New Poll Shows Pennsylvania Voters Strongly Support Skill Games
A majority of those surveyed want a fair tax rate and regulation of skill games
HARRISBURG, Pa., July 15, 2024 (Newswire.com) - A majority of voters support a reasonable 16% tax on legal skill games and say they are less likely to vote for an elected official who favors a higher, crushing tax rate on the games, according to a poll released today by the Pennsylvania Taverns and Players Association (PA TAP). Read a memo on the polling linked here.
The poll commissioned by CYGNAL polling gauged Pennsylvanians' opinions on skill games and aspects of the legislature’s plans to tax and regulate the gaming devices.
Doug Sprankle, president of PA TAP, an organization comprised of hundreds of locations that support skill games and operators who maintain the games, stated: “Polling results show that Pennsylvanians overwhelmingly support a compromise solution that would fairly tax and regulate skill games. They understand the important role supplemental revenue generated from these games plays in supporting small businesses and fraternal clubs.
“They also understand the difference between regulation and overregulation. We are hopeful the Legislature will heed the advice of Pennsylvanians and fairly regulate and tax skill games and the small businesses and fraternal clubs they support,” added Sprankle.
The poll, conducted from June 14-16, 2024, included likely Pennsylvania general election voters and showed that a significant majority (50.5%) oppose a ban on skill games, compared to just 28.7% supporting a ban.
Over 50%, (50.1%) support state lawmakers working on a compromise proposal that would regulate and tax skill games, with only 29.3% opposing.
By a margin of 49.7% to 25.7%, a majority of those polled also understand that skill games, which require a player’s skills, are not the same as slot machines, which are based on pure chance.
Voters polled don’t believe skill games harm other gaming revenues, including slots, iGaming, or lottery.
Lastly, voters were asked their opinion on an appropriate skill game tax rate. PA TAP and other supporters of skill games say a 16% tax rate on skill games is affordable for small businesses and fraternal clubs. This tax rate would provide $250 million in new revenue to the state in just the first year of taxation. Opponents want to see a 54% tax, which is the rate applied to casino slot machines.
The overwhelming majority of voters polled oppose lawmakers applying the crippling 54% tax rate on skill games operated by small businesses, American Legions, VFWs, volunteer fire companies and other fraternal clubs. In addition, the vast majority (54.7%) say they are less likely to support a lawmaker who votes for a 54% tax rate, as opposed to 17.6% who would.
Conversely, nearly 60% (58.9%) of voters say they support applying a reasonable tax rate of 16% on skill games, which would allow locations with the games to keep more profit, with only 17.6% opposed.
Source: Pennsylvania Taverns and Players Association
