Virginia: Pulaski and Amherst Voters to Decide Wagering Referendums Linked to Rosie’s

Voters in the Town of Pulaski and in Amherst County, Virginia, will decide on November 3, 2026, whether to allow pari-mutuel wagering, a vote that could open the way for two new Rosie’s Gaming Emporium locations. In Pulaski, only town residents vote on the question; it is not a referendum for all of Pulaski County.

What is actually on the ballot

Both ballots ask whether pari-mutuel wagering should be permitted “at satellite facilities” under Chapter 29 of Title 59.1 of the Code of Virginia, according to Pulaski’s official ballot explanation and Amherst County’s sample ballot. Neither ballot names Rosie’s.

Under state law, a satellite facility cannot be initially licensed in a locality unless its voters approve, Pulaski’s explanation says. It adds that a “yes” vote would permit wagering at a licensed facility “subject to applicable state licensing and regulatory requirements and any required local government approvals.” A “yes” is a first step, not an opening date.

The Pulaski question reached the ballot after at least 5% of the town’s registered voters signed petitions and a circuit court order was issued, Cardinal News reported. Churchill Downs, which owns Rosie’s, and town councilman Joel Burchett Sr. filed the request on July 1.

Machines that look like slots

Rosie’s venues are built around historical horse racing machines. According to Pulaski’s explanation, they operate much like slot machines, except that outcomes are based on the results of past horse races. Guests can also bet on horse racing simulcasts, Virginia Business reported.

They are not full casinos. Cardinal News reported that the venues are legally designated as pari-mutuel historical horse racing facilities and do not offer house-banked table games. Churchill Downs runs eight in Virginia, in Collinsville, Dumfries, Emporia, Hampton, Henrico County, New Kent County, Richmond and Vinton.

Slot-style machines outside casinos are a separate issue in Pennsylvania, where state police have told businesses hosting unlicensed skill-game machines to arrange their removal by October 13, 2026, with enforcement possible from October 14.

Pulaski’s town manager is ready

“I am absolutely looking forward to moving forward as quickly as possible,” Town Manager Todd Day told Virginia Business. He expects a Rosie’s would bring 75 jobs and add $2 million a year to the town’s general fund. Those are his projections. Cardinal News had previously reported an estimate from Day of up to $1 million a year in revenue; neither report explains the difference.

Day also identified two vacant buildings on East Main Street, one in the Pulaski mall and one in Pulaski Plaza, as potential locations, Cardinal News reported. Neither report named a final site.

Amherst County votes again

Amherst County has been here before. In 2021, voters rejected a referendum that would have allowed a Rosie’s in Madison Heights, Cardinal News reported. The count was 7,293 votes against and 6,189 in favor, even though county supervisors had backed the proposal, according to Virginia Business. This time the board is staying out of it. “The board has decided not to take a position on the possibility,” Supervisor Tom Martin wrote in an email to the outlet.

Tobey Thurston, who organized the 2021 opposition, is leading the campaign against the new referendum. She says gambling brings crime and addiction. “We already voted ‘No’ in 2021. We want the leadership of this county to respect the vote,” she told Virginia Business.

Ryan Saylor, a spokesperson for Commonwealth Wins, a political advocacy group supported by Churchill Downs, disputes the crime concern. He told Virginia Business there have been no increases in crime associated with Rosie’s venues and that the emporiums have contributed significantly to local economies. In Vinton, Rosie’s has paid more than $10 million in local tax revenue, Vinton Town Manager Richard “Pete” Peters told the outlet.

Featured image: Historical horse racing machines at The Rose Gaming Resort in Dumfries, Virginia, in 2024. Photo: Toohool / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)