Pennsylvania’s Bensalem Township unanimously voted this week to ban skill games within the county, while last week, Oil City proposed an ordinance to tax businesses offering the games.
The patchwork approach to addressing skill games’ legality follows the state legislature’s failure to ban or regulate the controversial games.
Meanwhile, skill games continue to operate in a gray area throughout much of the state, while the issue sits with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Currently, there’s no timeline for when the state’s highest court will hear the appeal of the Commonwealth Court’s earlier ruling that legalized the games.
Bensalem Elects To Ban The Games
In Bensalem’s case, the township elected to ban skill games within the county via an ordinance that comes into effect 10 days after the vote. However, Bensalem said it will not seize machines for noncompliance. Rather, it will issue fines and penalties to businesses that remain noncompliant.
Mayor Joesph DiGirolamo tasked public safety director William McVey with gathering more data on the machines after the mayor received complaints about the game’s proliferation.
Through his investigation, McVey found the 100 machines operating in Bensalem in 2023 had grown to nearly 170 in 2024, a 40% increase. McVey said he saw the games in bars, restaurants, convenience stores, and delis.
He highlighted the risks associated with the unregulated machines during Monday’s meeting.
I can only imagine in five years from now [there will] be 1,000 of them, and who knows where that would stop… What really sticks out to me is the increased level of crime associated with these gaming machines because of no regulations. It could jeopardize the quality of life we have here in Bensalem.
McVey hopes the ban will prioritize public safety, maintain Bensalem’s quality of life, and make regulations necessary for the games’ operation.
POM Pledges to Fight Ordinance, Supports Regulation
Georgia-based Pace-O-Matic (POM), which manufactures skill game cabinets—branded as Pennsylvania Skill in the Keystone State, has long lobbied for Pennsylvania to regulate skill games.
On Tuesday, spokesperson Mike Barley told Bonus’s sister site, PlayPennsylvania, Pennsylvania Skill is alarmed Bensalem would pass a measure that hurts small businesses. He said the company intends to fight the ordinance on behalf of its local customers.
We take the welfare of the communities where our games are located seriously and agree that the number of illegal gambling machines cropping up in communities across the state is a problem. A ban that includes legal skill games, however, is not the answer. It only jeopardizes the livelihoods of small businesses and fraternal groups already struggling because of inflation and other economic issues.
Barley said the company supports Gov. Josh Shapiro’s view that the games should be regulated and taxed. This change, he said, would allow the state to reap its benefits while lessening the harm tied to illegal machines.
Barley also suggested state casino interests were driving the effort behind the ban.
Considering that the supervisors are basing the ordinance on a casino-written piece of legislation, Senate Bill 1142, this tells us all we need to know about who is driving this effort. This is about protecting an internationally-owned casino. We urge Bensalem Twp. to prioritize their local businesses and fraternal clubs and not Parx Casino.
Notably, Parx Casino, located in Bensalem, has long advocated for either a skill game tax or all-out ban. The casino argues the machines take business away from Pennsylvania’s retail and online casinos.
Parx is also one of twelve properties that filed a complaint with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, arguing that the lack of oversight for skill games should render slot machine taxes unconstitutional.
Oil City Seeks Tax to Fund Local Pools
Meanwhile, days before, Oil City’s council took the first step toward taxing businesses that supply skill games.
If passed, the ordinance would charge business owners $500 for their first machine and $200 for others. The money raised—estimated between $5,000 and $10,000—would fund the maintenance and operations of municipal pools.
Per PlayPennsylvania, Oil City’s city manager, Mark Schroyer, said the intention isn’t to limit skill games. Rather, the tax is meant to drum up needed supplemental revenue for local pools.
However, one council member voted against the proposed tax. According to The Derrick, councilor Ron Gustafson is concerned the $500 tax is too high and will only harm local businesses. He also suggested players would just go to nearby Cranberry Township to play instead.
Said, Gustafson:
We want to be a business-friendly city, that is why it is giving me qualms.
Before it can take effect, the ordinance must pass a second reading and vote on Nov. 7. If it emerges from that stage successfully, a third and final vote will follow.
Failure to Legislate Leads to Patchwork Approach
Pennsylvania skill games have long been a controversial topic for Pennsylvania residents and lawmakers. Players on the regulated side believe the machines cannibalize revenue from the state’s legal casinos, both retail and online.
Over the last several months, multiple Pennsylvania townships passed ordinances banning, limiting, or taxing the machines.
Last month, Jefferson County voted to potentially tax and require businesses offering skill games to hold licenses.
Like Oil City, borough manager Dana D. Rooney, CBO, told PlayPennsylvania the goal was not to limit machines.
We have had a significant number of games of skill enter our borough in recent months. We are looking to get the machines registered to better track their locations.
Taking a different tactic, the city of Meadville voted to limit skill games to three specific zones and require eligible businesses to get zoning approval.
Much earlier, in April, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker signed a bill prohibiting skill games at gas stations and corner stores. In that case, the ordinance also stipulates guidelines necessary to provide skill games legally.
Parker highlighted her concern for the games’ public health implications during an April press conference.
It is not okay to tempt our residents from low and moderate-income neighborhoods with opportunities to gamble away their hard-earned dollars. It is not okay to give children purchasing candy an opportunity to gamble with their lunch money. It is not okay to create situations where those who are interested in mugging Philadelphians literally wait outside of gas stations in the middle of residential areas to rob people of money that they won.
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