Virginia Skill Game Lobby Has Funneled Millions to State Lawmakers in Recent Years
Posted on: March 23, 2026, 11:06h.
Last updated on: March 23, 2026, 12:08h.
- Virginia skill game backers in Richmond received millions in campaign contributions
- Virginia lawmakers have sent the governor a bill to legalize and regulate the slot-like games
- Aaron Rouse sued the NFL on allegations that he’s been wrongly denied disability benefits
Virginia lawmakers had millions of reasons to support legislation to return controversial slot-like gaming machines to corner stores, newly disclosed campaign finance reports reveal.
Earlier this month, lawmakers in Richmond signed off on a Senate Bill 661 compromise. The bill, should Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) sign or allow the statute to become law, would authorize up to 25,000 skill games in the commonwealth.
Commonly branded Queen of Virginia, the gaming terminals combine elements of skill and chance, where a player can alter their payout rate. The games were temporarily legalized during the COVID-19 pandemic. The provision expired July 1, 2021, though court injunctions kept the machines on until October 2023.
Georgia-based Pace-O-Matic (POM) is the prominent player in the skill game industry. Lobbying reports assembled by the Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP) nonprofit show that POM injected millions of dollars into Virginia politics in recent years.
Many of SB611’s supporters, including bill sponsor Sen. Aaron Rouse (D-Virginia Beach), were among POM’s biggest beneficiaries.
SB611 allows businesses at least 10 miles from a casino to host skill games. The games are to be regulated by the Virginia Lottery Board. Rouse’s bill sets max bets at $5, and wins are capped at $4,000. The minimum age to play is 21. Virginia will take a 25% cut of each skill game’s gross revenue.
Virginia Skill Game Donations
VPAP discloses that Pace-O-Matic has spent over $3.57 million since 2023 in Virginia.
Virginia Sen. L. Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth), the self-described “Casino Queen” of Virginia for her decades-long pursuit to bring casinos to the commonwealth, received $142,500 from POM. She also received $22,500 from Paul Goldean, POM’s CEO. Lucas was a steadfast supporter of SB611, despite skill games possibly poised to poach some play from casinos. Rouse was well-rewarded by POM for his championing of SB611. His campaigns received $335,000 from POM and its executives.
Another major POM beneficiary was Del. Don Scott (D-Portsmouth). He received $121,000 from POM and its associates. Scott was a constant “yes” vote on SB611.
Spanberger has not yet signed or weighed in on SB611. But POM also gave to the governor, though such support only came after she won last November’s gubernatorial election. POM cut a $50,000 check for Spanberger’s Inaugural Committee.
Rouse Response
Rouse says his legislation is designed to help Virginians and small businesses.
I’m fighting in the General Assembly for what matters most: affordable housing, accessible health care, real transparency, protected voting rights, and good-paying jobs,” Rouse said.
Skill game proponents say the added revenue has allowed small businesses to avoid layoffs amid high inflation.
Earlier this month, Rouse, a former professional football player, sued the NFL on allegations that he’s been wrongly denied disability benefits. Rouse played three years in the NFL. He claims doctors have rendered him “totally impaired” due to multiple concussions.
“The medical evidence from treating physicians, including Dr. Felix Kirven, Dr. Scott Sautter, and Dr. Alan Wagner, supported Rouse’s claim that he is totally and permanently disabled due to the cumulative effects of multiple concussions and other injuries sustained during his NFL career,” Rouse’s complaint read.
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