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State of Play’s TL;DR
- Pennsylvania lawmakers are still split on how to regulate and tax skill games ahead of an Oct. 13 deadline.
- Police say they will begin action against businesses housing the machines as soon as Oct. 14.
Pennsylvania’s unresolved skill games fight is heading toward an Oct. 13 deadline, when unlicensed machines are set to become illegal under a state Supreme Court ruling.
Lawmakers agree the issue needs a fix, but the House and Senate are still blaming each other for the lack of a deal.
Pennsylvania’s battle over skill games has moved from a long-running policy debate to a near-term enforcement problem. The state Supreme Court ruled in June that the machines are illegal gambling devices unless they are licensed by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, but delayed the decision taking effect until Oct. 13.
Diamond presses House leaders as deadline nears
State Rep. Russ Diamond is urging House Democratic leaders not to let that deadline pass without legislation. Diamond, who has sponsored two bills on the issue, said his proposals could preserve skill games while generating new revenue, including property tax relief. He also said he offered to work with Democrats on changes that could add funding for public transportation agencies.
At a Capitol news conference, Diamond said House Democrats’ position that action should start in the Senate is blocking progress.
“The people of Pennsylvania elected all of us with an expectation that we’d actually get things done.”
House Democratic leaders pushed back. Elizabeth Rementer, a spokesperson for House Majority Leader Matt Bradford, said Democrats are prepared to support “a reasonable resolution” that raises revenue and creates an equitable framework for the machines. But, she added, “first Senate Republicans must prove their ability to pass something.”
Supreme Court ruling raises stakes for operators and small businesses
The dispute matters because skill games are widely used in small businesses, private clubs, and volunteer fire companies across Pennsylvania. Before this year, state courts had treated the machines differently from gambling devices because they involved an element of skill.
That changed in June, when the Supreme Court held that the games are gambling devices requiring state licensing. Law enforcement agencies have warned that once the delayed ruling takes effect on Oct. 13, the machines must be removed from unlicensed establishments.
George Lewis, co-owner of Atlantis ATM in Allentown, said revenue from the machines has helped nonprofits and businesses pay for repairs, equipment, gifts, and charitable work. He also said the income supported hiring and higher business expenses such as vehicles and insurance.
No final plan yet from Harrisburg
Lawmakers had already been working on a tax-and-regulation framework before the ruling, but no measure has passed both chambers. Gov. Josh Shapiro has signaled support for taxing skill games and included related revenue in his last two budget proposals.
House Gaming Oversight Committee Chair Patrick Harkins said House lawmakers are still working on a proposal, while pressing Senate Republicans to show they have the votes. Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman has said stakeholders rejected a Senate plan that would have placed skill games under the Gaming Control Board.
Unless a compromise emerges quickly, Pennsylvania is headed toward a scenario in which the state’s legal position changes before lawmakers finish writing the rules.
Based on reporting by Peter Hall for the Pennsylvania Capital-Star.
