By MATTHEW BARAKAT The Associated Press
DUMFRIES — Caesar’s Palace it’s not, but for the first time Northern Virginia is getting in on the expansion of gambling that has been spreading throughout the state.
Early next month, Rosie’s Gaming is opening its latest slots parlor of sorts in the state, with a 150-machine facility in Dumfries, in southern Prince William County.
For all practical purposes, the machines play like slot machines, and casual gamblers would be hard-pressed to notice the difference between Rosie’s machines and any other slot machine. Technically, though, the outcome of the wager is tied to the results of old horse races, and the machines provide an option — rarely used — to make the wager based on information about the horses’ post-time odds and other factors.

The second Rosie’s Gaming Emporium to open was in Vinton, which will be similar size to the one in Dumfries.
The state legislature approved the machines in 2018 as a baby step toward expanded gambling in a state that traditionally has rejected it. The Rosie’s outlets are run by the same company that operates the Colonial Downs racetrack in New Kent County, and a small portion of the proceeds from the machines is dedicated to increased purses at Colonial Downs to boost the state’s horse industry.
The machines have been a success in the locations where they’re already in place — at Colonial Downs, on Midlothian Turnpike in Richmond, and in Vinton and Hampton. In November alone, $170 million was wagered at the machines, and $155 million was paid out in winnings.