I am not a gambler. Until about a year ago, I knew very little about skill games or the debate surrounding them in Pennsylvania. Like many people, I had seen the machines in local establishments but never stopped to think about what they meant for the corner stores, taverns, veterans’ posts, American Legions, VFWs, and volunteer fire companies that help hold our communities together.
What I have learned has changed my mind. For many small businesses and nonprofits, skill games are not about turning a neighborhood into a casino. They are supplemental income that helps keep doors open, pay employees, cover rising utility and insurance costs, maintain aging buildings, fund local donations, and keep giving back.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled that skill games fall under the state’s gambling laws, but it also issued a 120-day stay before enforcement begins. That pause is more than a legal detail. It is a lifeline. It gives the General Assembly a short window to create a clear, fair, responsible system of taxation and regulation before small businesses and nonprofits are thrown into uncertainty.
Pennsylvania does not need another policy that protects big interests while punishing local institutions. A tax rate that is too high, or rules that are too burdensome, could wipe out the very places that depend on this revenue most. That would not just hurt business owners. It would hurt neighbors, families, veterans, seniors, youth programs, and first responders.
Think about the local VFW that supports veterans and their families. Think about the American Legion post that sponsors scholarships, patriotic events, youth activities, and community meals. Think about the volunteer fire company that must raise money year after year for equipment and safety upgrades before answering the next emergency call. Think about the small family-owned business trying to survive rising costs. For these organizations, skill games can mean the difference between cutting back and continuing to serve.
That does not mean there should be no rules. There should be. Regulation can provide transparency, accountability, age restrictions, consumer protections, and penalties for bad actors. Taxation should be fair and reasonable, not a backdoor way to generate more money for the Commonwealth to increase spending. But fairness is the key word. Lawmakers should not impose a tax so high that it destroys the small businesses and nonprofits they claim to be regulating.
House Bill 2213, sponsored by Representative Danilo Burgos, and Senate Bill 1079, sponsored by Senator Gene Yaw, offer sensible starting points that deserve serious consideration. Both recognize that Pennsylvania needs oversight and revenue, but also that community-based establishments are not casinos. A VFW, American Legion, fire company, tavern, or corner store does not have the same scale or resources as a major gaming operation.
This is also a conservative issue in the most practical sense. It is about limited, sensible government. It is about protecting local enterprise instead of crushing it with one-size-fits-all rules. It is about supporting civic organizations that meet real needs without waiting for government to do everything. It is about letting communities keep serving their neighbors.
That is why the rally in Harrisburg on Wednesday, June 24, at 11 a.m. matters. It should send a clear message: lawmakers need to hear from the people who will be affected most. Those interested in showing support can ride the bus from the Navy Club at 9:30 a.m. This is not an abstract debate inside the Capitol. It is about Main Street businesses, veterans’ organizations, social clubs, and fire companies that show up every day.
The 120-day stay should not be wasted. The General Assembly should act quickly and pass legislation that provides fair taxation, clear regulation, and real protection for the small businesses and nonprofits that depend on this revenue. Pennsylvania can bring skill games out of uncertainty without destroying the community institutions that have used them responsibly.
I may not gamble, but I believe in protecting the places that serve our neighbors, honor our veterans, strengthen our towns, and help keep Pennsylvania communities alive. Lawmakers should use this moment wisely. Pass fair regulation. Protect small businesses. Protect nonprofits. Protect the communities they serve.
