One Week Until Pennsylvania Skill Machines Become Illegal

Pennsylvania gaming machines will be removed from local businesses if nothing changes over the next week.

State officials will raid locations and seize the unregulated skill games next week following the expiration of a 120-day judicial stay. The Oct. 14 deadline marks the end of a grace period following a Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling that declared the commodities were illegal slot machines under state law.

Businesses that continue to offer the products will prompt action from law enforcement.

Pennsylvania wiping out skill gaming machines

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled against claims that skill machines were separate from the state’s gaming industry.

The argument was based on the title “skill” games and the suggestion that users’ aptitude factored into their likelihood of winning, thereby making them different from products that used random number generators. 

However, the highest state court decided that the General Assembly’s definition of a slot machine made the factor of skill “not legally significant.” Thus, the ruling resulted in the upcoming removal of skill machine games.

Attorney General Dave Sunday and the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) already sent warnings to businesses informing them of the Oct. 14 deadline to remove the offerings. All machines must be removed from the businesses’ facilities, as simply shutting them down will not satisfy the requirements of the law.

All businesses that continue to house these machines will be liable to criminal prosecution and punishment, per the PSP.

Violators will be punished

Section 5513 of the Pennsylvania Crimes Code outlines the legal justification behind punishing business owners and operators who house gaming machines.

“[It’s illegal to] maintain, possess, assemble, set up, make, sell, or lease slot machines” without being licensed by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB).

Businesses looking to get rid of their machines have a resource on the state police’s website. Additionally, they are warned that failing to get rid of the illegal items can lead to forfeiture of related equipment, gaming revenue, and business and liquor licenses, while also prompting criminal charges.

“Distributors, vendors, and manufacturers refusing to remove their slot machines from businesses are reminded of the potential for criminal charges should they continue to maintain devices for operation,” the PSP wrote.

Possible punishments include five years in prison and fines up to $10,000 per offense. 

AG Sunday’s office estimated that there were 70,000 skill games floating around at different businesses around the state. Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) called for regulation of the machines and suggested a 52% tax rate in his 2026 budget proposal, but it did not receive enough support to pass.