HARRISBURG, Pa. – First came the state Supreme Court ruling; then, the warnings and machines taken out of businesses.
Wednesday, Pennsylvania State Police officially began enforcement.
Police said six distributors have agreed to disable and remove their machines on a rolling basis. But the Pennsylvania Taverns and Players Association said the financial impact is already reaching local organizations.
“People will suffer,” PA TAP President Doug Sprankle said in a statement. “They’re the small-business owners struggling to make payroll, the volunteer firefighters trying to purchase lifesaving equipment, and the veterans organizations that have spent decades serving their communities.”
Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle said negotiations are still happening.
“The work’s being done between the House and the Senate, and they’re negotiating to see what we can do and what we can come back to the table with to make sure that the state benefits from these skill games,” said Democratic Pennsylvania state Rep. Joe Ciresi, who serves part of Montgomery County.
Republican state Sen. Tracy Pennycuick, who serves parts of Berks and Montgomery counties, said any solution must also consider the nonprofits that depended on the money.
“They’re being used in VFWs, American Legions, fire halls, to kind of bridge the gap on those nonprofits being able to make ends meet at the end of the month,” Pennycuick said.
For now, State Police said unplugging a machine is not enough. Businesses must arrange for removal or risk seizure and possible criminal charges.