Pennsylvania skill games could be confiscated later this year

(WHTM) — The Pennsylvania budget is done, state lawmakers are gone until the fall, but they left Harrisburg with a major issue unresolved.

Skill games, which are legal today, won’t be if lawmakers don’t take action before the state Supreme Court’s October 13 deadline.

“I personally, I’m nervous,” said Lisa Iskric, who manages the American Legion in Steelton, which has skill games.

“At first, it wasn’t really a part of our income. It was just income. Now it’s part of our budget. It’s what we do to sustain the bills, the buildings, repairs, payroll, all of those types of things,” Iskric added.

“My door’s open,” Governor Josh Shapiro said after lawmakers reached a budget deal that did not include regulations for skill games. “If lawmakers, particularly on their side of the building, want to continue to discuss this. But if not, the Pennsylvania State Police is ready to enforce the law when that deadline hits on October 13.”

Acting Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Lt. Col. George Bivens says he’s already evaluating enforcement plans.

“Really, right now, though, there’s still some time,” Bivens said. “We’re waiting to see if the legislature acts and does anything to legalize them.”

If not, local district attorneys and police could seize them.

“We can act within 120 days,” Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-Indiana) said. “We can act after the 120 days. But the choice is now quite simple. These machines are illegal, and in less than 120 days, they will be leaving the marketplace.”

Pennsylvania would be leaving as much as $1 billion a year in tax revenue on the table if the games aren’t taxed and regulated.

“These could benefit the state if we tax them properly,” State Rep. Jamie Barton (R-124th District) said. “We’ve had that opportunity to do it. We failed. The industry itself said, hey, tax us, regulate us, we want to be legitimate.”

In a statement, machine manufacturer Pace-O-Matic says it will abide by the law and shut down its games, but can’t speak for the thousands of illegal machines out there.

“I’m not concerned,” State Rep. Jason Dawkins (D-179) said. “I think we are well positioned to kind of deal with skill games when we return.”

The reality is, lawmakers only have a handful of session days before October 13. Dawkins acknowledges another reality.

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“With 70,000 plus machines throughout the commonwealth, it’s virtually impossible to go in and remove all those machines,” Dawkins said.

But that’s a gamble places like the Steelton legion don’t want to take.

“If that’s taken away, unfortunately, we are not able to donate the way that we donate if we’re able to even be here at all,” Iskric said.

Attorney General Dave Sunday said that if October 13 comes without legalization, he hopes machine owners will voluntarily turn them off so widespread enforcement is not necessary.

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