Pennsylvania businesses have just one week to remove skill games classified as slot machines by the state Supreme Court. By October 13, businesses must comply with the ruling made in June, allowing a 120-day window.
At a gas station in Philadelphia’s Fairmount neighborhood, workers expressed relief as a representative from G and B Amusements removed the machines. They indicated that the games attracted disruptive behavior, leading to safety concerns. City Councilman Anthony Phillips, present during the removal, echoed this sentiment, noting the issues of gambling, loitering, and crime the machines fostered in the community.
Approximately 70,000 skill games across the state are affected by this ruling. Phillips criticized the presence of these machines, stating they contributed to a normalization of gambling in neighborhoods. He referenced a recent robbery at the Fairmount gas station, where a thief used a sledgehammer to breach the machines.
NBC10 reached out to the gaming company for comment on the impact of their removal but has not yet received a response.
