Virginians could have a tougher time buying lottery tickets
By Kate Northrop
Nearly a month after hundreds of Virginia Lottery retailers participated in a temporary boycott of ticket sales to protest the ban of skill games, many of those stores are now refusing to sell tickets altogether.
In protest of a recent amendment made to a bill that regulates the operation of skill games in the state, licensed Virginia Lottery retailers have taken last month's ticket sale boycott a step further and is halting all ticket sales until further notice.
Prior to the implementation of amendments to Senate Bill 212 on Oct. 13, 2023, skill game machines were a common sight in many convenience stores. Following the changes, which essentially function as an outright ban, these machines are essentially collecting dust in stores across the state of Virginia.
For many convenience stores, inflation, rising costs, and competition from nearby small businesses and big chain stores alike mean that lottery ticket sales are crucial to keep bringing customers in. The same can be said for skill games, several convenience store owners have said, and they make up a decent chunk of revenue that helps keep their doors open.
The amendments to the skill game regulation bill include a 35% tax rate for businesses that operate skill games — not that it matters. Since the bill also bans skill games within 35 miles of a casino or other gaming establishment, as well as gaming machines within a half-mile of any daycare, school, and place of worship, it is nearly impossible for any retailer in the entire state to even house an operational machine.
In response, about 500 brick-and-mortar retailers shut down their lottery terminals for one day to demonstrate "the economic impact that the closing of convenience stores will have on the Virginia Lottery and the tax revenue they generate."
It's not personal, Zahid Hussain, an owner of three gas station convenience stores in the Richmond area, told media interviewers last month. Stores are looking to grab the government's attention, and seeing how the Virginia Lottery is government-run, ticket sales became the target.
And now, retailers are taking it a step further.
On Thursday at 5:00 pm EST, convenience stores across the state shut down their lottery terminals altogether, ceasing the sale of all lottery tickets until further notice.
The Virginia Merchants and Amusement Coalition (VA MAC) called on "Governor Youngkin and members of the General Assembly to reverse the Governor's amendments and keep the original version of SB 212, the skill game regulation bill, in place" last month. This week, VA MAC President and owner of Hard Times Café Rich Kelly called on retailers to block all lottery ticket sales at least through Friday and into the weekend.
"This is about looking out for Virginia's small businesses who count on skill games to create local jobs, generate revenue, and support economic growth in our communities," Kelly said.
Munir Rassiwala, who owns nine convenience stores in Central Virginia, told ABC 8 that he had to remove between 50 and 60 skill game machines from his properties since the ban went into effect earlier this year.
"It's a big impact," he said in an interview. "Our sales have been down 20% with this inflation index that is going on. I'm at the verge of laying some people off because we had extra staff during when we had the skill games; we could afford that staff."
Rassiwala and other store owners expressed hope that the revenue loss incurred as a result of halting ticket sales will be enough to convince legislation to reconsider returning to the regulation bill as it was prior to the amendments.
According to Virginia Lottery sales data, Virginia Lottery retailers make up a little over half of all ticket sales, the other half being attributed to online sales. That comes to $2.42 billion in brick-and-mortar sales per year, meaning retailers sell on average $6.6 million in lottery tickets every day.
"By stopping Virginia Lottery sales, convenience store owners across the Commonwealth will show the economic impact that the closing of convenience stores will have on the Virginia Lottery and the tax revenue they generate," a VA MAC press release reads. "They will also show their continued support for legislative champions who continue to fight for small businesses."
It is unclear when these select retail locations will collectively decide to start offering the sale of tickets again. Virginia legislation budget talks are ongoing, with a vote for a new state budget planned for May 15.
Where do the guys get the revenue to own multiple convenience 🏪 stores and/or ⛽ stations ? One guy owned nine across the state.
People don't one day decide to own nine stores. They start with one, and when their business does well due to their hard work, they take the profits and start another one. Rather than spreading themselves thin, they hire managers to run the stores. Then they do it again when their success and hard work allows them to. Maybe their consistent profits convinces a bank that they will stay in business, so the bank is willing to give them a loan to do it a few more times, more quickly this time.
It's just the process of growing a business, and people who are serious about it (rather than just relaxing nights and weekends) can do really well through their hard hard work. Literally anyone can do it, but only if willing to dedicate themselves to the task for a long time.
Exactly. Hard workers can accomplish a lot in life. One has to be willing to make sacrifices. I have found that those who resent the success of others, tend to be people who think they should be handed things in life for free.
I'm pretty sure that's how it's supposed to work, but some people have an advantage in life. Not everyone starts from ground zero. Ever heard of generational wealth being passed down or emigrating from a country and being handed funds to start businesses. No taxes Guess that never crossed your mind huh ?
Not everyone in life works hard. Ever heard of generational wealth, pass me downs, hand outs ? Surely you've heard of nepotism, cronyism, favoritism. Thought so
Its not alway hard work.Sometimes they get bank loans others don't get
You might want to look at some statistics about generational wealth. A great resource is a book called The Millionaire Next Door. Most generational wealth is gone by the 3rd generation.
It takes hard work to keep wealth. You really have to stop resenting people and making excuses for people who are wealthier than you are, regardless of the reasons behind their success. That toxicity and jealousy will interfere with your own success in life. Yes, the world is not fair and never will be.
Sure, there's some small number of people out there with generational wealth. Most small business owners are not like that. They start from nothing and create something of value over time.
I know that because I did it myself. I have worked since I was 10. I have no college degree. I left the house at 18 and everything I built I did so on my own. And for the last 25 years I have worked every single day without a break. Almost 10,000 days without a day off. So the "handed funds", "no taxes", and "did not cross your mind" thing is really inappropriate.
My philosophy is no excuses.
Respectfully disagree. That book came out in the 90s so the data is very dated. Any statistical data will tell you most millionaires and billionaires are not self made. The hard work myth is just Survivorship bias. It always disregards people with the same ability, work ethic, and intelligence that didn’t make it.
Look at the current list of Forbes wealthiest people and the source of the wealth is inherited for the majority. Very few people are self made or come from the working poor class. Plenty of people work hard and never will become wealthy and successful. Society is not a meritocracy and it takes more than intelligence and "hard work". Success is not guaranteed. There's so many factors at play beyond hard work. People may be jealous and envious but it's understandable with the growing wealth inequality in this world.
The principles in the book are timeless.
Look up the Ramsey study. 79% of millionaires did not receive any inheritance from family members and the majority made their money only from their job. Common jobs like teachers, engineers, etc.
Whining about not being a billionaire is silly.
Socialism fails every single time and only the party leaders get rich.
According to Forbes, 70% of billionaires on the Forbes 400 in 2023 were self made. This was up from less than half in 1984.
Then, those in Virginia can go left, right, or up to the neighboring states to purchase their lottery tickets, just like I had to do in Mississippi before the lottery. You journey to the neighboring states, and buy your lottery tickets there.