Compliance Updates

Judge Rules that Pennsylvania Skill Games are ‘Devices of Skill’

Published

2 years ago

June 7, 2023

A Monroe County judge has ruled that Pennsylvania Skill games are legal. Click here to read the order from Monroe County Court of Common Pleas Judge Jonathan Mark.

Games were seized in 2022 from a small business during a seizure carried out by the Monroe County District Attorney’s office in coordination with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Liquor Control and Enforcement (BLCE) even though skill games have been deemed legal by courts of law.

In his ruling, Judge Mark said Pennsylvania Skill ‘devices are games of skill and not games of chance’.

In a Monroe County ruling earlier this year on the seized skill games, a judge reprimanded county prosecutors alleging misconduct in the investigation and their prosecution of legal skill games. Click here to read the Monroe County order.

“The court finds that the Commonwealth improperly withheld and misrepresented material evidence relative to the issuance of the search warrant in this matter and that such conduct warrants the suppression of the seized property,” Monroe County Common Pleas Judge Jennifer Harlacher Sibum wrote.

Pennsylvania Skill games also have been deemed legal skill games by other courts this year. Pace-O-Matic won a return of property motion in York County. This property – gaming machines, related equipment and cash – was wrongfully seized by BLCE. Click here to read the York County order.

In addition, a Dauphin County judge ruled in favor of the games and against county prosecutors this year. Click here to read the Dauphin County ruling.

“Initially, it is this Court’s belief that the Commonwealth’s investigation shows case bias,” Dauphin County Common Pleas Judge Andrew H Dowling wrote. “The Commonwealth is seeking to make all machines like the POM Machines into illegal gambling devices and their whole approach and intent is to shut down games regardless of the actual gameplay. Thus, the Commonwealth as a whole is biased against the games and their approach lacks case credibility.”

“Pace-O-Matic’s Pennsylvania Skill games are legal,” the counsel for Pace-O-Matic, Matthew Haverstick of Kleinbard LLC, said. “The Commonwealth has wrongfully seized its equipment for years with no credible evidence that the games are illegal. Judges are now carefully looking at the evidence and ruling in our favor.”

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“Again, another Pennsylvania court has found that Pennsylvania Skill games, powered by Pace-O-Matic, are legal games of predominant skill,” the Chief Public Affairs Officer for Pace-O-Matic, Mike Barley, said. “With the legality of our games upheld repeatedly, we are eager to work with the legislature to pass legislation that will fairly regulate and tax the skill game industry. In fact, Pace-O-Matic stands out among our competitors as the active driving force seeking additional regulation and taxation.”

Legislation introduced by Pennsylvania Senator Gene Yaw will regulate skill games and tax them at a rate that would generate $300 million a year for the Commonwealth.

Pennsylvania Skill games have been ruled games of predominant skill by courts in Beaver, Dauphin, Monroe and York counties. Additionally, after a review of the law and court decisions, skill games also have been returned in both Clearfield and Delaware counties.

Pennsylvania Skill has pumped new life into the Commonwealth’s small businesses, fraternal and social clubs, volunteer fire companies and veterans’ organizations by providing an entertainment product that the public enjoys. Meanwhile, research data proves skill games do not impact the revenue of casinos and the lottery, both achieving record profits yearly.

Pennsylvania Skill games are manufactured in the Commonwealth and over 90% of the profits stay inside the state. That is unheard of in gaming and many other industries. Pace-O-Matic is proud of its record and looks forward to continuing to benefit Pennsylvania businesses, clubs and taxpayers now and in the future.

As part of ongoing efforts to ensure compliance, Pace-O-Matic employs a team of former state police officers to enforce all terms of contracts and codes of conduct. These contracted terms limit the number of machines, where they are placed in a location and have protections in place to prevent anyone underage from playing the devices.

In 2014, the Beaver County Court of Common Pleas ruled that Pace-O-Matic’s Pennsylvania Skill games are legal as games of predominant skill. Click here to read that court decision.

In addition, last year, the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General and the Clearfield County District Attorney’s office negotiated a settlement to return wrongfully seized Pennsylvania Skill games, related equipment and cash. Click here to read that order.

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Compliance Updates

California Gambling Control Commission Reviews Licensing and Ownership Transfers at September 18 Meeting

Published

3 days ago

September 12, 2025

Peter Tolan

The California Gambling Control Commission (CGCC) convened for its scheduled public meeting to deliberate on a wide range of licensing and regulatory matters related to cardrooms, third-party providers, tribal gaming, and key individuals in the gambling industry. The Commission addressed ownership transfers, license renewals, regulatory compliance, and findings of suitability for tribal gaming employees and suppliers.

Highlights from the Meeting

Cardroom Licensing and Ownership Transfers

Commerce Casino (California Commerce Club, Inc.)

Initial License Approval: The Commission recommended approving an initial cardroom owner license for James Murray, Director of the Commerce Casino, through March 31, 2027.
Ownership Transfer: The Commission approved a share transfer from Marsha Gold to the Marsha L. Gold Revocable Trust, subject to the transaction closing within 180 days and written confirmation of compliance with imposed conditions.
Successor Trustee Licensing: The license for Jill Anter Wieder, Successor Trustee of the trust, was also approved through March 31, 2027, pending the completion of the ownership transaction.
Additional Conditions: The Commission imposed a detailed list of conditions on the license, including certification requirements, written transaction confirmations, and mandatory legends on stock certificates to ensure regulatory compliance.

Napa Valley Casino (BVK Gaming, Inc.)

Ownership Transfer: Similar to Commerce, the transfer of shares from Von Altizer to the Von Altizer 2017 Revocable Trust was conditionally approved.
Successor Trustee Licensing: Applications from Christopher and Bobby Huang, successor trustees and contingent beneficiaries, were approved through May 31, 2026, contingent upon the transaction’s completion.
Interim License Conditions: The Commission imposed a set of conditions mirroring those required for Commerce Casino, ensuring the integrity of ownership transitions.

