In Pennsylvania, skill games are a prominent type of leisure pursuit. Despite the lack of clear legal standing, they are not deemed illegal due to their reliance on “skill” instead of random chance, like traditional gambling games. There are no concrete laws managing skill games, enabling their ongoing operation, despite certain resistance from lawmakers and officials.
An investigative report by Spotlight PA recently indicated that the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) had arranged private meetings with casino lobbyists. The subject of these meetings centered around “a significant competitor”, however, the contents of the discussions were not made public. Apparently, the PGCB has a code of ethics rule that mandates the public disclosure of meeting details.
News of the confidential meeting caught the attention of local lawmakers who promptly took decisive actions. Consequently, Rep. Jared Solomon and Sen. Gene Yaw of Pennsylvania expressed their apprehensions to the state Ethics Commission.
Moreover, they brought the issue to the state’s attorney general’s office. They demanded a review of the alleged covert meeting to ascertain if the gambling regulator’s conduct violated the existing regulatory guidelines. Additionally, they called for an internal evaluation of the regulations with the aim of safeguarding the PGCB from external interferences.
Sen. Yaw introduced a new bill at the beginning of this year, in an attempt to regulate skill games in the state. Earlier projections indicated that legalizing this activity could result in an estimated $300 million in yearly tax revenue.
Maintaining Public Trust is Essential for Regulatory Authorities
Sen. Yaw alleges that the Pennsylvania State Police, along with the state’s gambling regulator, have pursued stringent measures against skill games in recent years. In his letter to the Pennsylvania attorney general’s office, he stated that crackdowns on skill games and seizures of such devices have seen an uptick.
Conversely, Solomon, when expressing his concerns to the Ethics Commission, underlined the necessity for the public’s faith in regulatory authorities, such as the PGCB. He emphasized that all state regulators should abide by the prescribed laws.
“The Pennsylvania populace should be assured that the regulatory agencies set up by the Legislature are conducting themselves honestly and adhering to the law.“
Pennsylvania Rep. Jared Solomon
The PGCB’s spokesperson, Richard McGarvey, disclosed that the regulator did not receive the letters dispatched to the state Ethics Commission or the state attorney general’s office. Hence, the spokesperson opted to refrain from providing further comments.
