PA Lawmaker Renews Effort to Legalize Skill Games
A Pennsylvania state senator is working to renew his quest to legalize and regulate tens of thousands of unlicensed “skill games” currently operating throughout the state.
State Sen. Gene Yaw is circulating a cosponsorship memo in preparation of introducing a new bill to officially legalize and regulate the slot-like games, which have multiplied throughout Pennsylvania over the past several years. The games, branded “Pennsylvania Skill” and manufactured by Georgia-base Pace-O-Matic, are claimed to be legal because an element of skill can improve the chances of winning.
The state’s casino operators, as well as the American Gaming Association and the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers, have long battled the spread of the games, contending they are illegal, unregulated slot machines. Opponents point out that the games operate without assurances of their fairness, and with no responsible gaming or anti-money laundering protections.
They also point out that the skill games are untaxed, providing no revenue to the state, and thus, are unfair competition to casino slots, for which operators pay an effective state tax of 54 percent.
Pennsylvania courts, meanwhile, have returned several decisions in favor of Pace-O-Matic in cases where the games have been seized by state authorities. The manufacturer consistently points to those decisions as evidence of the legality of the games.
“Skill games are a piece of the economy in our state,” Yaw told The Center Square. “They cannot and should not be ignored.”
Full House’s Efforts to Relocate Indiana Casino All but Dead
On Jan. 29, a proposal to relocate an Indiana casino license from Rising Sun to New Haven was killed in committee without a vote. Per the Indiana Capital Chronicle, Sen. Ron Alting, who chairs the Public Policy Committee, opted to pull Senate Bill 293 after hearing testimony from almost two dozen opponents.
Regional casino operators Full House Resorts were the driving force behind the legislation, as the company sought to relocate its Rising Star Casino to New Haven, where it said it could perform better and contribute much more tax revenue.
Despite the pulling of SB 293, other avenues remain in play. It could be reassigned to another committee, or the language could be added to other gaming-related bills still alive. “There will be a number of other opportunities for this to be amended,” said bill author Sen. Andy Zay, per the Chronicle.
Nevada Casino Stakeholders Poised to Fight Lottery Initiative Again
This session, the Nevada Legislature will again take up AJR5, which, if passed, would establish a lottery in Nevada for the first time. The measure passed both chambers in 2023 but needs another round of passage before it can go before voters in 2026. As expected, the Nevada casino industry is gearing to fight the measure with all its might, as it has done dozens of times over the years. Perhaps the biggest lobbying force is the Nevada Resort Association, which represents 75 properties throughout the state.
“To say that a statewide lottery is going to net a couple of $100 million a year in revenue is somewhat unfounded,” association lobbyist Nick Vassiliadis told the Nevada Independent.
“You need to get down into the weeds in terms of what type of lottery you plan on running. That discussion never took place.”
Virginia Casino Bill Advances to Full Senate
The years-long effort to bring a casino to Tysons, Va. advanced further than ever Jan. 28 when the state’s Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee voted to send Senate Bill 982 to the full chamber. If passed, the bill would give the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors the ability to call a voter referendum to allow for a casino in Fairfax County near Tysons.
Similar legislation was tabled last year but is making progress this year. If a referendum were to be approved, the license would be made available through a request for proposal process, but Comstock Companies has long proposed a sprawling multi-use development centered around a casino for the site.
“This project presents a huge opportunity to fund school construction in the Commonwealth,” said Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, per FFXnow. “The majority of the Fairfax County Delegation to the General Assembly supports giving Fairfax County’s [local] government the authority to let voters decide if they support an entertainment district in the County.”
Coney Island Community Board Opposes Casino
A southern Brooklyn community board voted against changing land use rules for the proposed Coney Island casino.
Community Board 13 voted 24-11 to deny developers’ application to close part of Bowery Street and purchase air rights above existing buildings to make way for the facility, dubbed “The Coney” and proposed by partners Thor Equities, Legends Entertainment, the Chickasaw Nation and Saratoga Casino Holdings.
The votes of community boards are only advisory opinions, and do not affect plans for New York’s downstate casino applicants, but local community support is one of the factors expected to weigh on the final decisions on awarding three downstate casino licenses.
Lung Association Report Urges NJ Casino Smoking Ban
The American Lung Association’s 2025 State of Tobacco Control report, released Jan. 29, called on New Jersey lawmakers to “finally make New Jersey smokefree by closing the loophole which continues to allow smoking and e-cigarette use in New Jersey’s casinos.”
The call to action coincides with the years-long efforts of Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE), a group of Atlantic City table-game dealers; and Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights (ANR) to end the casino exemption to the state’s 2006 Smoke-Free Air Act.
The annual report also called on state leaders to ban menthol cigarettes, increase tobacco taxes and invest more in anti-smoking initiatives.
