Industry news
The businesses, decisions, and developments shaping cash-prize skill gaming.
ACROSS THE INDUSTRY
All news ↗Industry wire.
Recent coverage from other publishers. Follow each headline to read the original reporting.
House Democrats say GOP discord dashed hope for a skill games bill this year ↗
Central Pennsylvania skill games operator announces layoffs ↗
Skill games saga ends with outlawed gambling machines removed … for now ↗
The legislature didn’t act on skill games by the Pa. Supreme Court’s deadline. What happens now? ↗
State Treasurer returns unclaimed property to American Legion as skill games deadline passes ↗
Skill games deadline has come and gone; what happens now? ↗
Skill Games removal deadline passed, what comes next? ↗
Pennsylvania businesses removing skill games ahead of midnight’s deadline ↗
Skill games demolished in Altoona as state deadline arrives ↗
Altoona workers face layoffs as hundreds of skill games are pulled ↗
Pa. nonprofits, businesses look to replace revenue from skill games ↗
Business owners prepare for looming PA skill games deadline ↗
Skill game machine removal deadline this week ↗
Pennsylvania Supreme Court denies deadline extension for skill games ↗
Pa. Attorney General’s Office opposes extending skill games deadline ↗
Supreme Court denies request to extend deadline for skill games ↗
Shapiro, Garrity debate skill games as zero hour for the industry closes in ↗
Pennsylvania Governors Debate: Shapiro, Garrity discuss skill games ↗
Pennsylvania Governor’s Debate: Shapiro, Garrity debate skill games ↗
Bipartisan proposal would extend deadline on skill games into 2027 ↗
Lawmakers call on state Supreme Court to extend deadline for skill games ↗
Lawmakers withdraw request for state Supreme Court to extend skill games deadline ↗
With the deadline for skill games in PA fast approaching, supporters continue to rally ↗
With skill games deadline looming, supporters rally at Pa. Capitol ↗
Diamond urges House leaders not to allow skill games deadline to pass without a solution ↗
Pennsylvania State Police launches informational page regarding skill games deadline ↗
Skill Game Enforcement News 2026: Pennsylvania's Deadline Passes, Virginia Looks to 2027
Pennsylvania State Police began enforcing against skill games on Oct. 14, 2026, after the state Supreme Court refused to extend its stay. In Virginia, the ban stands after Gov. Spanberger's April veto, and the next decision point is the 2027 session.
Skill Game Bills 2026: Where Pennsylvania, Michigan and Other States Stand as Sessions Wind Down
Pennsylvania let its Supreme Court deadline pass with every skill-game bill still in committee. Michigan's redemption-game bills haven't moved, North Carolina and Ohio have dormant terminal bills, and Virginia's bill was vetoed.
What Is an Eight-Liner? Texas Courts Explain Where the Term Comes From
"Eight-liner" is a Texas nickname that courts use. It is not a word in the statutes. It comes from the eight winning lines on a three-by-three symbol grid. The machines' legal status turns on Penal Code Chapter 47, not on the name or a "skill" label.
JVL Corporation Skill Machines: What Texas Operators Should Know
A Texas reseller is offering JVL FLEX cabinets, but JVL markets FLEX to Georgia operators. Here is what can be confirmed about the company, its machines and the Texas legal record.
Where Skill Games Stand in Six States After a Turbulent 2026
A veto, an attorney general opinion, a state supreme court ruling, a federal court ruling and an appellate decision moved skill games in different directions in 2026. Here is what each one binds in Texas, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Kentucky and South Carolina.
Texas Skill Machine Enforcement Timeline: From the Rylie Ruling to Local Bans, 2023 to 2026
A sourced Texas timeline from 2023 to 2026. It covers the Rylie appellate ruling, the Texas Supreme Court's denials, Fort Worth's ban, the cities that followed, large raids in Houston, Galveston and Bexar counties, and SB 517, which stalled.
Pennsylvania Skill Games Ban Enforcement Begins After Supreme Court Ruling
Pennsylvania State Police said on October 14, 2026, that enforcement against unlicensed skill games has begun, after the Supreme Court's 120-day safe harbor ran out. Six unnamed operators have signed agreements to disable and remove their machines.
Amusement and Music Operators of Texas: AMOT's Record at the Capitol and in Court
AMOT has spoken for Texas coin-machine operators in legislative hearings since at least 2001 and won a 1999 appeals ruling against TABC. Here is what the public record shows about the association, and what it does not settle.
What Is a Distributor Agreement in the Skill Machine Industry?
A skill machine distributor agreement can mean several different contracts, and state law defines the parties differently. Here is how Texas, Georgia and Nebraska statutes shape the terms, and the questions operators should ask before signing.
Skill Machine Certification Requirements: How They Have Changed Since 2015
Since 2015, skill machine certification has split into two tracks: casino lab standards such as GLI-11, and state proposals for cash-prize skill games that pair independent lab testing with central monitoring. Texas has no certification program at all.
Skill Game Trade Shows 2026: What Happened Beyond IAAPA, What's Left and the 2027 Dates
Most of this year's coin-op and gaming trade events are already over. Here's a sourced recap of the shows beyond IAAPA that mattered to skill-machine operators, including two Texas events, plus what's left in 2026 and the 2027 dates organizers have set.
Pennsylvania Skill Games Licensing: A Fair Path for Small Business
Pennsylvania's skill games licensing debate is a chance to build fair, transparent rules. Here is how pending SB 1079 would review applicants individually.
Texas Skill Machine Permits 2026: What the State's Registration Data Can and Cannot Show
A public query of the Texas Comptroller's coin-op taxpayer dataset returned 3,216 license and certificate holders on Oct. 10, 2026. Those records count businesses rather than machines, include no history, and say nothing about legality or profitability.
IAAPA Expo 2026: What Skill Machine Operators Should Know Before Orlando
IAAPA Expo 2026 runs Nov. 16-20 at Orlando's Orange County Convention Center. Here is what the attractions show offers skill machine operators and vendors, and what it does not.
Do Skill Game Trade Associations Actually Protect Operators?
Skill game trade associations lobby, organize and sometimes win in court. Pennsylvania's October 13, 2026 deadline, Texas litigation history and failed challenges in Kentucky and Virginia show the limits of that protection.
Skill Game Industry News 2026: Texas and Pennsylvania Developments to Watch Heading Into Q4
Texas has an advisory attorney general opinion aimed at "Follow Me" add-ons. In Pennsylvania, a court-ordered October 13 removal deadline has arrived while lawmakers remain split. Here are the dated developments operators and vendors should follow this quarter.
Lease vs Buy Skill Machines: Which Costs Texas Operators Less?
In Texas, choosing between leasing and buying cash-prize skill machines decides who counts as the owner under Occupations Code Chapter 2153. The owner holds the licence, pays the $60 occupation tax and carries the seizure risk. This guide compares the cost, tax and contract trade-offs.
Banilla Games: A Vendor Profile for Skill Machine Operators
A sourced profile of the Banilla Games company: Greenville, North Carolina offices, Fusion and Platinum platforms, Pennsylvania court history, IP suits, a Philadelphia liability claim and the reported end of its 8-liner board supply.