Waynesboro, like Staunton, warns business owners that 'skill games' are illegal
WAYNESBORO — The City of Waynesboro will enforce a ban on "skill game" machines before the year is out, police said Tuesday.
In 2020, the Virginia General Assembly enacted laws declaring skill game machines to be illegal gambling devices. The laws, which were amended by the General Assembly in 2022, made possessing, operating, or playing skill games a criminal offense. It also provided both civil and criminal penalties for those operating such devices, police said in a press release.
But after a lawsuit was filed in Emporia Circuit Court challenging the ban, the court entered an injunction prohibiting enforcement of the ban until a trial could be held. Because of this injunction, many jurisdictions allowed the continued operation of the gambling devices, including Staunton and Waynesboro.
On Oct. 13, the Virginia Supreme Court vacated the lower court’s decision and lifted the injunction that prevented the enforcement of the code sections, prompting local officials to begin enacting the ban.
In light of the state supreme court’s ruling, and based upon the provisions of the Virginia Code that prohibit the playing or offering of skill games, police and the Waynesboro Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office will resume enforcement of the ban Dec. 1, the release said.
In the meantime, the Waynesboro Police Department will be notifying establishments known to utilize skill games about the reinstatement of the ban on the machines.
Last week, Staunton announced that Commonwealth’s Attorney Jeffrey Gaines will grant a grace period through Jan. 1 to allow time to educate the public, and for city businesses to remove their skill games before the year is out.
Virginia’s attorney general has recommended that no enforcement action regarding skill games starts before Nov. 15.
Brad Zinn is the cops, courts and breaking news reporter at The News Leader. Have a news tip? Or something that needs investigating? You can email reporter Brad Zinn (he/him) at bzinn@newsleader.com. You can also follow him on X (formerly Twitter).
This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Waynesboro set to jettison so-called 'skill game' machines
