Pennsylvania: Diamond Urges Skill-Games Deal Ahead of October 13 Deadline

Pennsylvania has about a week left to settle the future of skill games, and the Republican chairman of the House Gaming Oversight Committee wants a deal now.

Rep. Russ Diamond of Lebanon County called for a bipartisan agreement in an October 5, 2026, statement. Lawmakers should “hammer out a bipartisan deal that puts the best interests of Pennsylvanians first,” he said.

He also made an offer. Diamond said he had offered to work with House Democrats to amend his bills to provide extra funding for mass transit, which he called one of their publicly stated objectives. His statement did not say whether Democrats had responded.

Diamond pointed to House Speaker Joanna McClinton as well, saying she could call the House into session “for as many days as it takes” to send a bipartisan skill-games solution to the Senate.

Diamond’s plan at a glance

Diamond first announced plans for two skill-games bills on September 1, as GameEmpress reported. He introduced them as House Bills 2801 and 2802 on September 24, his office said. As described by his office, the package would:

• tax skill games at 20%
• allow up to five machines, only in clubs, liquor-licensed restaurants and bars, and qualified truck stops
• cut the tax rate on casino slot machines to 49.9% and apply the same rate to online casino games
• replace the homestead/farmstead exclusion on school tax bills with a direct annual “gaming dividend” for qualified homeowners, which his office projected at no less than $702 a year

Still in committee

None of that is law yet. Both bills were referred to the House Gaming Oversight Committee on September 24, 2026, according to the official legislative records for HB 2801 and HB 2802. As of October 6, neither record lists a vote, and neither bill has become law.

On paper, the bills have backing from both parties. The records list co-sponsors including Republican Rep. Brad Roae and Democratic Rep. Jeanne McNeill.

Diamond’s package is also separate from the proposed six-month reprieve, which seeks temporary protection for skill games through April 13, 2027.

The clock keeps running

For now, Pennsylvania State Police still list October 13, 2026, as the compliance deadline. From October 14, unlawful machines are subject to seizure and establishments to prosecution, PSP said.

The agency said enforcement may include seizing machines, equipment and proceeds, and filing criminal charges when deemed appropriate. Businesses that still host the machines can find contacts on PSP’s new help page.

Featured image: The Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg. Photo: w_lemay / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)