Pennsylvania senior applications strained by lottery losses

The chief of a statewide advocacy group for Pennsylvania’s Area Agencies on Aging mentioned a lack of state lottery income is hurting applications that goal to assist senior residents.

Cuts to senior applications — like these introduced earlier this month in Allegheny County — will worsen if state lawmakers don’t act to interchange declining income from the Pennsylvania Lottery, mentioned Rebecca May-Cole, government director of the Pennsylvania Association of Area Agencies on Aging.

So-called “skill games” which have proliferated in locations like comfort shops, gasoline stations, bars, and elsewhere are siphoning income that may be going to the lottery, mentioned May-Cole.

In saying cuts earlier this month, Allegheny County officers mentioned a rising inhabitants of seniors in want of companies is being strained by largely flat state and federal funding for companies.

The state’s community of Area Agencies on Aging is primarily funded — roughly 80% — by proceeds from the Pennsylvania Lottery. The state’s 52 AAAs present companies for seniors, equivalent to meals, transportation, and safety from abuse and neglect. In the 2024-25 fiscal 12 months, the lottery contributed more than $274 million to AAAs, in line with lottery officers.

Area Agency on Aging officers mentioned lots of the companies their companies present goal to maintain older adults impartial and dwelling at dwelling so long as potential, one thing that gives a greater high quality of life — and saves the state cash as a result of it doesn’t should cowl far dearer nursing dwelling care.

“We need the skill games to be regulated so that those dollars can be earmarked for services for older adults that are provided through the [Area Agencies on Aging],” she mentioned.

As ability video games have grown throughout the state in recent times, find out how to regulate and tax them has been the topic of an ongoing and complex debate in Harrisburg.

Some legislators have proposed banning them all together. Both Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, and a few Republican legislators have proposed taxing the machines, although they’ve disagreed on how a lot to tax them. Casino teams have additionally pushed to have them taxed at a degree much like what casinos pay.

Skill sport supporters have argued the machines present wanted income for small companies and nonprofit social golf equipment like VFWs.

Pennsylvania Lottery officers have mentioned the video games harm lottery receipts.

“We do see a loss in profits,” mentioned Pennsylvania Lottery Executive Director Drew Svitko, talking throughout a 2023 budget hearing. “We can prove that we’re losing about $170 million over the course of the next year…they are sales that absolutely affect our bottom line.”

May-Cole mentioned the lack of funds has harm senior facilities around the commonwealth.

“The fact that the skill games are directly impacting the Lottery Fund means in our view that those dollars need to be put back into the Lottery Fund,” May-Cole mentioned.