Richmond, Jan. 10, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pace-O-Matic of Virginia applauds the Virginia Supreme Court’s decision today to reject a request from the state to end the operation of skill games. Click here to view the court's order.
The court’s ruling means small businesses in Virginia can keep benefiting from skill games. The decision comes after NASCAR driver and truck stop owner Hermie Sadler sued Virginia saying it violated his constitutional right when it shut down skill games on July 1, 2021. A judge in December allowed for a temporary injunction so that businesses could again operate skill games leading up to a May 18, 2022 hearing of Sadler’s case.
“We are pleased the court upheld the temporary injunction,” said Mike Barley, spokesman for Pace-O-Matic of Virginia. “Skill games are vitally important to struggling restaurant and bar owners because of the added revenue they provide. I am optimistic the court decision in May will go in favor of small businesses and legal skill games.”
“In the meantime, we will continue to work with the legislature to further regulate and tax our industry, so we can support small businesses and provide additional tax revenue to the Commonwealth. Regulation efforts must include
Barley said Pace-O-Matic of Virginia supports legislation that taxes and regulates skill games. He explained that since the state ended the legal operation of skill games — and walked away from millions of state tax dollars provided by the games — illegal games have swept the state.
“The Commonwealth has done nothing to stop the spread of illegal games,” Barley said. “We shut down our skill games last June to follow the law, yet officials continue to turn a blind eye to all the illegal games spreading across the state that don’t help businesses and don’t provide revenue to the state.”
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