Pennsylvania's Vice Economy
MIDDLETOWN TWP., Pennsylvania — A giant letter M, maybe 60 feet tall and 40 feet wide, sits at the intersection of East Lincoln Highway and Oxford Valley Road down here in lower Bucks County, the most working-class part of Philadelphia’s suburbs.
TL;DR
- Working-class areas in Philadelphia's suburbs are experiencing a boom in gambling and marijuana businesses.
- "Skill games," disguised as video slots, are prevalent in local bars and convenience stores.
- These machines have operated outside strict gambling laws due to a perceived element of skill.
- Major casinos are lobbying to have "skill games" classified as illegal gambling to eliminate competition.
- The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled that these machines are gambling devices, leading to potential shutdowns if not regulated.
- The growth of the "vice economy" is concentrated in the working class, coinciding with declines in marriage, churchgoing, and long-term employment in these communities.