Republic Amusements has announced plans to lay off 81 employees at its Camp Hill operations, attributing the decision to Pennsylvania lawmakers’ failure to regulate and tax skill games.
Planned layoffs affect operations across Pennsylvania
The company filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notice with the state, providing 60 days’ notice of the planned layoffs. Republic Amusements is the parent company of Capital Vending, Apple Vending and Entertainment Experts.
The affected employees service about 1,000 locations across Pennsylvania, according to the company. Those locations include bars, restaurants, fraternal organizations, convenience stores and family entertainment centers.
Company blames legislative inaction on skill games
Republic Amusements said the layoffs are a direct result of the Pennsylvania General Assembly’s continued failure to approve regulations and a tax structure for skill games. The company said the games have operated legally in Pennsylvania for more than 13 years.
“My family started this business nearly 64 years ago, and it’s incredibly frustrating to work this hard — to build something that supports great employees and real opportunities for small businesses — only to have our elected officials refuse to take action,” Chief Operating Officer Joe Calla said in a statement.
Calla criticized calls for “tax parity” between skill games and casino gambling, arguing that the two industries operate under different business models.
Skill games are typically located inside existing businesses and organizations, including restaurants, bars, fraternal clubs and retailers. The machines have been the subject of prolonged legal and legislative disputes over how they should be defined, regulated and taxed.
Revenue losses could affect small businesses
“With all the gaming that already exists in Pennsylvania — iLottery, prediction markets, sports wagering, casinos — none of it is truly supporting small businesses or our fraternal clubs,” Calla said. “I know there are legislators who want to do the right thing and support us and other small businesses, and I hope they can find the courage to stand up and do it.”
Republic Amusements warned that the loss of service to approximately 1,000 locations could eliminate revenue for those businesses and potentially affect their employees’ wages or jobs.
The company called on lawmakers to establish regulations for skill games and set what it described as reasonable taxes and fees.
About Republic Amusements
Republic Amusements is a second-generation, family-owned company operating ATM, amusement and skill-game businesses through its subsidiaries.