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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>74036</law_id><section_number>18.2-325</section_number><catch_line>Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>18.2-326</reference><reference>18.2-334</reference><reference>19.2-215.1</reference><reference>2.2-614.3</reference><reference>52-53</reference><reference>58.1-4003</reference><reference>59.1-397</reference><reference>59.1-569</reference><reference>6.2-603.1</reference><reference>8.01-216.3</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="18.2">Crimes and Offenses Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="8">Crimes Involving Morals and Decency</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">Gambling</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Illegal gambling</span>&#x201D; means the making, placing, or receipt of any bet or wager in the Commonwealth of money or other consideration or thing of value, made in exchange for a chance to win a prize, stake, or other consideration or thing of value, dependent upon the result of any game, contest, or any other event the outcome of which is uncertain or a matter of chance, whether such game, contest, or event occurs or is to occur inside or outside the limits of the Commonwealth.
			For the purposes of this subdivision and notwithstanding any provision in this section to the contrary, the making, placing, or receipt of any bet or wager of money or other consideration or thing of value shall include the purchase of a product, Internet access, or other thing made in exchange for a chance to win a prize, stake, or other consideration or thing of value by means of the operation of a gambling device as described in subdivision 3 b, regardless of whether the chance to win such prize, stake, or other consideration or thing of value may be offered in the absence of a purchase.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Illegal gambling</span>&#x201D; also means the playing or offering for play of any <span class="dictionary">skill game</span>. <a id="paragraph-266288" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-325/#1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Interstate gambling</span>&#x201D; means the conduct of an enterprise for profit that engages in the purchase or sale within the Commonwealth of any interest in a lottery of another state or country whether or not such interest is an actual lottery ticket, receipt, contingent promise to pay, <span class="dictionary">order</span> to purchase, or other record of such interest. <a id="paragraph-266289" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-325/#2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="3"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> &#x201C;Gambling device&#x201D; includes:
			a. Any device, machine, paraphernalia, equipment, or other thing, including books, records, and other papers, which are actually used in an <span class="dictionary">illegal gambling</span> operation or activity;
			b. Any machine, apparatus, implement, instrument, contrivance, board, or other thing, or electronic or video versions thereof, including but not limited to those dependent upon the insertion of a coin or other <span class="dictionary">object</span> for their operation, which operates, either completely automatically or with the aid of some physical act by the player or <span class="dictionary">operator</span>, in such a manner that, depending upon elements of chance, it may eject something of value or determine the prize or other thing of value to which the player is entitled, provided, however, that the return to the user of nothing more than additional chances or the right to use such machine is not deemed something of value within the meaning of this subsection; and provided further, that machines that only sell, or entitle the user to, items of merchandise of equivalent value that may differ from each other in composition, size, shape, or color, shall not be deemed gambling devices within the meaning of this subsection; and
			c. <span class="dictionary">Skill games</span>.
			Such devices are no less gambling devices if they indicate beforehand the definite result of one or more operations but not all the operations. Nor are they any less a gambling device because, apart from their use or adaptability as such, they may also sell or deliver something of value on a basis other than chance. <a id="paragraph-266290" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-325/#3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="4"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Operator</span>&#x201D; includes any person, firm, or association of persons, who conducts, finances, manages, supervises, directs, or owns all or part of an <span class="dictionary">illegal gambling</span> enterprise, activity, or operation. <a id="paragraph-266291" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-325/#4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="5"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> &#x201C;Skill&#x201D; means the knowledge, dexterity, or any other ability or expertise of a natural person. <a id="paragraph-266292" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-325/#5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="6"><p><span class="prefix-number">6.</span> &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Skill game</span>&#x201D; means an electronic, computerized, or mechanical contrivance, terminal, machine, or other device that requires the insertion of a coin, currency, ticket, token, or similar <span class="dictionary">object</span> to operate, activate, or play a game, the outcome of which is determined by any element of skill of the player and that may deliver or entitle the person playing or operating the device to receive cash or cash equivalents, gift cards, vouchers, billets, tickets, tokens, or electronic credits to be exchanged for cash or cash equivalents whether the payoff is made automatically from the device or manually. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Skill game</span>&#x201D; includes (i) a device that contains a meter or measurement device that records the number of free games or portions of games that are rewarded and (ii) a device designed or adapted to enable a person using the device to increase the chances of winning free games or portions of games by paying more than the amount that is ordinarily required to play the game. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Skill game</span>&#x201D; does not include any amusement device, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Exemptions to article; amusement devices" href="/18.2-334.6/">18.2-334.6</a>. <a id="paragraph-266293" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-325/#6"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="7"><p><span class="prefix-number">7.</span> &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Unregulated location</span>&#x201D; means any location that is not regulated or operated by the Virginia Lottery or Virginia Lottery Board, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority, or the Virginia Racing Commission. <a id="paragraph-266294" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-325/#7"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1975, cc. 14, 15; 1992, c. 423; 2010, c. 877; 2011, cc. 879, 887; 2019, c. 761; 2020, cc. 1217, 1277; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 329, 546; 2022, cc. 554, 609; 2022, Sp. Sess. I, c. 2; 2023, Sp. Sess. I, c. 1.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
