Pennsylvania Supreme Court denies extension for skill games legality stay

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has rejected two last-minute petitions to extend a stay on its ruling regarding the legality of skill games. The court’s previous decision, issued in June, classified these machines as illegal slot machines when operated without a license.

One petition was filed by state legislators Gene Yaw, Anthony H. Williams, and Jonathan Fritz, who argued that the General Assembly requires an additional 120 days to pass legislation to regulate and tax the machines. A second emergency petition was filed by a coalition including VFW and American Legion posts, fraternal clubs, and volunteer fire companies. The court issued one-sentence orders denying both requests without providing a specific reason.

The current enforcement pause is set to expire on Tuesday, Oct. 13. If no legislative action is taken by the deadline, the machines will be considered illegal under the state Gaming Act and the Crimes Code.

Licensed casinos, including Parx and Live! casinos, opposed the extensions, noting that the deadline has been known since June and that the delay only serves to avoid necessary taxation. They highlighted that while licensed casinos pay taxes exceeding 50% of slot revenue, skill game operators currently pay no comparable tax.