Pa. State Police report near-total compliance on skill games removal

More than 12,000 businesses and social clubs have removed skill games in the three weeks since Pennsylvania State Police started enforcing a court order that found the slot machine-like terminals fell under state gambling laws. 

PSP reported that just 68 places held onto the devices after Oct. 14 out of the 12,202 establishments they visited. The agency said it had seized 14 machines and $1,913, but investigations are ongoing. 

The Attorney General’s Office previously estimated there were as many as 70,000 skill games machines around the state, many providing a vital stream of income to gas stations, grocery stores and laundromats. 

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled in June that skill games must be regulated like other gaming, meaning the terminals could only be placed in businesses that are licensed by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.

Justices paused their ruling for 140 days, giving lawmakers time to craft legislation legalizing the machines, but no consensus was reached.

PSP emphasized that, contrary to “claims from manufacturers and operators,” machines that don’t accept money or operate like a “sweepstakes” still fall under the order and can be confiscated.

“No manufacturer or operator sought PSP’s input on the legality of these devices before placing them inside Pennsylvania businesses. Distributors of these devices and establishments hosting them could face criminal charges for unlawful gambling and other related offenses if they continue operating these machines,” the agency said.

Devices that accept “any form of compensation from a player to engage in slot-style games” that comes with a potential payout “is a slot machine and/or gambling device,” the statement continued. 

The agency directs businesses with these machines to discuss “immediate” removal with distributors and vendors, noting that criminal charges can be levied against the latter parties as well.