It’s a tale as old as time in Harrisburg, but for those who read about skill games for the first time an obvious question often remains; how is this different from gambling?
In simplest terms, skill games are interactive, where, with hand-eye coordination and a little intellectual acuity, the player can affect the outcome on every play. Games can be won by the player’s own skill. On the other hand, casino and lottery games are won by chance. The player has no input as to the spin of the slots, the roll of the dice, the cards dealt or when the roulette wheel stops. The outcome is pre-programmed.
Skill games are not found in glitzy casinos. Skill games are specifically designed to provide supplemental income to small businesses. They’re found in our neighborhood convenience stores, our American Legions, our VFW posts, volunteer fire companies and local taverns.
The story of skill games and the casino and lottery industry is, quite literally, David vs. Goliath.
David seeks to make a living. With the help of skill games – and his customers who must be present in his establishment to play them – he put a new roof on his legion post this year, or maybe he repaired the floor in his banquet hall or he provided his employees with health benefits for the first time. Through legislation that I sponsored, David himself even asks to be taxed and regulated so this industry can operate safely and responsibly.
Goliath operates a $6 billion per year industry out of his multi-million-dollar structures. He houses thousands of players, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year and his games are also available to play remotely on a cell phone at any time of day or night, by players of any age.
Goliath’s industry supporters are readily recognizable. They are those who simplistically lump all machines outside of casinos together as “skill games,” simply based on the appearance of the cabinetry. It seems that understanding why legal skill games are different would require thoughtful effort, which is not part of Goliath’s script. Instead, his casino mouthpiece echoes a tired, deliberately misleading diatribe ignoring both the facts and the law.
The only games that have generated court decisions and definitions of “skill games” are Pennsylvania Skill games developed by Pace-O-Matic (POM). For whatever reason, this company’s games were targeted as illegal by certain law enforcement. However, after an unbroken series of favorable court decisions, including a unanimous decision by the Commonwealth Court, it was made clear that the games and software developed by POM are predominately based on skill and not chance. This is a major difference which Goliath neglects or refuses to recognize.
Goliath has touted record earnings quarter after quarter, year after year. Yet, he cries that the sky is falling because skill games are taking his money – a claim that is simply unfounded. It’s all too easy to ignore facts and logic when corporate greed is at stake.
Competition is not the issue. Greed is the issue. Once again, the people who operate small businesses are relying on David to protect their interests. It’s time to stop letting Goliath’s rhetoric drown out the truth.
Sen. Gene Yaw was elected to represent the 23rd Senatorial District consisting of Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan, Tioga and Union counties.
CONTACT:
Elizabeth Weitzel
717-787-3280