Gambling Addiction More Prolific in Pennsylvania: Are Skill Games to Blame?

Recent talks between Casino.org and a Pennsylvania Gamblers Anonymous representative have revealed an increase in gambling addiction, with unregulated skill games being named as the principal cause of these new cases.

During the discussion, a Gamblers Anonymous spokesperson shared that many new members cite skill games as what pushed them into gambling addiction.

“PA skill games are cited by every brand new member of Gamblers Anonymous as the primary contributor to their accelerating addiction to problem gambling. Second place is gambling on their phones. Casinos? Rarely mentioned,”

Throughout Pennsylvania, amongst other states, skill game machines have been integrated into many types of businesses as they can be found in restaurants, bars, corner stores, gas stations, convenience stores, and grocery outlets.

According to their website, Gamblers Anonymous is “a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from a gambling problem”.

In Pennsylvania, skill games are by law considered winnable with skill, where the player doesn’t need to rely on chance.

The Problem with Skill Games in Pennsylvania

Regulations for skill games are almost nonexistent, which includes many things such as rare ID checks, as well as no consumer protections on fair play and minimum standards for payout rates, the trade group argues.

Research shows that in Pennsylvania, at least 11% of the commonwealth has played skill games; in comparison, only 3.8% have played an online casino game.

Close to 30% of the commonwealth are at-risk gamblers, say Penn State University researchers, with problem gamblers being between 2.5% to 6.4%. Anyone aged 18 can play skill-based games.

The most common type of skill game machine is made by Miele Manufacturing and powered by Pace-O-Matic.

How Skill Games Work

While skill games are similar to slot-machines their outcome can be determined with skill rather than pure luck.

By allowing players to complete challenges similar to mini-games, like memory challenges and tic-tac-toe, their odds of winning can be improved.

Both the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board and the legal gaming industry stand against skill games. Due to not being fully subject to luck, skill games are not yet subject to tax.