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A Pennsylvania lawmaker has formally introduced legislation that would impose sweeping consumer protection requirements on skill games if the devices are legalized in the commonwealth.
Rep. Ben Waxman’s (D-Philadelphia) House Bill 2557 was introduced on Monday and referred to the House Gaming Oversight Committee. The measure follows an April co-sponsorship memo that outlined plans to regulate skill games through safeguards commonly found in the state’s regulated gambling industry.
The bill would create a new section of Pennsylvania law governing “covered devices,” defined as electronic gaming devices that accept money for play, offer payouts, and operate similarly to slot machines, including devices “marketed or described as a skill game.”
Bill would require player identification and age verification
One of the most significant provisions would require players to verify their identity before playing a skill game.
Under the legislation, a covered device “shall require player identity authentication prior to a player beginning play on the device through a government-issued identification card or a board-approved player account system.”
The bill also states that a device “shall deny access to a person who does not have a valid form of identification or is identified as being under 21 years of age.”
The proposal would largely eliminate anonymous play, though regulators could permit limited exceptions for low-level play if loss limits remain enforceable.
Mandatory loss limits and session interruptions
HB 2557 would also require responsible gambling measures that are not currently associated with most skill games operating in Pennsylvania.
Before beginning a session, players would have to establish a daily loss limit. The bill specifies that a default daily loss limit “may not exceed $250,” though regulators could set a lower threshold. Players could lower their limit during a session but would not be allowed to increase it.
The legislation would also slow game play and require periodic interruptions.
A covered device would be required to implement “a minimum waiting period of at least five seconds between initiation of plays by a player.” Additionally, the device would automatically suspend play for at least 30 seconds after 15 minutes of continuous use.
During those breaks, players would receive a “reality check” displaying session length and the amount wagered. Devices would also be required to continuously display time played, money wagered, money won, and net losses throughout a session.
Skill games barred from convenience stores and gas stations
The bill would prohibit skill games from operating in two of the locations where the devices are commonly found today.
The legislation states that a person may not place a covered device “on the premises of a gas station or a convenience store.” Instead, skill games would only be permitted at liquor-licensed establishments and board-approved gaming areas restricted to patrons 21 and older.
The measure would also cap operators at five devices per establishment.
PGCB would oversee compliance
HB 2557 would place skill games under Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board oversight and require all machines to connect to a centralized monitoring system.
The system would record wagers and payouts in real time, enforce loss limits and self-exclusion rules, and allow regulators to remotely disable noncompliant machines.
The bill also would establish a statewide self-exclusion program, prohibit marketing aimed at individuals under 21, and require responsible gambling training for employees working in locations that host skill games.
The proposal does not legalize skill games on its own. Instead, the legislation is designed to take effect if Pennsylvania lawmakers separately authorize the devices and establish a tax structure for the industry.
Meanwhile, lawmakers continue to debate how skill games should be regulated and taxed, while the Pennsylvania Supreme Court considers a case that could have major implications for the future of the industry in the commonwealth.
