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State of Play’s TL;DR
- Republic Amusements says it will lay off 81 employees.
- The action comes after Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court ruling made skill games illegal and State Police began enforcement.
Pennsylvania’s enforcement push against skill games is already hitting operators.
Camp Hill-based Republic Amusements said it will lay off 81 employees after the machines became illegal under a state Supreme Court ruling.
The move adds a real-world business fallout to Pennsylvania’s long-running fight over skill games, which have operated in bars, restaurants, fraternal clubs, and convenience stores across the state.
Republic Amusements says 81 jobs are being cut
Republic Amusements, the parent company of Capital Vending, Apple Vending, and Entertainment Experts, filed a WARN notice in Pennsylvania, saying it will lay off 81 workers. The company said those employees serve about 1,000 locations statewide.
Republic Amusements works with bars, restaurants, fraternal organizations, family entertainment centers, and convenience stores in Pennsylvania.
COO Joe Calla blamed state officials for failing to create a regulatory framework for the machines.
“My family started this business nearly 64 years ago, and it’s incredibly frustrating to work this hard to build something that supports great employees and real opportunities for small businesses only to have our elected officials refuse to take action.”
Why skill games are now illegal in Pennsylvania
Skill games became illegal in Pennsylvania on Oct. 13 after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled on June 15 that the machines are slot machines under the state’s Gaming Act. The delayed enforcement in the ruling gave lawmakers time to enact legislation making the machines legal or businesses time to remove the machines if legislators failed to act.
Pennsylvania State Police began enforcement Wednesday. Under the law, police can seize the devices as illegal gambling devices and charge proprietors with the appropriate crime.
State Police also said it has “entered into agreements with six skill games operators/distributors” that requested more time to voluntarily comply with the law.
Republic Amusements argued that skill games are different from casino games because they are placed inside existing businesses rather than casinos. The company’s WARN filing provides 60 days’ notice.
What is clear is that enforcement is no longer theoretical. Unless lawmakers act, Pennsylvania’s skill games market faces continued shutdowns, machine seizures, and more pressure on operators and the small businesses that hosted the devices.
Based on reporting by Sue Gleiter for Penn Live.
