HARRISBURG, PA, April 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Despite continuing rhetoric to the contrary, legal skill games do not affect the bottom-line finances of casinos in Pennsylvania, according to Pace-O-Matic, developer of Pennsylvania Skill games.
Mike Barley, Chief Public Affairs Officer for Pace-O-Matic, said the company’s research, along with the state financial reports on casinos, verifies that skill games and casinos operate without cutting into each other’s revenue.
“We have looked at this issue from every angle,” said Barley, “and players who go to a bar to play skill games and those who travel to a casino to gamble are looking for two very different experiences.”
Barley made the statement after PENN Entertainment CEO Jay Snowden recently talked about skill games’ potential impact on casino operations. On a quarterly earnings call, Snowden said that changes affecting the skill game industry could have implications for casino performance, particularly on the retail side.
“Clearly, if that moves in the direction that we hope it does, it would create some sort of a tailwind for us on the retail side,” Snowden said. “It’s hard to measure…but I would imagine that would be ultimately a tailwind for us.”
Snowden also referenced the ongoing debate surrounding skill games in Pennsylvania, including perspectives from small business owners who say the machines provide supplemental income.
Skill games continue to be the subject of legal and policy discussions in Pennsylvania. Courts in the Commonwealth, including the Commonwealth Court, have issued positive rulings related to the classification of certain skill-based machines. At the same time, thousands of small businesses — including restaurants, bars, along with fraternal organizations — benefit from the supplemental revenue generated by the games.
According to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, the state’s casino industry has reported continued revenue growth in recent years, including nearly $6.8 billion in revenue in 2025. Experts agree that any decrease in players visiting brick-and-mortar casinos is because of the skyrocketing popularity of online gambling.
Barley said the Pace-O-Matic continues to advocate for clarity and consistency in how skill games are treated under Pennsylvania law.
“Skill games remain an important part of many small businesses’ operations across the Commonwealth,” he said. “We believe it is important for policymakers to consider all perspectives as discussions around regulation continue.”
Jeanette Krebs Pace-O-Matic 717-418-6106 jk@krebs.solutions
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