What was supposed to be a smoother year in Harrisburg has been disrupted by a recent ruling from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court that found skill games are gambling under state law.
For organizations that rely on revenue generated by the machines, the bigger disruption could be what comes next.
Among those groups are veteran organizations like American Legions and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts across Pennsylvania.
Bob Pramik, a Navy veteran and commander of American Legion Post 730 in Penbrook, said the Dauphin County post was on the verge of closing just two years ago. Now, he says, skill games account for more than half of the post’s revenue, helping keep its doors open and allowing it to provide resources and a sense of community for local veterans.
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“When the skill games came out, it resurrected us,” Pramik said. “We were able to open up again, and now we’re facing the dilemma where we may have to close again, and I don’t want that to happen. We’ve come so far with helping all the veterans in our area.”
The issue returns to the forefront this week as the Pennsylvania Senate comes back to Harrisburg with the future of skill games — and the revenue they provide to nonprofits — still unresolved.
Lawmakers have 114 days to reach an agreement before the games become illegal in much of the state. Key questions remain over tax rates, regulation and how many machines would be allowed at each location.
Gov. Josh Shapiro acknowledged the urgency of the situation this week and encouraged Senate leaders from both parties to find a path forward.
“I was encouraged when the leadership in the Senate yesterday said that they want to get it done now,” Shapiro said in a recent press conference. “And so, what I’d encourage the Republican leadership of the Senate to do is to work with the Democratic leadership in the Senate and see what kind of package can get 26 votes in their chamber and get it to my desk.”
Pramik and other veteran leaders are urging senators to exempt organizations like American Legion Post 730 from taxes on skill game revenue. They argue that concerns about crime tied to machines in standalone gaming parlors and the growing presence of the devices in public places should not come at the expense of veteran service organizations.
“I stop in for gas; I go to all these other places that have skill machines. Why? Who are they helping other than themselves?” Pramik said. “Don’t take it away from the veteran service organizations. We can’t let our veterans down. They didn’t let us down, so we got to repay them.”
Veterans’ groups and supporters of skill games are planning a rally at the Capitol steps on Wednesday morning to call for their protection in skill games legislation.