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American Legion, VFW Ask Pennsylvania Lawmakers to Modernize Charitable Gaming
Posted on: September 28, 2026, 01:24h.
Last updated on: September 28, 2026, 01:24h.
Key Points
- American Legion, VFW, and other Pennsylvania nonprofits are backing legislation to legalize electronic pull-tabs and modernize charitable gaming
- HB1050 would raise prize limits, allow progressive pull-tabs, and let eligible clubs keep 75% of charitable gaming revenue
- The bill has been stalled since March 2025 but could get new attention when the House Gaming Oversight Committee meets
The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and other fraternal and social organizations in Pennsylvania are calling on state lawmakers in Harrisburg to protect charitable gaming. Uniting as PlayPA for Charity, the nonprofits are seeking the authorization of electronic pull-tabs in the wake of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling that controversial skill gaming machines are illegal slot machines.
The state Supreme Court in June ordered that skill games be powered off and removed from thousands of small businesses and fraternal, veterans, and social clubs by Oct. 13, 2026. By removing the unregulated slot machines, PlayPA for Charity says thousands of nonprofit clubs will be financially harmed.
This week, the American Legion Department of Pennsylvania joined the political group that’s backing House Bill 1050, which, in addition to qualifying electronic pull-tab machines as a legal form of charitable gaming, would increase maximum payouts.
Pennsylvania’s current charitable gaming law allows only limited games like paper-based punchboards and pull-tabs, pools, and raffles. Introduced by state Rep. Thomas MeHaffie (D-Dauphin), HB1050 is cosponsored by nine Democrats and two Republicans.
Call to Action
With nonprofit clubs set to see charitable gaming revenue plunge come Oct. 13, PlayPA for Charity says time is of the essence for lawmakers to support HB1050. The campaign says modernizing charitable gaming would be a win-win for charity and community, as nonprofit organizations under the state charitable gaming law must use at least 60% of its charitable gaming revenue for public interest purposes.
We give 60% to other organizations and we want to be able to do more — not only keep up with our bills that have doubled but also be able to give more to veterans and to the community,” said Pascha K., a manager at the American Legion Post 26 in Dillsburg. “A change in the small games of chance law would help us pay our bills and keep up with the changing times.”
HB1050 would authorize electronic charitable games, but they would be barred from mimicking a slot machine, keno, blackjack, roulette, poker, craps, or any other casino game. The statute suggests allowing new progressive pull-tab games where the jackpots carry over.
HB1050 would raise the single-prize cap from $2,000 to $5,000, and the weekly per-club aggregate prize cap from $35,000 to $70,000. Perhaps most beneficial to the clubs is that the legislation recommends reducing the 60% public interest payout to 25%, meaning each VFW and American Legion Post could keep 75% of its charitable gaming revenue for its own purposes.
Nonprofits would be limited to 10 charitable gaming machines for establishments with occupancy for 250 or more persons. Smaller venues would be allowed five to seven devices.
Bill Resurrection
HB1050 has sat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives since it was introduced in March 2025. It remains in the House Gaming Oversight Committee, in which MeHaffie is a member.
The Gaming Oversight Committee is set to meet on Tuesday (Sept. 29), where the committee is expected to continue its discussion on skill games.
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