skill games | ALXnow

Councilman Aguirre pushes back against skill games legalization bill, citing harms

Published February 5, 2026 at 2:45PM

Skill games being played at Tiger Mart, 3903 Mount Vernon Avenue in Arlandria, March 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Councilman Canek Aguirre has asked state lawmakers to oppose a bill that would legalize skill games in Virginia, citing harmful impacts of the games on local business owners.

The bill, sponsored by State Sen. Aaron Rouse (D-22), calls for the regulation and taxation of skill game machines. It would cap the number of machines in Virginia at 35,000, impose an $800 gaming tax per machine and limit wagers from users to $5 per play. It was rereferred last week to the Finance and Appropriations Committee.

Skill games crackdown, dating fraud death lead week’s top Alexandria stories

By James Cullum

Published August 15, 2025 at 3:30PM

Skill games at Tiger Mart & Bakery, 3903 Mount Vernon Avenue in the city's Arlandria neighborhood (staff photo by James Cullum)

Welcome to Friday, Alexandria! Here’s our recap of the most-read stories.

Our top story this week is on two Alexandria business owners charged with possession of an illegal gambling device for operating skill games. The news marks the first indictments against Alexandria business owners for the devices. Dozens of skill game machines operate at multiple convenience and grocery stores in the West End and Arlandria neighborhoods, despite police hand-delivering warning letters to more than a dozen offending businesses. Skill games were outlawed as illegal gaming by the Virginia legislature in 2020, and Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter told ALXnow that his office is assessing “all potential investigative leads.”

Skill games put in ‘murky situation’ after recent ruling, says Alexandria Commonwealth’s Attorney

By James Cullum

Published April 28, 2025 at 11:00AM

Skill games at La Feria Latina Grocery at 3842 Mount Vernon Avenue in March 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

A recent ruling in Hanover County dismissing a case against a skill games operator has put the anti-gambling effort into a tailspin in Alexandria.

General District Court Judge Hugh Campbell dismissed a case against a convenience store owner in Hanover County and found that new QVS2 (Queen of Virginia) machines by Pace-O-Matic that are unlocked when customers give clerks cash are not illegal gambling devices. The ruling has sent Alexandria’s Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter and his staff back to the drawing board.