Get Active to Help Poker in Virginia!

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We are currently awaiting the approval of the regulations from the Governor of Virginia Glenn Younkin.  We are also hoping that the Governor will modify a few of the regulations that would make poker in Virginia nearly impossible to facilitate.  The regulations have been in the hands of the Governor since August 2023. 

You can write an email to the Governor of Virginia, Governor Glenn Younkin, and ask him to make the necessary changes to the regulations and sign them so that we can all enjoy the game we love.

You can send your email to this address:

glenn.youngkin@governor.virginia.gov

If you need to, you can copy and paste the email below into your email program, or just click the button below.  

Don't forget to put your name at the bottom!

Dear Governor Youngkin,

I am writing to bring your attention to an area where Virginia charities need your help. A law was passed in 2020 requiring regulations be passed to permit charities to hold Texas Hold 'Em poker tournaments. As you know, Casinos are up and running in VA with the full gamut of gaming, yet charities still cannot hold poker tournaments to supplement bingo which is diminishing in proceeds each year.

Those of us that support charitable poker are still waiting for the regulations to be released. From what we understand the commissioner of VDACS has completed a draft of the regulations and sent them to your office for review. The regulations were published in April then without explanation again in September and now have been in your office close to 2 months.

Even though VDCAS only accepted a tiny fraction of the recommendations that came from over 375 comments mostly from the charities and those that wish to play poker with charities, charities and those that wish to play poker with charities (as opposed to casinos) are left waiting until these regulations are released.

Two major areas of concern:

1.)  The draft regulations do not allow for the dealers and staff members to be tipped.

and 

2.)  The draft regulations have set an unreasonable level of use of proceeds.

We have consulted with national poker experts and all we are asking for is Virginia to match national norms that will be beneficial to the charities conducting the events and the patrons who will come out to play. We feel thus far that we have not been heard and understood. What stands is not helpful to the charities and we are being told to come back if needed. We have been waiting for these regulations for over 3.5 years, please meet with us and allow our voices to be heard to address these simple problems and fixes.

Thank you,

<your name here>

We wish to create and maintain a Charitable Gaming Poker room that serves the public with high quality, professionally run poker that raises money for charity.  Our mission is four fold:

• To preserve the integrity of the game
• To provide excellent customer service
• To ensure a safe and secure place for people to enjoy Poker
• To promote the fun and well being of the game to our patrons

Pop’s Poker is a locally owned, family run, business that endeavors to preserve the integrity of the game, to provide excellent customer service, to ensure  a safe and secure place for people to enjoy their pastime, and to promote the fun and general welfare of the game to our patrons.  We are the first, and largest card room of its kind in the State of Virginia and we run a first class operation giving our players a true “Vegas style” poker playing experience.