The controversial games were banned by Virginia’s Supreme Court in 2023, but could make a comeback in 2027.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The future of skill game machines in Virginia now rests in the hands of Governor Abigail Spanberger. The controversial games were banned by Virginia’s Supreme Court in 2023, but could make a comeback due to a bill currently sitting on the Governor’s desk.
Senate Bill 661 establishes a long-overdue regulatory framework for skill games, sets a 25% tax rate, and includes critical enforcement measures. It also reduces the number of machines in the Commonwealth by more than 60%.
For business owners, like Mike Wilson, it means the end of a painful process to get the games reinstated.
“There’s been a lot of anger, a lot of waiting,” said Wilson, who’s the owner of Mike’s Break Room in Virginia Beach. “I’m just waiting to see what she does; hopefully, she signs it.”
13News Now spoke to Wilson back in 2023 when the games were first unplugged. Wilson said he wasn’t sure how he was going to survive the next six months without the additional source of income, let alone the next few years.
To stay open, Wilson said he’s been operating in a legal grey area since the ban took effect. While traditional gambling machines are prohibited, some skill-based machines have continued to exist under disputed interpretations of the law.
“It’s illegal to put money into a machine and win money back, that’s what the law says,” said Wilson. “But these new machines — you’re not putting any money into these machines, so it’s a loophole.”
According to state lawmakers, an estimated 90,000 skill game machines are currently operating illegally across Virginia.
Proponents of the bill argue that the legalization of the games will end the grey area and provide needed financial relief to restaurant and bar owners who are struggling to keep their doors open. Opponents said legalizing the games will only lead to increased gambling addictions and crime.
Kevin Whyte, CEO of Safer Gambling Strategies, released a statement after the Senate and House sent the bill to the Governor’s desk:
Governor Spanberger, you have already committed to making Virginia a place where working people can afford to build their lives. I strongly believe skill games move in the opposite direction and function to increase social costs, particularly among people who are financially or emotionally vulnerable as well as those suffering from gambling problems.
If the governor chooses to sign the bill, the games could be back in restaurants and bars by 2027.