When it comes to gambling in Virginia, it seems the people behind the machines are always one step ahead of elected officials.

It started with those “skill games” that subtly made their way into convenience stores and other retail outlets across the state. Their operators discovered a loophole: Games that appeared to test skill, rather than pure chance, were technically legal under existing law. In other words, betting on the outcome of a horse race from years ago takes a degree of skill, while wagering on whether three cherries will appear next to each other is all luck. 

In a letter to the state, regulators admitted the law was vague and enforcement was inconsistent. That was taken as a cue to unleash a wave of machines that seemed to proliferate overnight. Now, the people behind the games people play are counting their winnings after beating the politicians again. 

The Virginia Racing Commission recently approved the “Roseshire” gaming parlor in western Henrico County, billed as a fancy version of the Rosie’s on Midlothian Turnpike. Owned by Colonial Downs, the venue will feature 175 of those historical horse racing machines along with entertainers, simulcast wagering on horse racing around the country, and “exceptional” food and beverages, according to a news release. They’ve already hired 175 people, according to a report, and plan to open on Sept. 29. A news release from the company makes it seem the party might’ve already started and management is preparing something special, just for the occasion: 

“Roseshire will be an upscale and welcoming entertainment and gaming parlor with exciting games, great entertainment and top-tier food and beverage, including an innovative mocktail program we are launching just for Roseshire,” said Jeremy Callahan, general manager of Roseshire. 

Jobs, entertainment options, sounds like the kind of thing that politicians might endorse, right? 

Don’t bet on it. In Henrico, the county government has tried to stymie the project and may not have given up the efforts. According to reports, the gaming parlor is allowed to exist because of a 1992 referendum, in which voters in Henrico approved off-track betting. Talk about playing the long game. 

And yet, no voters in 1992 could have imagined today’s slot-like machines. Henrico officials and state legislators called for a new referendum, only to see that provision stripped by the governor from this year’s legislation in March. 

We concede that Rosehire sounds like a fun time, for people who are into that sort of thing. But the social implications of gaming parlors on the community should be considered, and it appears that a public discussion with county officials and the operators of the facility hasn’t happened yet. There are many issues to discuss — increased traffic, gambling addictions and the economic impact on nearby businesses. 

Henrico leaders say they’ll keep fighting Roseshire’s opening. They should. County residents deserve a voice on what’s landing in their neighborhoods now, not just on decisions made decades ago under a different set of rules. Until lawmakers tighten the laws and close the loopholes, the house will keep cashing in.