This Pace-O-Matic company profile covers what the Georgia-based developer says about itself, what it sells and where it shows up in the public record in Texas and Pennsylvania. On its homepage, Pace-O-Matic calls itself "the nation's leading developer of skill games, known for designing fun, innovative, and top-performing gaming experiences." That is the company's own description. The company gives its headquarters as 3450 Corporate Way, Duluth, Georgia 30096. This profile draws on company materials and attributed news and legal reporting. It makes no finding on whether any Pace-O-Matic device is lawful in any state.
Leadership and history
The company's Who We Are page says Michael Pace founded Pace-O-Matic in 2000. The page calls him the "father of the countertop video game" and lists Karmin Pace as co-founder and Paul Goldean as CEO. A July 8, 2026 GlobeNewswire release gives Goldean's title as "President and CEO of Pace-O-Matic." In the sources reviewed for this profile, the company's spokesperson is Mike Barley.
The Who We Are page gives this mission statement: "Our mission is to design, produce, and license the best skill games in the industry to support small businesses and nonprofits." The company's press-release boilerplate says it delivers "engaging and legally compliant entertainment solutions for bars, restaurants, fraternal clubs, and small businesses." The phrase "legally compliant" is the company's description. It is not a regulatory finding.
Cabinets and terminals
The company's Cabinets page lists five gaming cabinets:
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Odin: 43-inch portrait touchscreen.
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Thor: 32-inch landscape touchscreen.
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Vali: 21.5-inch touchscreen, listed at 21.5 in. W x 21.5 in. H x 19.5 in. D and 80 lbs.
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Valhalla 32": horizontal touchscreen.
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Valhalla 43": portrait touchscreen.
The same page lists the UK2 TRT separately. It is described as a cash terminal with a 21.5-inch, 1920x1080 touchscreen, not as a gaming cabinet.
Software and game titles
Four software or product names appear on the company's homepage and Operators Resources page: CashKeeper, RouteBoost, TicketShield and TicketShield Plus. Each has its own privacy policy. The pages checked do not describe what these products do.
The Skill Games page lists these titles: Atlantis Columns of Cash, Chasing The Storm, Siren of the Nile, Black Belt Bacon, Lotsa' Dough and Monster's Ball. According to the company, players "match three icons either vertically, horizontally, or diagonally" (five icons in some newer titles). A match unlocks "'Follow Me,' a fun, Simon-style game that tests your memory and reflexes." The company calls these "games of predominant skill." That is a vendor claim. The page says the games are offered "at select locations and markets nationwide" in bars, restaurants, convenience stores, truck stops and fraternal clubs. It does not name any states.
Family Feud licensing deal
On July 8, 2026, Pace-O-Matic announced a strategic licensing partnership with Fremantle for a Family Feud skill game. The company said the game was "expected to debut this summer." In the company's own post, Goldean is quoted as saying: "Family Feud is jam-packed with high-energy entertainment that lets you test your survey-based knowledge with a side of comedy gold."
State brands the company names
The Operators Resources page links to five state-branded operator portals: PA Skill, Lone Star Skill, Queen of Virginia, Cowboy Skill Games and Emerald City Skill. It also shows logos for Dragon Skill, POM Industries and District of Skill, but does not link them. Some testimonials on the company site are attributed to Virginia operators, including Toymaster Vending and Amuse-O-Matic. One is attributed to "Tony Miller, Executive VP of Delek US, Texas." These are the company's own references. They do not show that the company serves Virginia, Texas or any other state lawfully.
Pennsylvania: Supreme Court ruling and deadline
The Pennsylvania Skill site says the brand is "powered by Pace-O-Matic." On June 15, 2026, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that skill games are slot machines governed by the Gaming Act and the Crimes Code. This is according to Barley Snyder and The Philadelphia Inquirer. Barley Snyder names the cases as POM of Pennsylvania, LLC v. Dep't of Revenue and In re Three Pennsylvania Skill Amusement Devices. The Inquirer reports that Justice David Wecht wrote the majority opinion, which states: "The device is a 'slot machine.'" Pace-O-Matic said the ruling would have "far-reaching consequences" for small businesses and fraternal organizations in Pennsylvania.
