Virginia senators hoping to strike compromise on skill gaming rift

Article by : Charles Perrin Feb 27, 2024

• 
• 

A legislative conference committee will be needed to break up the existential deadlock over how skill games should be handled in Virginia.

The rift has raged on for years, with the House and Senate offering dueling approaches about how skill games should be regulated in the commonwealth.

Initially, Virginia temporarily permitted the use of controversial grey machines which bear some resemblance to slots and they can be found in gas stations and restaurants.

However, after such games were deemed illegal by the state in July 2021, proponents of skill games have refused to go away.

Richmond bureaucrats have been in disagreement over the finer details of how skill gaming terminals should be regulated, although House Bill 590 was significantly tweaked and satisfied the House and Senate committees and subcommittees.

Indeed, earlier this month, the legislation passed the House by a vote of 65-34 after big chunks of the bill were amended and rewritten.

HB 590 had initially tabled the idea of taxing skill gaming revenue at 15% and charging a $250 registration fee per machine each year.

But this was then bumped up to 30%, while the Senate had considered hiking up the registration fee to $3,000 per machine.

And now the contentious bill will be brought forward before a legislative conference committee to resolve underlying tensions, with State Sen. Bill Stanley (R-Franklin) revealing the news.

It is hoped that the legislative conference committee could find some middle ground. In Virginia, the committees consist of panels comprising three delegates and three senators, who will try to remedy legislative differences between the House and the Senate.

Should a deal be struck, the conference committee will prepare a resolution to be considered by each legislative chamber.

If there is a majority verdict reached on the compromise, the bill would then go straight to Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s (R) desk.

Youngkin is in favor of skill games and he thinks it would go someway to crack down on rogue operators in the state.

In the meantime, the future of the Virginia gaming bill remains up in the air.