The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Department of Pennsylvania plays a crucial role in supporting nearly 60,000 combat veterans across more than 400 posts in the state. They provide a community space for active-duty, discharged, and retired military personnel, helping them access vital support and federal benefits.
VFW Posts also contribute to local communities through various initiatives, including beautification projects, donations to emergency services, scholarships, and patriotic events. However, recruiting new members has posed challenges, leading many posts to rely on revenue from small games of chance, like paper pull tabs and electronic games of skill.
The recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling, which categorizes skill games as slot machines, threatens this revenue source, potentially jeopardizing the operations of many VFW posts. This could place additional financial strain on state and local governments and negatively affect the communities served by the VFW.
To navigate this issue, Pennsylvania’s small games of chance law needs modernization to allow electronic pull tabs. Since its initiation in 1988, this law has been vital for charitable organizations, including VFW posts, allowing them to support various community initiatives. Neighboring states have successfully modernized their laws, leading to revenue increases for VFW posts.
The growing interest in electronic gaming among younger demographics highlights the need to adapt, as states like Ohio and Kentucky have seen membership growth in veteran organizations after adopting e-tabs.
The VFW urges bipartisan support for modernizing small games of chance to ensure veterans receive the necessary backing and to safeguard the charitable efforts they provide to communities.
