Pennsylvania Attorney General Orders Removal of Skill Game Machines by October 14
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday has issued a formal warning to business owners statewide, advising them to remove unlicensed skill game terminals from their establishments before the October 14 deadline or risk enforcement action. The directive follows the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s June ruling that skill game machines constitute illegal gambling devices under state law, setting in motion a 120-day window for compliance and leaving the General Assembly with limited time to intervene.
The Court Ruling Behind the Deadline
In June, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court determined that skill games – electronic terminals found in bars, convenience stores, gas stations, social clubs, and fire halls across the Commonwealth – are slot machines under Pennsylvania’s Gaming Control framework. The Office of Attorney General argued before the court that embedding an element of so-called skill into the games does not exempt the devices from the state’s gambling statutes.
The court stayed enforcement of its ruling for 120 days, establishing an October 13 compliance date and giving businesses and legislators time to respond. Absent legislative or judicial intervention before that date, the machines must be disabled and removed.
Enforcement Warning Issued
With the deadline approaching, Attorney General Sunday notified businesses that those continuing to operate skill game terminals after October 14 risk law enforcement action. The Pennsylvania State Police have issued parallel warnings, advising establishments that they could face penalties for operating the machines once the stay expires.
The Attorney General’s office has also emphasized that the ruling does not apply to machines regulated and licensed by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, leaving a clear distinction between lawful, regulated devices and the unlicensed terminals now subject to removal.
Legislative Uncertainty Persists
The ruling has placed renewed pressure on state lawmakers, who have debated for years how – or whether – to regulate the machines. Proposals under consideration have ranged from taxation and licensing frameworks to outright prohibition. If the General Assembly does not act before the compliance date, businesses hosting the terminals must power them down, and the machines could be subject to seizure.
The stakes are significant for host establishments. Skill game revenue has become a meaningful income stream for many small businesses, veterans’ organizations, and fraternal clubs, and some operators have already begun removing machines in anticipation of the deadline.
Industry stakeholders and manufacturers have maintained that the games involve genuine elements of skill, a position the Supreme Court rejected. Regulators and law enforcement officials, meanwhile, have pointed to concerns over unregulated gambling proceeds, associated criminal activity, and the absence of consumer protections that apply to licensed gaming.
