It comes following a new analysis from the Pennsylvania Lottery showing that skill games have led to an estimated loss of $650m in Pennsylvania Lottery scratch sales. Pennsylvanians Against Gaming Expansion noted that the Pennsylvania State Police, Office of Attorney General and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board maintain that such games are illegal gaming devices.
“In the following report, we show detailed analyses that estimate more than $650m in Pennsylvania Lottery scratch sales have been lost to unregulated games of skill machines across the Commonwealth,” a statement read.
“To put it another way, the $14.9bn in scratch product sold between October 2017 and March 2022 could have been more than 4.4% higher, which would in turn have generated over $200m more for older Pennsylvanians and local businesses during that time.”
The analysis also found that, since 2017, the Pennsylvania Lottery retail network has seen 17 times more skill machines found on-site across the state, eight times the number of retailers with at least one skilled machine, six times the maximum number of skill machines found at any one retailer, and the spread of skill machines to every county in the Commonwealth.
“This analysis should serve as a flashing red light for lawmakers,” said Pennsylvanians Against Gaming Expansion Spokesman Pete Shelly. “It is time, once and for all, to tighten state law and shut these machines down.
“These machines do not generate a penny in gaming taxes. They also are bringing crime to communities across the state, and they drain revenue from programmes for seniors that the Pennsylvania Lottery funds.”
