PA AG Tells Businesses To Get Rid Of Their Skill Games Machines

HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday is warning businesses with skill games terminals that their machines could be confiscated beginning next month.

That's because the state Supreme Court in June ruled that skill games are equivalent to slot machines, but are not taxed and licensed like slot machines. The court gave the state legislature until Oct. 13 to come up with a plan to regulate them; lawmakers have yet to do so.

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There currently are 70,000 skill game machines across the state in taverns, restaurants, social clubs, mini-marts, gas stations, grocery stores, laundromats, pizza parlors, and other businesses. Most of those establishments rely on the machines to generate revenue.

"We do not want to see searches and seizures at storefronts or bar, social club and restaurant establishments — we would much rather business owners and social clubs comply with the law and take steps to get these illegal devices out of their places of business," Sunday said on Tuesday. "Collaborating with our law enforcement partners, my office will act in accordance with the law which prohibits these machines outside of licensed gaming facilities."

Enforcement actions could include seizing and forfeiting the machines, associated equipment and money associated with the operation of the machines, and/or filing criminal charges when deemed appropriate.

In addition, Sunday warned that distributors, vendors and manufacturers refusing to remove their slot machines from businesses face the potential for criminal charges should they continue to maintain devices for operation.

Powering off or unplugging machines is not sufficient to comply with the law.

"We encourage businesses to contact their vendors (or) distributors and demand removal of these devices from their premises to avoid law enforcement action," Sunday said.