ROANOKE, Va. – Customers file into Mt. Pleasant Quick Mart on Tuesday afternoon. Despite the line, Co-Owner Mark Salamy says he’s lost 30-40% of his business since skill games were banned in Virginia.
“Sometimes we pay our rent from our pocket,” said Salamy. “So it’s hurt a lot.”
The battle over skill games has a long history in the Commonwealth and the fight continues in Richmond. Two bills have passed their respective chambers in the Virginia General Assembly: HB 590 and SB 212. They aim to legalize and regulate skill games and would impose a 15 to 22% tax on the gross revenue of each skill game machine from each distributor.
“We need to get them back,” said Salamy.
One group against skill games is Virginians Against Neighborhood Slot Machines (VANSM). The coalition even released an ad during the Super Bowl. Coalition members include casinos and churches.
“We pray ‘Lead us not into temptation’ and this is a big temptation,” said Rev. Lauren Lobenhofer, the senior pastor at Cave Spring United Methodist Church. “We don’t need to have temptations put in peoples’ faces. Especially when gambling addiction is such a risk for so many people.”
She’s a VANSM ally, but she admits it’s an odd match partnering with casinos that promote gambling.
“I don’t love gambling. I don’t love partnering with casinos. But the enemy of my enemy is my friend in this case,” said Lobenhofer.
She says she supports small businesses but believes the money from skill games doesn’t stay in the community.
“Most of the profits from these gaming projects, from these machines don’t go to those mom-and-pop stores. They go to big corporations. They go to line the pockets of wealthier folks outside the community. Most of this is not remaining local,” said Lobenhofer.
Though Salamy says every little bit counts.
“Everything in [the] convenience store help[s] a lot. It’s a small business. I need help,” said Salamy.
Bow that the bills have passed, they head to the other chamber for consideration.