Pennsylvania: State Police Launch Skill-Game Help Page Ahead of October 13 Deadline
- Pennsylvania State Police have launched a webpage to help businesses that still host so-called skill games understand what they must do before the state's October 13, 2026, compliance deadline.
- The page, at pa.gov/psp/skillgames, collects resources and contact details, PSP said in an October 5 announcement.
- It depends on whether the business holds a liquor license.
Pennsylvania State Police have launched a webpage to help businesses that still host so-called skill games understand what they must do before the state’s October 13, 2026, compliance deadline.
The page, at pa.gov/psp/skillgames, collects resources and contact details, PSP said in an October 5 announcement. The deadline has not changed.
Who should businesses call?
It depends on whether the business holds a liquor license.
- Establishments with a liquor license should contact their local Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement office, the state police unit that enforces liquor laws.
- Establishments without a liquor license should contact their local police department or a PSP station.
For this guidance, liquor-license status determines which office businesses should contact. A liquor license alone does not authorize skill-game machines.
Is unplugging the machine enough?
No. PSP said powering off or unplugging an otherwise operable machine does not bring a business into compliance.
“To be clear, a slot machine does not cease being a slot machine if it has simply been turned off, unplugged, or temporarily disabled (including the removal of any hardware or software that may simply be replaced), allowing it to be readily operated,” the agency said.
Put simply, a machine that can be switched back on still counts. PSP urged businesses to ask the distributors or vendors that own the machines, and related equipment such as ticket redemption terminals, to remove them immediately. If a vendor refuses after the deadline, PSP encouraged businesses to report it through the contacts above.
What can happen after October 13?
According to PSP, skill-game machines outside businesses licensed by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, the gambling regulator, are unlawful. Establishments that keep them are subject to criminal prosecution and seizure of the machines as of October 14.
The agency said enforcement may include seizing and forfeiting machines, equipment and proceeds, and filing criminal charges when deemed appropriate. For liquor licensees, the new page lists one more possibility: an administrative citation against the license, which may result in a fine or suspension.
How the state got here
The deadline follows the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s June 15, 2026, ruling that skill games are slot machines under the state’s Gaming Act. GameEmpress has covered the previous skill-game deadline and removal guidance.
On September 22, GameEmpress also reported on lawmakers’ proposed six-month reprieve. The proposals have since been introduced as HB 2795 and HB 2793. They seek temporary authorization or protection for covered skill-game activity, with provisions expiring on April 13, 2027.
As of October 6, official legislative records list both bills as referred to the House Gaming Oversight Committee. Neither has become law. PSP’s October 5 notice still identifies October 13 as the compliance deadline.
Featured image: Skill game machines inside a gas station convenience store. Illustrative image; not in Pennsylvania. Photo: Catboy69 / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
