Spanberger vetoes bill to legalize skill games in Virginia

RICHMOND, Va, (WRIC) -- Skill games will continue to be illegal in Virginia following a Friday afternoon veto from Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D).

On Friday, April 10, Spanberger vetoed Senate Bill 661, which would have legalized up to 25,000 skill game machines in Virginia. These machines resemble slot machines and require bets to play, but they incorporate elements of player skill.

The bill included multiple restrictions on skill game operations, such as limiting convenience stores to a maximum of three machines and restaurants to four. It also included a provision that would have allowed localities to opt out of having skill games via a voter referendum.

This isn't a new debate in Virginia. The legalization of skill games is a topic that has been debated for years and previously vetoed by then-governor Glenn Youngkin (R).

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When issuing her veto on Friday, Spanberger expressed concern that Virginia still lacks a centralized, independent entity to regulate legal gaming.

"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,” she said in a April 10 press release. “Right now, legalizing skill gaming and introducing more of these machines into our communities would strain an already fragmented system. 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."

Spanberger further emphasized that Virginia already has data on how skill gaming impacts communities. Between 2020 and 2021, skill gaming devices were legal in the Commonwealth, and the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (ABC) collected data on device placement, wagers and awards.

"The data clearly show that devices were disproportionately located in communities where higher percentages of the population live below the poverty line, communities with lower rates of educational attainment, and communities where higher percentages of the population are Black and Hispanic," she wrote in her veto statement.

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Spanberger said that, due to skill gaming, "millions of dollars flow[ed] out of these communities" -- all without a proper regulatory entity to keep an eye on things.

"Without an entity in place to evaluate and mitigate social, economic and public impacts, the Commonwealth is not positioned to expand gaming and legalize electronic skill gaming devices," she wrote.

In closing, Spanberger said she remains committed to working with Virginia's legislators on "how to make sure any expansion of legal gaming in Virginia prioritizes the well-being of all our communities."