“Here in New Jersey, we are seeing tobacco industry lobbyists working to prevent smoke-free casinos from becoming a reality,” said Michael Seilback, assistant vice president for nationwide advocacy at the American Lung Association, in a press release accompanying the report.
“The tobacco industry is also introducing new products that appeal to youth like e-cigarettes that mimic smartphones, kid-friendly flavors and flavored nicotine pouches that are heavily marketed by social media influencers.”
Mississippi Eyes Smoke-Free Casinos
A new bill introduced in Mississippi would strengthen smoke-free protections statewide, including to commercial casinos. Introduced by State Rep. Bryant Clark, the Mississippi Smoke-Free Air Act of 2025 would build on Mississippi’s many municipal smoke-free ordinances to standardize protections across the state, including eliminating smoking in casinos.
“Mississippi has an opportunity to create a healthier, more inclusive experience for everyone, including casino workers and visitors,” said Onjewel Smith, Southern states strategist for Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights, in a press release. “New Orleans celebrates 10 years of smoke-free gaming this month, proving that healthier, smoke-free workplaces are not only possible—they’re successful. If our neighbors can do it, so can we.”
North Dakota Bill Would Dissolve Gaming Commision
In North Dakota, Senate Bill 2224 was approved by the Senate Jan. 29, and it now heads to the House. If approved, the bill would streamline the gaming regulatory process in the state by dissolving the state Gaming Commission and placing all authority with the Attorney General’s office.
Currently, the AG’s office drafts rules for gaming regulation that are then considered by the commission, which then sends them back to the AG’s office. The proposed rules are then sent to the Administrative Rules Committee, composed of legislators, for finalization and adoption. The commission has not met since Jan. 1, 2023, and there are currently two vacancies that have yet to be filled since Gov. Doug Burghum left office.
West Virginia Looks to be Next State to Fight Sweepstakes
West Virginia appears to be the next state primed to take aim at sweepstakes sites, according to a Jan. 29 report from Casino Reports. Regulators in Michigan and Maryland have already sent cease-and-desist letters to operators, and a bill has been introduced in Mississippi that would ban the sites.
Casino Reports, citing anonymous sources, reported that West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey is preparing to take action against sweepstakes sites. He did not confirm those intentions to the publication, but gave the following statement:
“We have serious concerns about West Virginia consumers, specifically our children, being targeted by illegal gambling operations. From day one, my priority has been to protect consumers and ensure our children are not being exposed to these operations or their advertising — while at the same time supporting those which are licensed and operating within the confines of the law. At this time, we cannot comment on specific cases or provide any further details.”
Report: Peoria Officials Have Consulted with Boyd on Casino Locations
For months, Boyd Gaming has been at the center of a dispute between the cities of Peoria and East Peoria, Ill. Boyd operates the Par-A-Dice riverboat casino in East Peoria, but has indicated that it plans to develop a new land-based casino in Peoria. This refers to a longstanding revenue sharing agreement between the two cities that stipulates any future land-based facilities be built in Peoria.
According to a Jan. 25 report from the Peoria Journal Star, officials there have already started to have concrete discussions as to where a future casino might be built.
“Just removing itself from our area entirely, you start bumping into other gaming markets,” mayoral candidate Chuck Grayeb told the newspaper. “So, we want to make it a great place, show them some of the locations where we think it would work well relative to our interstate highway links. There are a couple of sites we are sharing with them, and our staff is working with them very closely.”
Chandeni Sendall Named to NGCB
On Jan. 29, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo announced that Chandeni Sendall will take over for the outgoing Brittnie Watkins as the latest appointee to the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB). Sendall has worked as a deputy city attorney in Reno, and prior to that she was an internal auditor for Caesars Entertainment.
“I’m grateful to Gov. Lombardo for this appointment to serve the state of Nevada,” Sendall said in a statement. “Along with my legal background, I look forward to applying my educational background in economics and my work experience in the gaming industry as I begin my new role at the Nevada Gaming Control Board.”
NV Resort Association Names New Directors
The Nevada Resort Association, which represents more than 70 hotel-resorts in the state, Jan. 28 elected new officers to its board of directors for the 2025-26 term. John Maddox, Caesars’ senior vice president of government relations, was named chair, and Michael Britt, Red Rock Resorts’ senior vice president of public policy and communications, was named vice chair. Boyd Gaming’s Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Paul Anderson was reelected as treasurer, and the association’s President and CEO Virginia Valentine was reelected secretary.
Major Illegal Gambling Ring Busted in Florida
In Florida, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office announced Jan. 27 that it seized nearly $1 million and almost 1,000 illegal slot machines in an illegal gambling bust. Six people have been arrested, and the investigation netted four illegal gambling parlors as well as the warehouse of the company believed to be supplying the illegal slots. According to CBS12, the investigation traced back to 2019.
