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What are fish table games?
Fish table games are screen games where players fire at moving fish and other targets and get paid according to what they hit. Players buy credits, and winnings can be cashed out in many venues. They appear as multi-player tables in arcades and storefronts, and versions also appear online. They are not licensed casino games in the states we have read about.
Are fish table games skill or chance?
Whether fish table games involve skill or chance is the central dispute, and one court has decided it against the operators. In the North Carolina case, the operators' expert said players can learn patterns and improve. The police chiefs' expert said the screen is so crowded that a player cannot avoid hitting a fish, and that there is no pattern to which fish get hit. The court ruled that it is a game of chance.
Where have authorities acted against fish tables and similar games?
State and local authorities have acted against fish tables in the cases below, which are the ones we read about. They do not cover every state.
| State | What happened | Date |
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | The Court of Appeals called a fish table game a game of chance, drawing partly on a state Supreme Court ruling from 2022 | Reported August 14, 2023 |
| Colorado | Cañon City police seized gambling devices from a skill-game business, and warned that businesses advertising fish games often use devices classed as gambling machines | November 2025 |
| Pennsylvania | The state Supreme Court held that skill games count as slot machines under state law, and police began asking the public to report them. The report does not mention fish games | Order in effect October 14, 2026 |
Can you get in trouble for playing fish table games?
Possibly, and it depends on your state. In the Colorado case, police said they did not plan to charge patrons of that business, but also said employees and patrons involved in gambling could face misdemeanor charges. Ask a lawyer licensed in your state if you need a firm answer. This is information, not legal advice.
Are online fish games any different?
We found no ruling aimed at online versions in our research. If a site offers fish games with redeemable coins, the same questions apply as for any sweepstakes casino, along with your state's law. Check your state page. A claim that a game takes skill does not settle whether it is legal.
What are the rules in your state?
Each state sets its own online casino rules. Pick a state to see its status, its regulator and the date we last checked it.
Read next: How they work
Sources
Checked November 5, 2026. Regulator rules were read through the sources listed, and they can change. How we research.
- Global Gaming Business: North Carolina court calls fish tables illegal (August 14, 2023)
- KKTV: gambling devices seized in Cañon City (November 10, 2025)
- Casino.org: Pennsylvania State Police on illegal skill games (October 20, 2026)