Gambling in the USA
Pace-O-Matic of Pennsylvania Congratulates Pennsylvania Casinos on Record Profits
Today, Pace-O-Matic of Pennsylvania released the following statement congratulating Pennsylvania’s casino industry on achieving record-high profits in 2019, with revenues increasing 4.5% over the previous year.
“We applaud Pennsylvania’s casino industry on their record growth over the past year,” said Tom Marino, Pace-O-Matic Vice President of Government Relations. “The casino industry is creating jobs and providing tax revenue to the Commonwealth.”
Marino continued, “It is important to highlight that the casino’s record growth has occurred at the same time Pace-O-Matic’s legal games of dominant skill have expanded as well. Pace-O-Matic’s Pennsylvania Skill games have provided a significant boost to Pennsylvania bars, taverns, fraternal clubs, volunteer firefighter halls and many other small businesses and non-profits. The fact the growth of legal skill games has coincided with record profits occurring at Pennsylvania casinos is proof positive that our games are catering to different players and not affecting casino revenue.”
“We are fighting in Harrisburg to pass legislation that will regulate, tax and provide strong enforcement to the dominant skill game industry and we share the Commonwealth’s and the casino industry’s concerns regarding illegal gambling devices masquerading as skill games. These games have controlled payouts and are nothing more than slot machines. They are hurting the lottery, the regulated gaming market and the legal skill game industry all of whom provide tax revenues to the Commonwealth. We strongly encourage the Bureau of Liquor Control and Enforcement to increase their enforcement and actions against operators who are distributing this illegal equipment.”
According to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, revenue at the state’s 12 casinos, rose by $146 million, or 4.5% over 2018 to above $3.4 billion. Casino revenues in the Commonwealth have increased each of the past five years. (Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, https://gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov/?pr=892, 1/16/20)
Pace-O-Matic’s Pennsylvania Skill products are manufactured by Miele Manufacturing in Williamsport, which has created over 100 manufacturing and manufacturing-related positions in our Commonwealth. Additionally, Pennsylvania Skill games are helping to support and grow businesses that were struggling and are now thriving and creating jobs. The revenue generated by our games has become a lifeline to fraternal clubs and organizations across the Commonwealth, including American Legions, VFWs and local fire companies. Pennsylvania Skill has donated over $600,000 over the past year to local charities, including food banks, children’s hospitals and senior centers.
As part of our ongoing efforts to ensure compliance, Pace-O-Matic employs a team of former state troopers to enforce the terms of our contracts and our codes of conduct. These contracted terms limit the number of machines and where they are placed in a location and have protections in place to prevent anyone underage from playing our devices.
In 2014, the Beaver County Court of Common Pleas ruled Pace-O-Matic’s Pennsylvania Skill games are legal as games of predominant skill.
SOURCE Pace-O-Matic