Skill Games: 120-Day Compliance Deadline Likely to Be Missed

What happened: State Rep. Kerry Benninghoff said the legislature likely won’t finalize skill games regulation within the 120-day window set by the state Supreme Court’s ruling that the machines are subject to gambling law — calling the deadline “somewhat arbitrary.” Missing it would put roughly 70,000 machines statewide at risk of seizure. Separately, the same ruling’s reasoning could extend beyond convenience-store machines to arcade games like Skee-Ball and claw machines, per the majority opinion — though the Attorney General’s office says enforcement will focus on machines involving financial gain, not neighborhood arcades. (A recent F&M poll found over 70% of PA voters support taxing skill games.) 

Why it matters for Pennsylvania nonprofits: Many of these machines operate in VFWs, fire companies, and fraternal or social clubs — some of which are nonprofits that rely on this revenue. Organizations hosting skill games machines should watch closely for a legislative fix, since inaction after the window closes could mean losing access to the machines entirely. 

Where things stand: New measures, including revenue fees, are reportedly in development, but no timeline has been set.