The number of historical horse racing machines at Rosie’s Gaming Emporium in Richmond has increased from the original 700-machine limit to nearly 1,200 following an expansion approved by the Virginia Racing Commission. This approval was granted via email by a former Commission staffer shortly after a request from Colonial Downs Group and its parent company, Churchill Downs, without a public meeting or formal vote. The Richmond facility now houses more than twice the number of machines as the Colonial Downs track itself, raising concerns from two state lawmakers about the legality and transparency of the process, especially given state rules restricting machine deployment within 35 miles of authorized casino host cities like Petersburg.

Despite these concerns and a formal request from lawmakers to delay license renewal pending answers, the Racing Commission renewed the Richmond license without addressing the issues. Churchill Downs maintains that all approvals were obtained in accordance with state law, emphasizing the facility’s contributions to local charities and tax revenues. The controversy highlights tensions between the original intent of Virginia’s 2018 law to support live horse racing through limited machine deployment and the current expansion, which critics argue resembles casino-scale growth contrary to legislative caps and regulatory intent. Meanwhile, the state administration signals support for reforming gambling oversight in Virginia.