Virginia May Soon Join Online Gaming States with New Bill
Virginia may soon see an expansion of online gambling, thanks to a new bill introduced in the state legislature just a few years after the state legalized four commercial casinos.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:Pre-filed by Senator Mamie Locke on December 31, the online casino bill will be formally introduced today, January 8. Bill SB827 would allow each of Virginia’s five casinos to launch multiple online brands, or “skins,” with a maximum of three “skins” permitted per casino license.
The bill proposes a $1 million licensing fee for online casinos, valid for five years, along with a 15% tax rate on gaming revenue. The bill also permits online casinos to offer live dealer games streamed from studios outside Virginia.
Additionally, the legislation will allow online gamblers to use credit cards for deposits, a provision that deviates from the recently published National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS) model iGaming legislation.
Potential Opposition Looms from Casino Operators
Although state casinos stand to benefit from Locke’s legislation, there is a possibility that one or more casino operators may oppose the proposed bill. For instance, the Cordish Companies was a vocal critic of online casino legislation proposed in Maryland in 2024.
The company notably joined forces with several labor unions to block Delegate Atterbeary’s online casino bill last year. Their main concern was the potential negative impact of gaming expansion on land-based gaming. While the legislation was able to clear the House, it failed to gain traction in the Senate.
I was very pro iGaming at one point in my career, and not so long ago, honestly. But as as time has gone on and we’ve started to see the results of states that have brought on casino, and even as mobile sports betting is expanded, my opinion and my view of things started to shift slightly to the point where I think that we have to have a real honest conversation about what’s happening today.
More Regulation News
Petersburg Casino Project Advances
While the fate of online gaming still hangs by a thread in Virginia, the state’s land-based casino industry continues to expand. Last November, Petersburg voters approved by referendum the construction of a new $1.4 billion casino and entertainment complex proposed by the Cordish Companies and Bruce Smith Enterprise.
The planned casino and entertainment complex is expected to be situated on a 92.5-acre site along Interstate 95 at Wagner Road, near Brasfield Parkway. It will feature a mixed-use space designed for gaming and other entertainment amenities.
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