Early last week, the state Supreme Court ruled that “skill games” – the gaming machines commonly found in bars, convenience stores and other establishments that to this point had been largely unregulated and untaxed in Pennsylvania – are essentially slot machines.

Writing for the court’s majority 5-2 opinion, Justice David Wecht said skill games meet multiple legal definitions of slot machines and, as such, are subject to the same regulation as traditional slot machines.

The ruling sides with arguments made by Attorney General Dave Sunday who said in a press release that “these machines operate as gambling devices and cannot legally exist without the same oversight, regulation and accountability as other forms of legalized gaming in the Commonwealth. Pennsylvanians deserve protections that ensure games are fair, transparent and operated within the bounds of the law.”

Some businesses that have come to rely on the steady revenue stream of skilled games believe it will hurt their bottom line, with skilled game manufacturer Pace-O-Matic saying the decision will ultimately hurt small businesses.

“The reality is these places that host these games are not casinos,” Michael Barley of Pace-O-Matic told 6abc News. “They’re not there designed to bring people in for that purpose. They’re there for supplemental revenue. The games are different. They’re much lower stakes.”

The ruling includes a 120-day safe-harbor period before convenience stores and similar businesses may be required to make changes.  In the meantime, attention turns to the General Assembly, which may consider legislation to legalize, regulate and tax these gaming machines.