed his opposition to the casino; all others who spoke were for it. As of February 2019, the proposal remained subject to a final closed-to-the-public board hearing, at which Penn National would make a presentation. As of June 2019, Penn National was still waiting for confirmation of a date for their presentation, with the delay being attributed to this first test of state gambling laws changed in 2017, as well as the prospective casino's being the first that would be placed in a mall. A control board spokesman said a license was expected by the end of the 2019, and a Penn National spokesman said construction would begin as soon as possible after such approval, with completion estimated 12 to 18 months thereafter.