HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Skill, powered by Pace-O-Matic, released the following statement regarding Clearfield County District Attorney Ryan Sayers’ order to suspend seizures of only Pennsylvania Skill games and return pieces of equipment and cash stemming from September raids conducted by the state Bureau of Liquor Control and Enforcement (BLCE). These actions are pending the outcome of our lawsuit in Commonwealth Court to again verify our game’s legal standing.
“We thank Clearfield County District Attorney Ryan Sayers for his professionalism and the time he has spent to understand and address the difficulties resulting from recent BLCE seizures of our Pennsylvania Skill games. DA Sayers worked diligently to resolve this issue in the best interests of the law, legal process, taxpayers, small businesses, and fraternal clubs, including veteran groups, which count on skill games for much-needed revenue.
“We are disappointed the BLCE continues to spread misinformation about our Pennsylvania Skill games and believe that was at the heart of seizures in Clearfield County.
“We share DA Sayers’ concerns regarding the proliferation of illegal gaming equipment, much of which masquerades as Pennsylvania Skill games. We echo his call for the legislature to implement regulations and enforcement regarding skill gaming.
“Additionally, Pennsylvania Skill has agreed to work with DA Sayers to ensure best practices concerning terminal placement in locations are followed along with adherence to our code of conduct. We are making certain our policy of a limit of five games per location is followed.
“The fact remains that every time our games’ legal status has been challenged, the courts have returned favorable rulings to Pace-O-Matic, Miele Manufacturing, which builds our games, and Pennsylvania Skill operators, small businesses and fraternal clubs.”
In 2014, Pennsylvania Skill worked with the Pennsylvania State Police to organize a declaratory ruling regarding our skill game. After a lengthy trial, the Beaver County Court of Common Pleas ruled that Pennsylvania Skill games are games of predominant skill and legal.
Pennsylvania Skill, Pace-O-Matic, and Miele Manufacturing have filed a lawsuit in Commonwealth Court to cement our legal position. The lawsuit, POM of Pennsylvania, LLC v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, et al., 418 MD 2018 and POM of Pennsylvania, LLC v. Pennsylvania State Police, Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, 503 MD 2018, is currently pending in Commonwealth Court.
Pace-O-Matic and Pennsylvania Skill employ a compliance team consisting of former and retired Pennsylvania State Troopers and BLCE officers to ensure our operators and locations are strictly adhering to their contractual terms.
In response to the DA’s actions, Pennsylvania Skill, Pace-O-Matic, Miele Manufacturing, our small business operators and locations have dropped all pending lawsuits in Clearfield County regarding this matter.
