Updated Article:
posted on: May 16, 2025, 11:04h. [Last Updated] May 16, 2025, 11:13h
Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO | Asia Pacific Gaming | Commercial Gaming | Legislation | Politics
It's Game Time: Another Pennsylvania Skill Game Regulation Bill Hits the Political Floor
Pennsylvania Game Developer Expresses Disapproval Over Proposed High Tax Rates in Legislation
Get ready for some serious politicking, folks! A fresh bill to regulate and tax skill games in Pennsylvania is heating up the Senate floor.
These bad boys are slot-like gaming machines that mix a dash of skill in the winning formula, unlike traditional games where the outcomes are purely random.
The bill, SB756, is making headlines as it emerges from the filing desks of Senators Dan Laughlin (R-Erie), Rosemary Brown (R-Monroe), Joe Pittman (R-Indiana), Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland), and Chris Gebhard (R-Lancaster). The power-packed team behind SB756 includes Pittman as the majority floor leader.
The game plan? Introduce a set of smart rules and sizable taxes to bring skill games squarely into the regulatory sphere.
SB756 would set the stage for businesses owning a Pennsylvania liquor license or serving as a Pennsylvania Lottery retailer to host up to seven skill gaming machines. But the real question on everyone's mind? Can our heroes have fun and make bank at the same time?
You better believe it! Skill games boast a similar charm to slots, but with a twist: this time, players can influence their earning potential with a dash of strategy and skill.
The Naysayers
Pace-O-Matic (POM), the Georgia-based developers of the popular Pennsylvania Skill cabinet, have long been vocal advocates for regulating and taxing their products. Their local partners over at Miele Manufacturing also back a structured playing field.
But they're less than thrilled with the bill's proposed 35% tax on gross skill gaming revenue. These companies argue that the current draft would slice a chunk off the income that small businesses rely upon to stay afloat and support their communities.
A more reasonable tax rate of around 15% would be more fitting, according to POM's spokesperson Mike Barley. That's music to the ears of Governor Josh Shapiro (D), who's all for skill games earning their legitimacy through legislation. Shapiro, however, feels passionately that at least half the skill game tax revenue should funnel their way.
As for the state's casino titans? They're none too pleased with these skill games, which they see as unregulated competitors poaching their clientele without coughing up a dime. Casino slots toe the line on hefty tax rates, rolling between 48% and 54% of their revenue.
The Show Must Go On
Avenge yourself for those massive gaming firms in the red—the game's almost reach the end zone.
A secret political source close to the fold tells Casino.org that the legalization and taxation of skill games is all but a done deal. Shapiro's got his eyes set on that education and infrastructure funding, and leaving Pennsylvanian skill games unregulated won't be an option for much longer.
Laughlin heartily agrees, voicing concerns about unregulated skill games eroding the gaming industry's foundation and taking a substantial bite out of consumers' pockets. The Senate team's unified mission: finding a fair and defendable solution that levels the playing field for everyone involved.
SB756 joins forces with Senate Bill 626 on the mission to corral and tax those skill games. But SB626 tempers the effective tax at 16%—a bit less restrictive than SB756. The ultimate outcome? A game of waiting and watching. Stay tuned, poker champs!
Senate Bill 756, a fresh regulation bill for skill games in Pennsylvania, is making waves in the political sphere.
The bill, being championed by Senators Laughlin, Brown, Pittman, Ward, and Gebhard, aims to introduce a set of intelligent regulations and substantial taxes for skill games.
One of the bill's main objectives is to allow businesses with a Pennsylvania liquor license or a Pennsylvania Lottery retailer status to host up to seven skill gaming machines.
Conversely, Pace-O-Matic, the Georgia-based developers of popular skill games, are less than enthused with the bill's proposed 35% tax on gross skill gaming revenue.
Miele Manufacturing, local partners of POM, also express concerns over the impact of the high tax rate on small businesses and their communities.
The proposed tax rate has sparked discussions among policymakers, with Governor Josh Shapiro, who supports skill games, suggesting that at least half the tax revenue should go to education and infrastructure development.
In the background, casino titans remain unimpressed, viewing skill games as unregulated competitors eroding their clientele without contributing to tax revenues.
