Pittsburgh will tax and license mechanical amusement devices in establishments across the city. This aims to identify new revenue sources without burdening homeowners or renters. The city ended 2025 with a deficit.

Official title›

Ordinance amending and supplementing the Pittsburgh Code of Ordinances, Title Seven, Business Licensing, Article Nine, Amusement Businesses with a new Chapter, Chapter 774: Mechanical Amusement Devices Tax and Licenses.

Topic: How the city runs
Money: none named
Who it affects: businesses with mechanical amusement devices
Sponsors: Kim Salinetro, Barbara Warwick, Anthony Coghill, Anthony Coghill, Barbara Warwick, Kim Salinetro, Anthony Coghill, Barbara Warwick, Kim Salinetro

amusement devices licensing taxation

Record

What happened, and who voted how

May 27, 2026
City Council
meeting page
Passed · Waived under Rule 8
May 27, 2026
City Council
meeting page
Referred · Read and referred
Jun 2, 2026
City Council
meeting page
Passed · Motion8–0, 1 absent
- Anthony CoghillY
- Barbara WarwickY
- Deborah L. GrossY
- Erika StrassburgerY
- Khari MosleyY
- Kim SalinetroY
- R. Daniel LavelleY
- Robert CharlandY
- Bobby Wilson—
Jun 2, 2026
City Council
meeting page
Passed · AMENDED
Jun 2, 2026
City Council
meeting page
Held · RECOMMITTED8–0, 1 absent
- Anthony CoghillY
- Barbara WarwickY
- Deborah L. GrossY
- Erika StrassburgerY
- Khari MosleyY
- Kim SalinetroY
- R. Daniel LavelleY
- Robert CharlandY
- Bobby Wilson—
Jun 2, 2026
City Council
meeting page
Held · Held for Cablecast Public Hearing8–0, 1 absent
- Anthony CoghillY
- Barbara WarwickY
- Deborah L. GrossY
- Erika StrassburgerY
- Khari MosleyY
- Kim SalinetroY
- R. Daniel LavelleY
- Robert CharlandY
- Bobby Wilson—
Jun 24, 2026
City Council
meeting page
Passed · Passed Finally8–0, 1 absent
- Anthony CoghillY
- Bobby WilsonY
- Deborah L. GrossY
- Erika StrassburgerY
- Khari MosleyY
- Kim SalinetroY
- R. Daniel LavelleY
- Robert CharlandY
- Barbara Warwick—

Source text

From the legislative file

..title
Ordinance amending and supplementing the Pittsburgh Code of Ordinances, Title Seven, Business Licensing, Article Nine, Amusement Businesses with a new Chapter, Chapter 774: Mechanical Amusement Devices Tax and Licenses.
(Public Hearing held 6/23/26)

..body
Whereas, nearly 1 in 5 municipalities in this Commonwealth require the licensing of mechanical amusement devices, including half of Allegheny County's 130 municipalities; and,

Whereas, there has been a marked proliferation of mechanical devices in establishments all over the City; and,

Whereas, the City needs to identify revenue sources which do not further burden city homeowners or renters: and,

Whereas, the City ended 2025 with a deficit, its first since 2003, when the City was declared a financially distressed municipality and its finances taken over by the Commonwealth.

Be it therefore resolved that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. The Pittsburgh Code of Ordinances, Title Seven, Business Licensing, Article Nine, Amusement Businesses is hereby amended and supplemented with a new chapter, Chapter 774: Mechanical Amusement Devices Tax and Licenses.

CHAPTER 774: MECHANICAL AMUSEMENT DEVICES TAX AND LICENSES.
� 774.01 - Title.
This Chapter shall be known as the "City of Pittsburgh Amusement Device Ordinance."
� 774.02 - Definitions.
Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following words and phrases, used in this chapter or in an application for license of amusement devices, shall have the meaning given to them in this section.
AMUSEMENT DEVICE - The amusement devices and apparatus to be covered by this chapter shall be divided into three classes:
A. Class I. Class I devices include poker machines, video slot machines, video sweepstakes machines, and any other type of purely amusement device permitted by law.
B. Class II. Class II devices include machines which offer prizes for amusement such as stuffed animals, toys, candy or other items.
C. Class III. Class III devices include machines and apparatus used for entertainment and public participation for sport which includes, but is not limited to, darts, jukeboxes, pool tables, pinball machines, shuffleboard machines and children's video games.

APPLICANT - Any individual, partnership or corporation who seeks to obtain a license for an amusement device under this chapter.
APPLICATION FOR LICENSE OF AMU

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