Virginia skill games regulation advances

The US state of Virginia has moved another step closer to regulating skill games.

As reported by the Associated Press, state lawmakers passed legislation allowing the use of the games on Friday.

To fully regulate and tax the machines, Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin must sign the bill into law.

While casino games are based around luck or chance, the debate in Virginia centres around games where winnings can be taken through an element of skill.

Many US states have debated their impact and influence on the gaming industry in the US.

In Virginia, skill game developer Pace-O-Matic was a key supporter of the legislation, the Associated Press reported.

Rich Kelly, a restaurateur and president of the Virginia Merchants and Amusement Coalition, which led the push for the legislation, said “thousands” of businesses rely on the “supplemental, sustainable revenue” provided by skill games, adding the move will “give thousands of small business owners peace of mind knowing they can keep their doors open, create jobs, and support their local communities.”

Virginians Against Neighborhood Slot Machines, which is against the legislation, added: “This is bad policy that would bring an unprecedented expansion of gambling to every corner of Virginia without even attempting to provide basic guardrails including local referendums, legitimate background checks, security or problem gambling regulatory requirements.”