![Virginia legislators, [from left] GOP Sen. Timmy French, GOP Delegate Terry Kilgore, Democratic Senators Aaron Rouse and Louise Lucas and Delegate Suhas Subramanyam unite around an effort to legalize, regulate and tax skill games in Virginia.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7ba4009/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1176x781+0+0/resize/840x558!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F3e%2F2f%2F53f901f445dda68a3b5556de611b%2Fskill-game-presser.PNG)
Members of the General Assembly are considering a bill that would allow more gambling at convenience stores and truck stops.
During the pandemic, convenience store owners and truck stop owners benefited financially from having games similar to slot machines in their businesses. Now, lawmakers are considering a bill that would bring them back permanently. Senator Adam Ebbin is a Democrat from Alexandria who says he's concerned.
"These machines are there when you’re there to buy milk or eggs or chewing gum. Regardless of your age, they can be enticing," he says. "And there's not really a great system or a secure system in place to keep underage people from losing money on them."
The bill to allow so-called skill games in convenience stores and truck stops and restaurants was introduced by Senator Aaron Rouse, a Democrat from Virginia Beach.
"Gaming is here in the state of Virginia. It's available on your mobile phones as well and to my knowledge everyone seems to have a mobile phone today," says Rouse. "But I am interested in making sure that not only is skill games safe, but it is enforced and protected so that everyone involved can be protected."
The bill has already been approved by one Senate panel, although it still needs to be approved by the Senate Finance Committee before it goes to the Senate floor.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
