Lynchburg, Virginia will enforce the State’s wider ban on skill games starting January 1. City officials are now saying residents of the independent city could incur criminal charges for either playing or offering the gaming machines within the city limits.
In July, it was reported that, though legislators banned skill game machines nearly two years ago, appeals on this decision have stalled the ban’s enforcement. In August, a coalition of local citizens in support of skill games was launched but, in October, the court ruled to reinstate the ban.
Local businesses claimed that the loss of skill games in their establishments could impact business revenue. However, due to the ban, a civil citation on places offering gaming devices could also now result in a $25,000 fine per device.
Charges for the illegal possession and operation of the devices could additionally count as a Class I misdemeanor, punishable by either up to 12 months’ jail time, a $2,500 fine or both. Being the operator of an ‘illegal gambling enterprise’ could also result in imprisonment for up to five years, in addition to fines.
Skill games, and the nature of whether they are indeed ‘games of skill,’ or more akin to slot machines, which qualify as ‘games of chance’ have been up for debate in various states at hearings throughout the year.
Pennsylvania held a Senate Democratic Policy Committee Hearing regarding the devices in August, followed by the submission of a legal brief in September and a discussion with skill game and VGT operators in October.
In September, the Michigan Gaming Control Board also seized and destroyed several unlicensed gaming machines; while the Kentucky Senate voted to ban the devices back in March.
