A US court has ruled that skill games are allowed.

A recent 7-0 decision by the Commonwealth Court in Pennsylvania declared "skill games" played for money in bars and stores, created by Pace-O-Matic, as legal and not slots. The ruling prevents police from seizing these machines.

Pace-O-Matic's lawyer, Matthew Haverstick, sees this as a statewide landmark decision. Despite this, lawyers for the Pennsylvania Attorney General plan to seek a Supreme Court review, arguing that highly-taxed casinos and the state lottery are losing revenue to these unregulated games. The legality issue arose in 2019 due to jurisdiction complexities.

 

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The recent 7-0 decision by the Commonwealth Court in Pennsylvania regarding the legality of "skill games" is indeed a significant development. According to the ruling, these games, which are played for money in bars and stores and created by Pace-O-Matic, are considered legal and not categorized as slot machines. As a result, the decision prevents law enforcement agencies from seizing these machines.

Matthew Haverstick, the lawyer representing Pace-O-Matic, sees this decision as a landmark ruling with statewide implications. However, lawyers for the Pennsylvania Attorney General don't share the same sentiment and are planning to seek a Supreme Court review of the case. Their argument is that these unregulated skill games are causing a loss of revenue for highly-taxed casinos and the state lottery.

The legality issue surrounding these skill games emerged in 2019 due to complexities surrounding jurisdiction. It's worth noting that the Supreme Court review sought by the Attorney General's lawyers would aim to challenge the Commonwealth Court's decision and potentially reverse or modify it.

This case raises important questions about the regulation and taxation of gambling activities. While the decision favors the skill game operators, concerns about potential revenue losses for existing legal gambling options like casinos and lotteries have prompted some to argue for stricter regulation or even banning these skill games altogether. The final outcome will depend on the Supreme Court's review and potentially the subsequent legislative actions.