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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>76128</law_id><section_number>18.2-331.1</section_number><catch_line>Operation of gambling devices at unregulated locations; civil penalty</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>8.01-534</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="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> In addition to any other <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> provided by <span class="dictionary">law</span>, any person who conducts, finances, manages, supervises, directs, sells, or owns a gambling device that is located in an unregulated location is subject to a civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> of up to $25,000 for each gambling device located in such unregulated location. <a id="paragraph-273235" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-331.1/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span>, an attorney for the Commonwealth, or the attorney for any locality may cause an action in <span class="dictionary">equity</span> to be brought in the name of the Commonwealth or of the locality, as applicable, to immediately enjoin the operation of a gambling device in violation of this section and to request an <span class="dictionary">attachment</span> against all such devices and any moneys within such devices pursuant to Chapter 20 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Who may sue out attachment" href="/8.01-533/">8.01-533</a> et seq.) of Title 8.01, and to recover the civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> of up to $25,000 per device. <a id="paragraph-273236" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-331.1/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> In any action brought under this section, the <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span>, the attorney for the Commonwealth, or the attorney for the locality may recover reasonable expenses incurred by the state or local agency in investigating and preparing the case, and attorney fees. <a id="paragraph-273237" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-331.1/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Any civil penalties assessed under this section in an action in <span class="dictionary">equity</span> brought in the name of the Commonwealth shall be paid into the Literary Fund. Any civil penalties assessed under this section in an action in <span class="dictionary">equity</span> brought in the name of a locality shall be paid into the general fund of the locality. <a id="paragraph-273238" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-331.1/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 329, 546; 2022, c. 553.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
