RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Queen of Virginia Skill & Entertainment turned over $6.8 million to the state treasury this month. According to a press release, $5.75 million of that went into the COVID-19 Relief Fund, while over $800,000 will be distributed to localities that host Queen games. Central Virginia localities received a total of $102,240.
The release states that Queen has over 5,700 skill games located in restaurants, bars and convenience stores across the Commonwealth. A new state law went into effect on July 1 requiring skill game manufacturers and distributors to pay $1,200 to the state for each game. Each month 84% of these taxes go to the COVID-19 Relief Fund and the rest are divided up among the localities.
“This represents only funds that Queen has furnished to the state,” says Michael Barley, a company spokesman. “It’s clear that the public loves playing our games, even though they are not going out as often to establishments in their neighborhoods where our games are located.
The release says the company is making sure the proprietors are keeping the machines clean and enforcing social distancing. While the General Assembly will determine how the relief funds are used Queen has decided to use some of their money to provide pizzas to nursing homes.
“We paid seven restaurants in Hampton Roads back in June and another three in the Richmond area on August 19 to make over 400 pizzas to feed employees at 16 senior care facilities in those two regions,” said Queen of Virginia’s Joel Rubin. “They were very grateful, and we were happy to do it.”