While “skill games” were declared slot machines in a recent state Supreme Court ruling, local businesses who have them installed are waiting and seeing what will happen next.
The games that have become popular at bars, restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations and have produced their own storefront facilities are now considered gambling games, even though there is an element of skill involved. Lawmakers have introduced several bills to formally legalize, regulate and tax the games, but none of the bills have made any progress.
The court’s ruling will force the state legislature to act and amend gambling laws. Bernie Lockard with Skillz at the Train Station in Indiana said that they are not even sure how the change is going to affect their business, but the decision was not unexpected.
The ruling states that law enforcement cannot take action against businesses that have the games for another four months. During that time, the legislature is expected to decide whether to regulate the machines. It’s estimated that close to 80,000 skill game machines are in operation in Pennsylvania.
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