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A bipartisan group of seven Pennsylvania House members wants to regulate skill games statewide and allow more video gaming terminals at truck stops, with 84% of the revenue going to roads, bridges and public transit.
Rep. Danilo Burgos, D-Philadelphia, circulated a co-sponsorship memo to all House members Sept. 30, seeking support before the plan is formally introduced. His co-sponsors are:
- Reps. Amen Brown, D-Philadelphia
- Manuel Guzman, D-Berks
- Steven Malagari, D-Montgomery
- Jamie Barton, R-Berks/Schuylkill
- Joshua Kail, R-Beaver/Washington
- Former House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, R-Centre/Mifflin
Sen. Gene Yaw, a Republican, and Sen. Anthony Williams, a Democrat, circulated a companion memo to all senators the same day.
Time is short. On June 15, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that skill games are slot machines under state law, which makes them illegal gambling devices. The court stayed its decision for 120 days to give lawmakers time to regulate the industry.
That stay ends Oct. 13, and both chambers have only three session days left before then.
Where the skill game money would go
The House memo splits the revenue three ways:
- 84% for roads, bridges and public transportation
- 15% for fire and emergency medical services
- 1% for administrative costs
The House memo says the plan would generate “hundreds of millions” of dollars but gives no figure. The Senate companion memo projects about $700 million a year.
Supporters say the plan addresses two problems at once: Pennsylvania’s need for steady investment in transportation and first responders, and the dependence of American Legion posts, VFWs, volunteer fire companies and small businesses on skill game revenue.
What the proposal would regulate
According to the House memo, the legislation would create a statewide system that includes:
- Licensing, testing, monitoring and enforcement
- A minimum player age of 21
- Central monitoring with auditable records
- Video surveillance and employee visibility requirements
- Age verification and a self-exclusion program
- Independent audits and tools for removing illegal machines
Operators would pay $500 a month per terminal. The Senate memo adds that manufacturers, terminal operators, participating establishments and key personnel would face background checks.
Since 2017, state law has allowed up to five video gaming terminals at each qualified truck stop, and the Gaming Control Board oversees them. The memos would allow more but do not specify how many.
What the memo leaves open
The House memo is an outline, not a finished bill. It sets no tax rate on gross skill game revenue and no statewide cap on machines. It also does not say where machines could operate beyond truck stops. Those choices could change the revenue picture.
Senate Bill 1079, which Yaw and Williams introduced last year, uses the same $500 monthly fee per terminal. It would cap terminals at 50,000 statewide, which its sponsors say would generate about $300 million a year. That bill sends nearly half of its revenue to public transit, infrastructure and the state’s Clean Streams Fund. The new proposal would direct a much larger share to transportation.
What comes next for skill games in Pennsylvania
Burgos still has to file the legislation. It would then need to pass the House and Senate and be signed by Gov. Josh Shapiro.
Other proposals are competing for time. Burgos is already the prime sponsor of House Bill 2213, which pairs with SB 1079. Rep. Brad Roae, R-Crawford/Erie, has proposed House Bill 2795, which would extend the deadline six months to April 13, 2027.
Guzman has a separate bill that would temporarily authorize skill games that were in place before the ruling through that date. Extension proposals are pending in both chambers.
Rep. Russ Diamond, R-Lebanon, introduced House Bills 2801 and 2802 last month to legalize and tax skill games. He urged House leaders on Monday to keep working. A spokesperson for House Majority Leader Matt Bradford, D-Montgomery, said Senate Republicans must first show they can pass something. Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman, a Republican, has said stakeholders rejected a Senate GOP proposal “in no uncertain terms.”
If nothing passes, state and local police could begin seizing unlicensed terminals and filing charges Oct. 14. State police have already notified businesses to remove their machines.
