Republican nominee for Pennsylvania governor Stacy Garrity voiced support for local small businesses and organizations impacted by the state’s skill game regulation.<\/p>\n
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Skill games are now illegal in Pennsylvania<\/a><\/p>\n Garrity, who currently serves as state treasurer, spoke during a rally Saturday in Green Tree. She claimed that Gov. Josh Shapiro sold out skill game operators.<\/p>\n “And what he doesn’t understand \u2014 because he’s a career politician \u2014 is that our skill game operators, our small business owners, our VFWs, our American Legions, our fire halls, they are the backbone of our community,” Garrity said.<\/p>\n The deadline went into effect following a June Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling<\/a> that determined skill game machines are essentially slot machines.<\/p>\n Lawmakers were given 120 days after the court decision to regulate the devices, but state leaders ultimately failed to reach an agreement on taxation rates.<\/p>\n PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Business owners call for boycott of lottery sales in response to the removal of skill games<\/a><\/p>\n Under current state rules, only licensed casinos and qualifying licensed truck stop establishments are permitted to operate skill games.<\/p>\n Enforcement measures are now active for non-compliant venues. Anyone caught operating an unauthorized skill machine faces a first-degree misdemeanor charge, which carries penalties of up to five years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.<\/p>\n State officials estimated that there were about 70,000 skill games located throughout Pennsylvania before the removal deadline took effect.<\/p>\n Download the FREE WPXI News app<\/a> for breaking news alerts.<\/p>\n Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook<\/a> and Twitter<\/a>. | Watch WPXI NOW<\/a><\/p>\n