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State of Play’s TL;DR
- Pennsylvania bar owners say the loss of skill games is forcing layoffs and could result in closures.
- A state Supreme Court ruling deemed the machines illegal, with enforcement beginning earlier his month.
- There has been little progress at the statehouse to make the machines legal.
Pennsylvania’s skill games have become illegal following a state Supreme Court ruling, with an estimated 70,000 machines shut down or removed, according to The Progress.
Bar owners say the loss is driving layoffs and could force closures, while lawmakers have not enacted proposals to regulate the games.
Court ruling ends skill games at Pennsylvania businesses
The Progress reports that the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania ruled in June that skill games are “slot machines” under the state’s Gaming Act. The machines became illegal on Oct. 14 after lawmakers failed to address the issue despite proposals in both the Senate and House.
The shutdown reaches beyond bars and restaurants to corner stores and other small businesses that hosted the terminals.
The ruling has supporters as well as critics. Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker applauded the decision in June, describing skill gaming as a “predatory activity” that “only exacerbates seemingly intractable problems.”
Bar owners report lost revenue and layoffs
For some establishments, the machines supplied a substantial share of earnings and helped bring customers through the door.
Ralph Elia, who operates four bars in Berks County, told The Progress that skill games accounted for 80% of net revenue at some locations. He said he had laid off 10 employees and might close businesses that lose money.
At Joe’s Bar in Chester, head chef Santwan Williams said about 60% of his customers played the machines. He described the shutdown as a threat to food and drink sales, not just gaming revenue.
Those accounts illustrate the financial stakes for individual businesses, though the report does not establish how many establishments will ultimately close.
Regulation proposals remain stalled
Proposed legislation would have imposed a $500 fee per terminal and capped the statewide machine count at 50,000. The proposals were projected to generate $300 million annually in tax and licensing revenue, according to The Progress.
But the current two-year legislative session is nearing its end. Lawmakers return to Harrisburg this week with only five voting days remaining, making action before the end of 2026 unlikely.
Unfinished business will likely wait until the next session begins in early 2027. Whether lawmakers will revisit skill games – and what any regulatory framework would look like – remains unresolved.
As reported by The Progress.
