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Pennsylvania lawmakers hear sharp split in Philadelphia over regulating, taxing “skill games”
Summary
State and local officials and industry representatives debated a governor-backed proposal to tax and regulate video “skill” gaming terminals, with Philadelphia leaders warning of neighborhood harm and industry saying taxes and enforcement models must be workable.
State lawmakers, local officials, law-enforcement representatives and industry operators met at a West Philadelphia town-hall to debate a proposal in the governor’s budget to bring video “skill” gaming terminals under state regulation and tax them as video gaming terminals.
The discussion centered on two tensions: whether the Commonwealth should expand a VGT (video gaming terminal) tax and regulatory regime to machines that industry calls skill games, and how to limit public-safety and neighborhood harms while preserving small-business revenue.
The question arises in part because of recent court rulings: as State Sen. Sherry Street told the room, “Skill games are legal right now in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania.” The governor’s February proposal would have the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board regulate games that involve skill, cap machines at five per facility and apply a 52% tax on gross terminal revenue; the presentation at the hearing reported an estimated…
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