SENATOR BRYCE REEVES AND DELEGATE PAUL KRIZEK CELEBRATE CHARITABLE GAMING REFORM BILLS BECOMING LAW

RICHMOND, Va. - Today, Senator Bryce Reeves (R-Spotsylvania) and Delegate Paul Krizek (D-Mount Vernon) announce that their joint legislative effort to reform Virginia’s charitable gaming framework was signed into law. SB 344 and HB 523 build on reforms passed during the last two legislative sessions, allowing organizations qualified to conduct electronic charitable gaming to utilize their gaming proceeds for maintenance and other expenses of their property, as well as lawful religious, charitable, community, or educational purposes.

“This caps a long legislative journey Delegate Krizek and I took to reforming charitable gaming in Virginia into a transparent and fair system, free from conflicts of interests, with clear definitions, penalties, a powerful enforcement arm, and with the goal of raising funds for charity as first and foremost in mind”, Reeves said, and added, “I want to thank Governor Youngkin for recognizing our work and signing these bills.”

“This is the final legislative ingredient to meeting Senator Reeves’ and my goal, when we first began the charitable gaming reform process three years ago, which was to strengthen and modernize a charitable gaming system that keeps the emphasis on charity and helps these legitimate non-profits like the Moose, VFW, and similar fraternal organizations, because what they do for the community is important and beneficial,” Krizek said. 

"Senate Bill 344 and House Bill 523 make major improvements to Virginia's Charitable Gaming regulatory framework. The bills will help Virginia's Moose Lodges fulfill our promise to care for children and seniors for years to come. Virginia's 82 Moose Lodges and 66,000 members appreciate the leadership and hard work of Delegate Paul Krizek and Senator Bryce Reeves to improve Virginia's charitable gaming laws." said the President of the Virginia Moose Association, Wakefield Foster.

Gary Adams, State Commander of the VFW Department of Virginia said, “Senate Bill 344 and House Bill 523 go a long way towards helping veterans’ service organizations and other non-profits keep more of their proceeds from charitable gaming. Virginia VSOs and charitable organizations are on the front line in our communities helping our veterans and Virginians in need. Virginia’s regulated charitable gaming system is what allows us to carry out our chartered and stated missions to Virginia’s veterans and our communities. The Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Virginia appreciates the work of the bills’ patrons, Senator Bryce Reeves and Delegate Paul Krizek, to improve Virginia’s charitable gaming regulations. The VFW thanks Governor Youngkin for signing the bills and appreciates his support for legislation that assists Virginia’s veterans. We look forward to further collaboration with the legislature and the Governor in this process in the coming years.”

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