Renewal and Interim Licenses

Seven Mile Casino (Stones South Bay Corp.)

A new interim renewal license was approved through September 30, 2027, with prior licensing conditions officially removed.

Commerce Casino Directors

Rick Contrucci: The Commission opted to abandon the renewal application.
Lysa Grigorian: The application was referred to an evidentiary hearing, and an interim license was issued through March 31, 2027.

Other Cardrooms

Limelight Card Room: License renewed through March 31, 2027.
Lucky Chances Casino: A 90-day extension was granted through December 31, 2025, with strict restrictions on property access and communications for Rene Medina, tied to a 36-month probationary period.
North Coast Casino and The River Card Room: Both granted 60-day extensions with multiple compliance conditions required prior to opening or continuing operations.

Third-Party Proposition Player Services

Renewals and Initial Licenses Approved

Owner-Type Licenses for Global Player Services and Players Edge Services were renewed through 2027.
Employee-Type Licenses: Dozens of third-party proposition player service employees were approved or renewed, including workers from Knighted Ventures, Blackstone Gaming, and Acme Player Services.
Conditions on some licensees, such as Glenn Kaboua, included proof of fine resolution every 90 days.

Tribal-State Compact Licensing

Gaming Resource Suppliers

Everi Games Inc. and LNW Gaming, Inc. received approval for initial and renewal suitability findings, with licenses valid through early 2026.

Key Tribal Employee Licensing

A significant number of tribal casino employees across the state received initial or renewed findings of suitability. These included employees from:
- Chumash Casino Resort
- Thunder Valley Casino Resort
- Fantasy Springs Resort Casino
- Graton Resort & Casino
- Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento, among many others.
The Commission emphasized continuous monitoring of suitability, especially for applicants under conditional approval like Tatianna Wren, who must provide quarterly updates on efforts to resolve outstanding fines.

Key Individual Decisions

Huy Dang: The Commission approved the renewal of Dang’s Key Employee License through September 30, 2027, removing prior conditions related to court-mandated classes and debt resolution.

Consent Calendar Items

Items 15 through 21 included approvals for initial and renewal licenses for various employees, work permits, and tribal key employees. All items were approved per staff recommendations.

Conclusion

The September 18, 2025, meeting of the California Gambling Control Commission underscored the Commission’s ongoing role in maintaining transparency, accountability, and integrity in the state’s gambling industry. With careful review of ownership changes, key personnel, and operational compliance, the CGCC continues its commitment to fair and responsible gambling practices in California.

For full details and future updates, visit the California Gambling Control Commission website

Compliance Updates

Hard Rock Bet Launches New Responsible Gaming Website

Published

3 days ago

September 12, 2025

Niji Narayan

Hard Rock Bet has launched a responsible gaming website offering educational content, support resources, and interactive tools.

The Seminole Hard Rock Digital operator said its portal contains information on setting deposit, wager, and session limits.

Users can also find information on using time-out features and self-exclusion, with links to national and state-level resources also included.

“We consider ourselves to be our players’ partner in responsible gaming, and this new site gives our community the guidance, tools and support needed for a confident and enjoyable gaming experience,” said Danny Crook, Hard Rock Digital’s senior vice president of operations.

The responsible gaming website is part of Hard Rock Bet’s role in Responsible Gaming Education Month in the US, organised by the American Gaming Association.

Compliance Updates

Four in Five U.S. Voters Say Sports Events Contracts Should Be Regulated Like Other Online Sportsbooks

Published

3 days ago

September 12, 2025

George Miller

Four in Five U.S. Voters Say Sports Events Contracts Should Be Regulated Like Other Online Sportsbooks

The American Gaming Association (AGA) released new research showing strong sentiment that sports events contracts offered through prediction markets—online platforms where users wager on the outcomes of future events—should be regulated in the same way as other forms of legal, state-regulated sports betting. The study also shows that the public overwhelmingly view them as a form of gambling that requires oversight.

Key Findings:

Americans overwhelmingly recognize sports events contracts as gambling, not financial instruments. 85% say sports events contracts are most like gambling, while only 6% believe they are most like a financial instrument.
Most Americans want sports events contracts regulated like other forms of sports betting. 80% say that sports event contracts should be regulated like other online sports betting and 65% believe these bets should be overseen by state and tribal gaming regulators, not the federal Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
Adults agree that sports events contracts should only be offered by state-licensed sportsbooks. 84% of Americans, and 69% of sports bettors, say that sports events contracts should only be available in state-licensed sportsbooks in the states where they are offered. 69% of Americans believe each state should have a say on whether sports events contracts can be offered in their state.
Americans recognize prediction platforms offering sports event contracts are skirting the law. 70% say prediction platforms offering sports event contracts are exploiting loopholes to act as unlicensed sportsbooks.

“This research has made it clear: Americans know a sports bet when they see one—and they expect prediction markets offering sports event contracts to be held to the same rules and consumer safeguards as every other state-regulated sportsbook,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller. “This underscores the need for the CFTC to enforce and uphold its own regulations that prohibit gaming contracts, and for Congress to use its oversight power to ensure prediction markets are not used as a backdoor for gaming.”

With sports betting currently operational in 38 states and Washington, D.C., AGA’s research emphasizes the need for consistent oversight of emerging gaming products to maintain consumer trust and uphold responsible gaming standards.

Methodology
YouGov, on behalf of the AGA, conducted an online survey from August 1-8, among a nationally representative sample of 2,025 registered voters. The margin of error is +/- 2 percent and greater among subgroups.