Virginia’s struggle over skill games took another turn when a judge ruled that Pace-O-Matic’s new Queen of Virginia Skill 2 (QVS2) does not break state law. The court found that a simple adjustment to how players pay to access the game moved it outside the ban.
Good to know
- Skill games were declared illegal in Virginia again in October 2023.
- New Queen of Virginia Skill 2 machines need a cash unlock, not a coin or token.
- Governor Glenn Youngkin accuses POM of acting in bad faith.
The updated machines do not require coins, tickets, or tokens to start. Instead, a player hands cash directly to the machine operator, who then unlocks the game. Once the buy-in is spent, players can either reload with more cash or collect any winnings from the operator.
Governor Glenn Youngkin did not hold back. He said POM’s move was a breach of trust with the state, according to the Charlotte Daily Progress. He added that the company could have chosen to negotiate honestly about legalising the games.
In his decision, Hanover County District Court Judge Hugh McConnell dismissed a charge against a store owner who had offered the updated machines. He pointed out that Virginia law specifically bans devices activated by a coin, ticket, or token. Because the QVS2 requires a cash unlock instead, the game falls outside that definition.
Skill games first faced a ban in Virginia back in 2020. Regulators and law enforcement had argued they were no different from illegal slot machines. But enforcement was paused for a year during the Covid-19 pandemic, giving small businesses some breathing room.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Jason Miyares saw things differently. After QVS2 machines began appearing in 2023, he sent a memo warning that the change was only cosmetic and that the machines were still illegal in spirit.
McConnell’s ruling also raised questions about the law itself. He said the language was too vague, making it hard for business owners to know which games were allowed.
Efforts to rewrite the rules failed in 2024. Lawmakers rejected Youngkin’s proposal to regulate skill games with stricter oversight. As a result, he vetoed a bill that would have otherwise legalised them.
Although the machines remain in operation for now, Virginia officials are likely to keep pushing back. Future legal battles or legislative changes could once again change the status of skill games across the state.
POM introduced the updated version of Queen of Virginia Skill 2 during the summer of 2023, betting that small technical changes would protect the machines. For now, that gamble has paid off.
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