Diamond to Introduce Skill Game/Gaming Modernization Bills

September 1, 2026

JONESTOWN – With the deadline for the General Assembly to control ability video games in Pennsylvania looming, Rep. Russ Diamond (R-Lebanon) will quickly introduce two items of laws to legalize ability video games and supply owners almost $1 billion in further property tax aid.

“Pennsylvania’s gaming law was originally written for a much different era,” stated Diamond. “It’s time to modernize our approach, bring skill games into a regulated system ahead of the state Supreme Court’s October 13th deadline, and make sure Pennsylvania homeowners see a greater benefit from the revenue generated by gaming.”

Under the proposal, ability video games can be regulated and taxed at a fee of 20%, with as much as 5 machines permitted solely in golf equipment, liquor-licensed eating places and bars, in addition to certified truck stops. The laws would additionally scale back the tax fee for casino-based slot machines to 49.9% and set the identical fee for all on-line on line casino video games.

Diamond’s invoice package deal establishes an outlined method to maximise property tax aid, present dependable annual funding for the Race Horse Development Trust Fund, almost double assist for compulsive and downside playing remedy, and keep a reliable income stream for the state’s General Fund.

Instead of providing property tax aid by the use of the homestead/farmstead exclusion presently hidden away on college property tax payments, Diamond’s plan would ship it with a direct annual gaming dividend fee to Pennsylvania’s 2.87 million certified owners.

Even with out presuming any progress in current authorized gaming over the following fiscal yr, or the addition of income from ability video games, each certified home-owner in Pennsylvania would obtain a gaming dividend fee of at the least $702 yearly. For residents of the 102nd District who presently obtain homestead/farmstead aid, that interprets to an annual web improve of $459 to $602, relying on the actual college district during which they reside.

“Every time I talk about property taxes, people complain about not seeing the relief from casinos promised by politicians more than 20 years ago,” Diamond stated. “This set of bills will increase property tax relief for 96% of Pennsylvania’s homeowners and deliver it directly into their hands. The amount of relief they receive will grow in direct proportion to the annual growth of all forms of legal gaming in the Commonwealth.”

Representative Russ Diamond


Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 102nd District


Media Contact: Greg Gross – 717.260.6374


ggross@pahousegop.com


RepDiamond.com