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 Tax Revenue by State in 2026: Projections, Collections and What the Numbers Don't Prove
Pennsylvania's Oct. 13 deadline has put skill game tax revenue back in the headlines, but most 2026 figures are projections. Here is how Pennsylvania, Virginia, Nebraska, Georgia and Texas compare, and what each number actually measures.
Pace-O-Matic Company Profile: What Skill Machine Operators Should Know
A sourced Pace-O-Matic company profile: leadership, cabinets, software names, state brands, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling and the company's Texas statements, with vendor claims clearly attributed.
Why South Carolina's Video Poker Ban Still Haunts the Skill Game Industry
South Carolina ended cash payouts on video gaming devices in 2000. The catch-all wording added by Act 125 of 1999 now decides skill-game cases, as the 2025 Dragon's Ascent ruling showed.
Missouri Skill Games Lawsuit, Year by Year: How TNT v. Torch Led to a Gambling Device Ruling and Torch's Shutdown
A Sullivan-area arcade company's federal suit against Torch Electronics produced a $500,000 jury verdict, a February 2026 ruling that Torch's "no-chance" machines are gambling devices, and Torch's April 2026 suspension of Missouri operations.
Texas Skill Machine Seizures by County: Raids, Permits and the Rylie Ruling
Texas has no statewide county-by-county count of eight-liner seizures. Reported raids, county game-room rules and the Rylie ruling show one machine can be permitted in one county and seized in the next.
Does the Vendor or the Store Own a Skill Machine in Texas?
Texas law does not assume that the vendor or the host store owns a skill machine. Occupations Code Chapter 2153 separates owners from operators, sets license and tax duties for each arrangement, and limits what the placement contract can say.
What Makes a Skill Game 'Skill'? The Predominance Test Explained
"Skill game" is a marketing label, not a legal category. US courts use three different tests to separate skill from chance. Texas law and Pennsylvania's June 2026 Supreme Court ruling show why a predominance argument often does not settle the question.
How to Vet Skill Machine Manufacturer Compliance Claims: A Texas-First Checklist
Words like "compliant" and "legal" in a skill machine vendor's pitch are claims, not rulings. This eight-step Texas-first process checks them against statutes, Comptroller records, lab certificates and court decisions.
Texas Gambling Device Definition: What Counts Under Penal Code §47.01(4)
Texas Penal Code §47.01(4) defines a gambling device in four elements and sets a narrow "fuzzy animal" exclusion. This explainer covers the statutory text, related definitions, the offenses it triggers, and how Texas courts have read it.
Skill Machines Seized at Your Location? A Texas Guide to the First Hours and Days
A Texas guide for operators and location owners after police seize machines: warrant and inventory paperwork, preserving records, the Art. 18.18 show-cause notice and its 20th-day appearance, and Chapter 59's 30-day clock.
Texas Coin-Operated Machine Data: What Comptroller Counts Can and Can't Tell You
Texas Comptroller coin-op records track taxpayers, licenses and $60 per-machine permits under Occupations Code Chapter 2153. They do not show legality, active machines, eight-liner counts or revenue. Here is how to read and cite them.
Texas Penal Code 47 Occupations Code 2153 Difference Explained for Skill Machine Operators
A Comptroller license under Occupations Code Chapter 2153 is a tax registration, not a ruling that a skill machine is legal under Penal Code Chapter 47. Here is why Texas keeps the two codes separate, and what the case law says about gift card payouts.
Fuzzy Animal Exception Texas: Why Courts Rejected the Loophole
Texas appellate courts held that eight-liners are unconstitutional lotteries no matter how they use the noncash-prize carve-out known as the fuzzy animal exception. Here is what the rulings actually say and why the exception did not save the machines.
Who Decides Where Skill Machines Can Sit in a Texas City?
Texas cities and counties get three narrow powers over coin-operated machines in Occupations Code Subchapter J, while most current city action runs on a separate track.
A Texas Store Owner's Checklist for Hosting Skill Machines
A Texas store owner's checklist for hosting cash-prize skill machines: Penal Code exposure, Comptroller licensing checks, contract terms, seizure steps and local diligence, with sources.
What Records Must a Texas Coin Machine Owner Keep?
A source-led checklist of what Texas Occupations Code Chapter 2153 requires owners and license holders to record, report, retain and make available for inspection.
A Vendor's Legal Opinion Letter Won't Protect You in Court
A skill machine vendor legal opinion letter carries no weight with a Texas court, prosecutor, or the Comptroller. Here is what Texas case law actually says, and what protects an operator instead.
How Many States Now Allow Cash-Prize Skill Machines? A 2026 Count
No official tally says how many states allow cash-prize skill machines in 2026. Pennsylvania's Supreme Court ruling and Georgia's shift to gift-card redemption both shrank the count this year.