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A ballot amendment that would have legalized parimutuel betting at satellite sites has been defeated in Virginia. The measure would have only impacted residents in Pulaski and Amherst counties, and would operate under existing Virginia gaming laws.
Early returns showed that Amherst rejected the referendum by 183 votes, while Pulaski residents came out even stronger against the measure, with a 355-vote margin.
Approval would have established a satellite location for parimutuel betting
Under its current legal framework, bettors can only place wagers on horses at racetracks throughout Virginia. The ballot measure would have permitted bets at state-approved ‘satellite’ facilities.
With a ‘Yes’ vote, the Virginia Racing Commission could move forward with the licensing process for the satellite location.
The Rosie’s connection
Churchill Downs Incorporated owns Rosie’s Gaming Emporium, which operates facilities that house historical horse racing machines. Those machines are utilized in online sweepstakes betting, where results from previous horse races determine the outcome of the iCasino game.
Rosies has facilities that are already in operation throughout Virginia, including Collinsville, Dumfries, and Vinton. Had voters approved the ballot measure, it would have cleared the way for Rosie’s to open additional locations.
With the failure of the measure in Pulaski and Amherst, similar measures will not appear on the ballot until 2029 at the earliest, as the same question cannot appear on a ballot more than once every three years.
