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B26-0041 • 2025

Revised Game of Skill Machines Consumer Protections Amendment Act of 2025

Revised Game of Skill Machines Consumer Protections Amendment Act of 2025

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
McDuffie
Last action
2026-01-09
Official status
Under Council Review
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill status is listed as active and under Council Review; it has not yet taken effect.

Revised Game of Skill Machines Consumer Protections Amendment Act of 2025

This bill requires special endorsements for game of skill machines, moves oversight duties to the ABCA, and sets rules about where these machines can be placed.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires license holders with specific classes (such as manufacturer class A or B, or on-premises retailer classes C/R through DX) to get a game of skill machine endorsement from the Board before offering these machines.
  • Prohibits placing game of skill machines in outdoor public or private spaces unless the Board grants permission based on security and visibility rules.
  • Updates existing laws to replace references to 'Office' with 'ABCA,' giving ABCA authority over these games.
  • Mandates that all registered game of skill machines connect to a centralized accounting system for monitoring, reporting, and remote activation or deactivation by the Office (now ABCA).
  • Directs the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to update rules regarding skill games to match the new powers given to ABCA.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Businesses holding manufacturer licenses class A or B.
  • On-premises retailers with specific license classes such as C/R, D/R, C/H, D/H, C/T, D/T, C/N, D/N, C/X, and DX.
  • Operators of passenger-carrying marine vessels who are exempt from outdoor placement restrictions.
  • The Alcohol Beverage Control Administration (ABCA) and the Chief Financial Officer.

Terms To Know

Game of skill machine
A device regulated under this act that requires a special endorsement to be offered on licensed premises.
ABCA
The Alcohol Beverage Control Administration, the agency taking over oversight duties previously held by the 'Office' for these machines.
Endorsement
A special approval required from the Board before a licensee can offer game of skill machines on their property.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not state specific fees for obtaining endorsements or using the centralized accounting system.
  • It is unclear how long it will take for the CFO to issue new rules after this act becomes effective.
  • Outdoor placement exceptions are at the Board's discretion, but the text only lists three criteria (visibility, security, and access) rather than all possible factors.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-09 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Re-Referral published.

  2. 2026-01-06 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Re-Referred to Committee of the Whole

  3. 2025-01-24 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Intent to Act on B26-0041 Published in the District of Columbia Register

  4. 2025-01-21 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Referred to Committee on Business and Economic Development

  5. 2025-01-13 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0041 Introduced by Councilmember McDuffie at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Revised Game of Skill Machines Consumer Protections Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
_________________________ 1
Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie 2
3
4
AN ACT 5
6
____________ 7
8
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 9
10
____________________ 11
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To amend Title 25 of the District of Columbia Official Code to authorize, define, and regulate 13
games of skill, to amend Title 36 to align the new authority of ABCA with the Code. 14
15
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may 16
be cited as the "Revised Game of Skill Machines Consumer Protections Amendment Act of 17
2025". 18
19
Sec. 2. Title 25 of the District of Columbia Official Code is amended as follows: 20
(a) Section 25-113.01(e)(1) is amended to read as follows: 21
“(e)(1) A licensee under a manufacturer's license class A or B or an on-22
premises retailer's license, class C/R, D/R, C/H, D/H, C/T, D/T, C/N, D/N, C/X, or DX, shall 23
obtain a game of skill machine endorsement from the Board in order to offer a game of skill 24
machine on the licensed premises.” 25
(2)(A) A game of skill machine shall not be placed on outdoor public or 26
private space; except, that the Board, in its discretion, may allow for the placement of a game of 27
skill machine on outdoor public or private space if, in the Board's determination, activity 28
associated with the game of skill machine is: 29
(i) Not visible from a public street or sidewalk; 30
(ii) Adequately secured against unauthorized entrance; and 31
(iii) Accessible only by patrons from within the establishment. 32
(B) Subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall not apply to a licensee 33
operating a passenger-carrying marine vessel in accordance with § 25-113(h).” 34
Sec. 3. The Law to Legalize Lotteries, Daily Numbers Games, and Bingo and Raffles for 35
Charitable Purposes in the District of Columbia, effective March 10, 1981 (D.C. Law 3-172; 36
D.C. Official Code §§ 22-1716 to 22-1718 and 36-601.01 et seq.), is amended as follows: 37
38
(a) Section 408 (D.C. Official Code § 36-641.08) is amended to read as follows: 39
(1) Subparagraph (a) is amended as follows: 40
“(a)(2) Possesses a retailer’s license, and a game of skill machine endorsement 41
from ABCA in accordance with § 25-113.01(e); and” 42
(2) Subparagraph (b) is amended by striking the phrase “Office” inserting the 43
phrase “ABCA” in its place. 44
(3) Subparagraph (b)(3) is amended by striking the phrase “Office” inserting the 45
phrase “ABCA” in its place. 46
(4) Subparagraph (b)(4) is amended by striking the phrase “Office” inserting the 47
phrase “ABCA” in its place. 48
(5) Subparagraph (e) is amended by striking the phrase “Office” inserting the 49
phrase “ABCA” in its place. 50
(b) Section 408 (D.C. Official Code § 36-641.13(a)(1)) is amended to read as follows: 51
“(a)(1) The Office shall procure a centralized accounting system for games of 52
skill machines, which shall be linked to a communications network. All games of skill machines 53
registered in the District shall connect to the centralized accounting system through the 54
communications network. The centralized accounting system shall be administered by the Office 55
and shall allow for the accounting, reporting, monitoring, and reading of game of skill machine 56
activities by the District for the purposes of assisting the Office in determining compliance with, 57
and enforcing, the provisions of this subchapter and the rules issued pursuant to this subchapter. 58
The centralized accounting system shall also allow for game of skill machines to be activated 59
and deactivated remotely by the Office.” 60
(c) Section 421 (D.C. Official Code § 36-641.21(a)) is amended to read as follows: 61
“(a) The CFO, pursuant to subchapter I of Chapter 5 of Title 2, shall amend 62
existing rules regarding skill games in the District of Columbia and issue rules to implement the 63
provisions of this subchapter consistent with the new authority to ABCA.” 64
Sec. 4. Severability. 65
If any provision of this act, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, is 66
found by a court invalid, such determination shall not affect other provisions or applications of 67
this act which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application. 68
Sec. 5. Fiscal impact statement. 69
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 70
impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 71
approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 72
Sec. 6. Effective date. 73
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 74
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as 75
provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 76
24, 1973, (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 77
Columbia Register. 78