Garrity Backs Operators After Pennsylvania Skill-Game Ban

Pennsylvania treasurer and Republican gubernatorial candidate Stacy Garrity rallied with skill-game operators and small-business owners affected by the statewide ban, accusing Gov. Josh Shapiro of failing to protect them. The ban followed a state Supreme Court ruling that the machines count as slot machines under existing law; lawmakers did not agree on regulations before the deadline, and unauthorized machines now face enforcement. Business owners say losing the machines’ revenue could force layoffs or closures, while veterans’ and community organizations also face lost income. Garrity backs allowing 50,000 machines with a flat tax of $500 per machine per month, while Shapiro has proposed regulating about 45,000 machines and taxing them at 52%.