Pennsylvania Skill Games Face Gas Station Ban and Age Increase to 21
Posted on: June 3, 2026, 07:25h.
Last updated on: June 3, 2026, 07:26h.
- Pennsylvania skill games aren’t currently regulated
- Legislation seeks to bring the grey slot-like games under the state’s oversight
Big changes could be in store for skill games in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania state Rep. Ben Waxman (D-Philadelphia) has filed the Skill Game Consumer Protection Act. The legislation, House Bill 2557, seeks to put regulatory oversight on the estimated 80,000 unregulated gaming machines currently operating across the commonwealth.
No matter your opinion on legalizing skill games in PA, we should all agree that there needs to be protections for players, children, and communities. The Skill Game Consumer Protection Act establishes a comprehensive set of protections and oversight mechanisms should we decide to legalize these games,” Waxman said.
Waxman and the 10 Democratic cosponsors of HB2557 are proposing considerable regulations to rein in the gray market, which courts have ruled blur the lines of gambling and skill. The Skill Game Consumer Protection would greatly scale back where the terminals can operate and limit who can play them.
Locations Restricted
Waxman thinks local governments should be able to dictate whether skill games are allowed. The legislation says municipalities would be able to pass local ordinances and resolutions to prohibit the devices from operating within their jurisdiction or limit how many games are allowed.
“Communities deserve a say in how these games show up in our neighborhoods. We need to do the right thing to protect our kids and neighbors,” Waxman said.
The Skill Game Consumer Protection Act would ban the machines in gas stations and convenience stores. That would be a devastating blow to the skill game industry, as such businesses are common hosts.
Waxman suggests that only businesses holding active liquor licenses, including restaurants and bars, be allowed to house PA skill games. Businesses without liquor licenses would need to dedicate a controlled-access area where only persons aged 21 and over could enter.
The Skill Game Consumer Protection Act raises the minimum age to play a skill game from 18 to 21.
Central Monitoring
Waxman wants the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) to have regulatory oversight of skill games. All skill games would need to be linked to a centralized computer system to allow the PGCB to monitor and audit the machines’ operations in real time.
The Skill Game Consumer Protection Act would also tax gross revenue from skill games at a to-be-determined rate. However, the bill mandates that “no less than 3%” of the gross terminal revenue collected by the state be transferred to the Compulsive and Problem Gambling Treatment Fund.
Skill games would be mandated to come with player protections to limit problem gambling, including play-speed limits, required breaks, daily loss limits, and extending the state’s self-exclusion program to include skill games.
Pace-O-Matic, the leading developer of skill games that’s behind the popular Pennsylvania Skill brand, told Casino.org it’s reviewing the legislation and will issue a statement later today. This story will be updated when we hear back.
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