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Small business owners, veterans, and neighbors gathered at an American Legion post in Lancaster County on Wednesday night. They rallied in support of skill games as a state enforcement deadline draws closer.
Attendees said the machines have become a financial lifeline for posts and small businesses throughout the county. They urged lawmakers to act before the machines become targets by authorities.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that the machines are slot machines, which would become illegal under the Pennsylvania Gaming Act and the Crimes Code after 120 days from the June 15th ruling.
Veterans, business owners fill Legion post
The crowd at the post included representatives from local VFW and American Legion chapters, along with owners of bars, gas stations, and other small businesses that host the machines. Organizers used the gathering to spotlight how skill games revenue reaches into daily community life across Lancaster County, from post upkeep to storefront repairs.
Margot Chillas, who manages a local business, told WGAL8 that skill games revenue helped fund reopening after a fire, including roof repairs and replacement of a heating and air-conditioning system.
“If we had not had skill games, we would not be here today.”
Pace-O-Matic Chief Public Affairs Officer Mike Barley also addressed attendees, saying revenue from Pennsylvania skill games has been built into operating budgets for veterans posts and small businesses across the region for years.
Some locations could lose $50,000 to $60,000 annually if the machines are removed, he said. The loss would ripple beyond individual businesses and into the surrounding community.
Deadline stems from June court ruling
The rally comes as lawmakers face a mid-October deadline tied to a June 15 Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling that found skill games qualify as slot machines under state gambling law, giving lawmakers and Gov. Josh Shapiro 120 days to establish a regulatory framework.
Law enforcement would be able to seize the machines if a deal is not reached after the 120-day deadline.
Shapiro proposed a 52% tax on the machines in his FY budget address in February. However, his skill games proposal was left out of the passed budget.
Supporters push bipartisan proposal
Barley said supporters back bipartisan legislation placing skill games under Pennsylvania Lottery oversight, with a $500 monthly fee per machine. The machines, which would be capped at 50,000, would generate an estimated $300 million a year for the commonwealth.
Here are some of the prominent legislation proposals:
- Sen. Gene Yaw: Introduced SB 626, which enacts a 16% tax on the machines
- Sen. Gene Yaw: Introduced SB 1079, establishing fees
- Sen. Chris Gebhard: Introduced SB 756, which includes a 35% tax on the machines
- Rep. Kerry Benninghoff: Introduced HB 1619, which would place no additional tax on the games
- Rep. Danilo Burgos: Introduced HB 2046, establishing fees and cutting taxes for Category 4 mini-casinos
- A second proposal from Burgos would impose a $500 monthly fee per terminal and cap the number of machines statewide at 50,000
Barley said the industry has pushed lawmakers to address regulation since 2020. He said he sees the deadline as a chance to finally reach a solution.