Barley Snyder reports that the court imposed a 120-day stay. Under that stay, businesses have "until October 13, 2026 to remove the machines from their establishment." On September 17, 2026, Spotlight PA reported about 70,000 skill-game machines in Pennsylvania. It also reported Pennsylvania State Police guidance that from October 14, "Enforcement actions may include seizing and forfeiting the machines, associated equipment and money associated with the operation." Spotlight PA described an industry-backed proposal that would allow 50,000 machines, with a fee of $500 per device per month. As of that report, the legislature had not reached a deal.
Spotlight PA's reporting on the company's Pennsylvania history
On August 21, 2026, Spotlight PA (Sean D. Hamill) reported on how Pennsylvania Skill's legal position began. According to that report, a 2013 machine seizure in Aliquippa had been arranged in advance as a test case. In December 2014, Beaver County Judge Harry Knafelc ruled that the game was predominantly skill. Spotlight PA reports that former State Police commissioner Frank Noonan "began serving on the Pace-O-Matic board in 2022." It also reports that Ricky Goodling, a former State Police corporal who later became a Pace-O-Matic compliance supervisor, "pled guilty to criminal charges that included taking payoffs from customers so that he would not report them to Pace-O-Matic for not abiding by the company's rules." Asked about the hiring of former officers, spokesperson Mike Barley told Spotlight PA: "At that time, our games were not regulated by the state gaming act, so this provision would not have applied."
Texas: Lone Star Skill and the AG opinion
The Lone Star Skill site says: "Lone Star Skill, powered by Pace-O-Matic, is the leader in the skill game industry." The site describes Tic Tac Toe-style play and says players can "win 105% of their play every time." Both are vendor claims, and GamesOfSkillMag has not verified them.
In a June 11, 2026 release datelined Austin, Lone Star Skill said it "applauds" a Texas Attorney General opinion. Barley is quoted in the release: "The Attorney General's opinion reaffirms the definition of true games of skill and slot machines that have falsely marketed gambling devices as skill games." The release cites State of Texas v. 5 Gambling Machines (Sixth Appellate District at Texarkana, on appeal from the 336th District Court, Fannin County, No. CV-23-46217). It says Pace-O-Matic "operates court-recognized, legally compliant games of skill" in Texas. That is the company's characterization of its own position.
Texas Scorecard identifies the opinion as KP-0520, requested by Sen. Bob Hall. It quotes the opinion as saying: "So long as chance plays any role in determining whether the player obtains something of value, the device satisfies the statutory definition." Texas Scorecard reports that the opinion addresses a Simon-Says-style game called "Follow Me" and does not name Pace-O-Matic. This profile does not assess how the opinion applies to any Pace-O-Matic device. It makes no determination of any device's legal status in Texas.
Operator diligence
The steps below are GamesOfSkillMag's editorial recommendations, not legal requirements. Operators considering Pace-O-Matic or any affiliated brand can use the vendor comparison checklist to record their questions and the evidence they receive. Ask for written descriptions of CashKeeper, RouteBoost, TicketShield and TicketShield Plus. Ask for the specific basis of any state-specific legal claim. Read primary law directly, such as Texas Penal Code Chapter 47, and consult qualified counsel in your own jurisdiction. Pennsylvania operators should note the October 13, 2026 date reported by Barley Snyder.
The Pace-O-Matic entry in the GamesOfSkillMag business directory is attributed vendor information and is marked unverified. Sources for this profile were checked in October 2026.
Related reading
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What Makes a Skill Game 'Skill'? The Predominance Test Explained
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Skill Machines Seized at Your Location? A Texas Guide to the First Hours and Days
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Pace-O-Matic vs Banilla Games: How Their Payout Models Differ
Sources
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GlobeNewswire, July 8, 2026: Pace-O-Matic Announces New Family Feud Skill Game
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GlobeNewswire, June 11, 2026: Lone Star Skill statement on Texas AG opinion
AI assistance was used in preparing this article. Consult primary sources and qualified counsel for legal decisions.
Reporting is for information, not legal advice. A vendor listing or the term skill game does not establish a machine's legality in any jurisdiction.