RICHMOND, Va. — There is now a halt on the sale of Virginia Lottery tickets in hundreds of convenience stores across the Commonwealth.
It started Thursday night as a result of organizers who say there is still no path forward in protecting skill games in Virginia.
Muir Rassiwala is a Virginia business owner partaking in the boycott. He says he is frustrated over the future of skill games in the state.
Rassiwala said he was optimistic after lawmakers passed legislation to bring the games back. But he said his mood turned when Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin added significant amendments to the bill passed.
Those amendments would allow localities to ban skill games, put further restrictions on where they could be located and change how much they would be taxed.
The General Assembly rejected those amendments.
“We need the lawmakers and the governor to come to a resolution which is in the interest of small business and allows skill games to continue,” Rassiwala said.
That’s why he and hundreds of convenience stores that are a part of the Virginia Merchants and Amusement Coalition began boycotting ahead of lawmakers reconvening for a special session.