Spanberger vetoed Virginia’s skill gaming legalization, citing oversight and enforcement gaps, highlighting the impact on vulnerable communities.
VIRGINIA, USA — Governor Abigail Spanberger has vetoed legislation that would have legalized skill gaming machines across Virginia, citing concerns about oversight, enforcement, and community impact.
The governor said the Commonwealth still lacks a centralized, independent authority to regulate all forms of legal gaming.
Spanberger pointed to data from the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority showing that when skill games were temporarily legal between 2020 and 2021, machines were disproportionately located in communities with higher poverty rates, lower education levels, and larger minority populations.
“The absence of a centralized regulatory authority for gaming creates gaps in oversight that threaten the Commonwealth of Virginia’s ability to provide consistent enforcement, prevent illicit activity, and protect all consumers,” Spanberger said in a statement.
She added that legalizing skill games now would strain an already fragmented system and could reward operators who ignored state law in the past.
“Legalizing these machines at this moment would also reward operators who knowingly disregarded state law for years and set a troubling precedent for how business is conducted in Virginia,” she said.
The veto comes as gaming continues to expand across the state, from casinos to sports betting. Spanberger reiterated she is open to future discussions with lawmakers but wants any expansion to prioritize consumer protection and stronger oversight.
Her administration has backed the creation of a single regulatory body to oversee gaming. Earlier this year, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Katie Frazier voiced support for that approach during legislative testimony.
The governor also vetoed separate legislation this week tied to a proposed casino referendum in Tysons in Northern Virginia.