State police in Pennsylvania have raided five restaurants in Dauphin and Cumberland counties and seized what they say are “suspected illegal gambling devices.” The machines are marketed under the “Pennsylvania Skill” brand, and the manufacturers and operators claim they are legal because of a “skill stop” feature that allows the player to stop the third reel in a spin, purportedly using skill to determine when to stop the reel to afford the best chance of a jackpot.
The state’s not buying the skill element, stressing that the machines are nearly identical to slot machines. While a Commonwealth Court ruling last month held that “games of skill” are not subject to the state Gaming Act, the machines seized from the five liquor-licensed establishments do not fall under that category, state officials say.
Former Pennsylvania congressman Tom Marino, who now works at Pennsylvania Skill manufacturer Pace-O-Matic, issued a statement condemning the seizure.
“Though we applaud the Pennsylvania State Police for seizing games that are clearly illegal and have no judicial support, we are disheartened in the fact that the Pennsylvania State Police has used this opportunity to continue to harass Pennsylvania Skill, who have the only adjudicated/legal game in the state.
“Pennsylvania State Police have desperately tried to tie our legal, court adjudicated Pennsylvania Skill games to those manufacturers operating illegal gambling devices.” He said the company will challenge the action in court, and expressed confidence the company will be successful.
“Investigations into illegal gambling activities in the commonwealth… will continue during this time,” State Police spokesman Ryan Tarkowski told Lancasteronline.com. “The state police continues to view the so-called games of skill, which have proliferated throughout the state, as illegal gambling devices and will continue to vigorously pursue all legal avenues to combat this unlawful and detrimental activity.”
Meanwhile, legislation pending in the state Senate Judiciary Committee would ban games of skill in the state—a bill that has the support of the state’s casino licensees, who view the games as unlicensed and illegal competition.
Pennsylvania casinos are pushing the ban in a coordinated effort. Casino representatives have sent every member of the state House and Senate a photo of two adults playing a skill game with a teen and a child in tow, and have set up a telephone hotline through which citizens can alert officials to the locations of the machines.
The casinos also have launched a media blitz against the skill games, including full-page ads in 11 newspapers across the state.
