Pennsylvania businesses have a month to return skill games to vendors or be "subject to criminal prosecution and immediate seizure of machines," according to a statement by state police.
What were once legal games were declared to be slot machines under Pennsylvania law by the state supreme court on June 15. The games, including ticket redemption terminals, are common in restaurants, bars, gas stations, laundromats and even grocery stores. The court gave businesses and the legislature a grace period until Oct. 14 before criminal sanctions kicked in.
"Enforcement actions may include seizing and forfeiting the machines, associated equipment and money associated with the operation of the machines and/or filing criminal charges where deemed appropriate," according to the Pennsylvania State Police.
Only licensed casinos and truck stops can keep terminals, subject to regulation under the state's Gaming Act.
State legislators failed to include a fix for skill games in the suite of bills passed with the state budget, then left town for the summer. Legislative sessions resume Sept. 28, giving lawmakers little time to pass a law before the deadline. Businesses that wait to see what could happen could be playing with fire.
"Simply powering off an otherwise operable machine or unplugging them is not sufficient to comply with the law," the state police statement said.
Gov. Josh Shapiro has proposed legalizing and taxing skill games, and Republican state Rep. Russ Diamond (R-Lebanon) has floated a related bill that would use tax revenue to offset property taxes for homeowners.
There are 70,000 skill games machines throughout Pennsylvania that each generate on average $47,000 in a year, per the state attorney general and the Independent Fiscal Office. Small businesses and nonprofits like VFWs are advocating for the legislature to keep skill games legal and say they generate needed revenue.
Pennsylvania State Police say that if a skill games vendor or distributor won't remove machines, businesses should contact the state police office to assist in machine removal.