Pennsylvania Governor proposes 52% tax rate on skill-based gaming devices
Governor Shapiro’s budget would look to generate $360m from taxing skill gaming devices all across Pennsylvania.
Key Points
- Pennsylvania Senator Gene Yaw opposed the 52% tax rate, with plans to soon bring forth his own legislation that would tax skill-based gaming devices at 16%
- Governor Shapiro also stated that the PGCB should have full control as to which establishments are allowed to receive the skill gaming devices
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has proposed a state budget that would begin taxing skill-based gaming devices at a rate of 52%, which has faced stiff opposition from fellow government officials in the Keystone State.
Within his budget proposal, Governor Shapiro hopes to generate $360m from taxing skill-based gaming devices.
“There are 70,000 unregulated skill game terminals all across Pennsylvania,” Governor Shapiro said during his budget address.
“We need to take some of the money going into those slots and put it in our state coffers.”
Senator Gene Yaw stated that he “almost laughed” at Governor Shapiro’s proposal, and that he will soon bring forth legislation that would tax the skill gaming devices at a rate of 16%.
He went on to say that skill-based games help small businesses in Pennsylvania and should not be treated similarly to that of casinos.
Good to know: The PGCB released the state’s FY2024 gaming revenue results on January 21, with the Keystone State having reached the $6bn mark for the first time in history by generating $6.1bn throughout the year
Governor Shapiro also proposed that the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) should have full authority as to which establishments receive the skill-based gaming devices, such as bars, laundromats or convenience stores.
Senator Yaw disagreed with this proposed solution as well, instead believing that the Department of Revenue should have oversight as to where the gaming devices are launched.
According to Senator Yaw, the PGCB is “too cozy” with casinos and overly critical of skill-based games.
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