Pennsylvania businesses were required to remove unlicensed “skill games” from their premises by Wednesday, when state police gained authority to seize machines that remain in place. The slot machine-like devices are commonly found in bars, convenience stores and fraternal organizations. State police have warned that simply unplugging or disabling a machine does not satisfy the requirement; it must be removed from the property. The deadline follows a Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling in June that classified the games as slot machines under the state Gaming Act, making them unlawful outside licensed gaming facilities. The court allowed a four-month pause before enforcement, giving businesses time to comply and lawmakers an opportunity to establish rules for the machines. Legislators have not passed such a measure. Gov. Josh Shapiro said Monday that state police had notified businesses of the deadline and would enforce the law. He said enforcement would be carried out “not in a heavy-handed way, but in a respectful way in the community.” Attorney General Dave Sunday said last month that he hoped to avoid searches and seizures at storefronts, bars, social clubs and restaurants. His office said it would work with law enforcement to enforce the restriction. Casinos and truck stops licensed by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board may still operate authorized slot machines and video gaming terminals. The state attorney general’s office estimates that about 70,000 skill games operate in Pennsylvania. Legalizing and taxing them could bring in hundreds of millions of dollars, but legislators remain divided over where that money should go. Shapiro and House Democrats have argued for directing revenue to public transit; Senate Republicans have proposed putting it in the state’s General Fund, as Pennsylvania faces a projected budget shortfall. Lawmakers left Harrisburg last week without taking action and are scheduled to return next week, before a recess extending beyond November’s midterm elections. Until they enact a new law, the court ruling and enforcement deadline govern the machines’ status.