Any bar, restaurant or gas station in the Whitemarsh and Plymouth area with a skill game machine must physically remove it by Tuesday, Oct. 13, or face seizure and criminal charges.

Pennsylvania State Police on Tuesday, Oct. 6, launched a resource webpage spelling out compliance steps after the state Supreme Court's June 15 ruling that skill games are illegal slot machines under the Gaming Act. Enforcement begins Wednesday, Oct. 14.

The most critical detail for local business owners: simply unplugging or powering off a machine does not count.

"A slot machine does not cease being a slot machine if it has simply been turned off, unplugged, or temporarily disabled, allowing it to be readily operated," the PSP resource page states.

Machines must be physically removed from the premises, along with associated equipment such as ticket redemption terminals. State police said businesses should contact their distributors or vendors to arrange pickup. If a distributor refuses, the PSP page directs the business to contact state police for help with removal.

Who faces charges

The exposure extends beyond the business owner. Distributors, vendors and manufacturers that refuse to remove machines from unlicensed locations can be charged under Section 5513 of the Crimes Code, which prohibits maintaining, assembling or leasing slot machines without a Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) license, Main Line Media News reported.

Only licensed casinos and qualifying "truck stop establishments" may legally operate slot machines or video gaming terminals approved by the PGCB.

Enforcement actions after Oct. 14 could include machine seizure, forfeiture of proceeds and criminal charges, according to the PSP page. Businesses with liquor licenses face an additional risk: an administrative citation that could result in a fine or license suspension, NBC10 reported.

Statewide picture

About 70,000 skill game machines operate across Pennsylvania, according to the Attorney General's Office. They are commonly found in taverns, mini-marts, gas stations, laundromats and pizza parlors.

Attorney General Dave Sunday said in a Sept. 29 statement that he would rather see voluntary compliance than enforcement raids. His office will act to enforce the law against machines outside licensed gaming facilities, he said.

Pace-O-Matic, the largest manufacturer of Pennsylvania Skill games, said in a statement it will disable its machines by midnight Tuesday, Oct. 13, if no legislative remedy is reached. The company said its terminals will be "disabled and entirely inoperable."

As of Monday, Oct. 5, none of the pending bills to legalize and regulate skill games had become law, Montco.today reported. Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman has argued lawmakers cannot extend a court-ordered deadline.

What local businesses should do next

Establishments with a liquor license should contact their local Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement office. Those without one should call their local police department or the nearest state police station. The full list of contacts and compliance guidance is on the PSP resource page.

Montgomery County's district attorney has not publicly stated an enforcement posture as of publication.