Virginia Casinos
Virginia online casinos may be an option one day. In the meantime, Virginia residents have access to a pair of casinos now. The number will grow to four Virginia casinos soon.
Rivers Casino Portsmouth just joined Bristol Casino — Future Home of Hard Rock for in-person Virginia casino bets. Also, keep an eye out for temporary casinos in Danville (Caesars Entertainment) and Norfolk.
Looking ahead, Richmond and possibly Petersburg have an opportunity to join the Virginia casino city mix.
As casino construction continues, sports fans have an at-home option. Virginia became an active sports betting state in January 2021.
The Virginia Lottery’s online menu of games includes several options that resemble online casino offerings as well. PlayVirginia will help you track all of the industry changes.
Virginia casino update
UPDATED: Jan. 30, 2023
Fairfax County police made two arrests stemming from a rash of gaming machine thefts at 7-Eleven stores last week. The machines were either broken into at the stores or hauled away in a truck as part of the crime spree.
Rivers Casino Portsmouth opened Monday, Jan. 23 to chants of “let us in.” Bristol Casino — Future Home of Hard Rock is the only other casino in the state for now. The temporary casino is located near the Tennessee border.
The Virginia General Assembly continues its 30-day session. Gambling policies and taxation are expected to draw debate. And, lawmakers may decide whether Richmond or Petersburg gets a chance to become Virginia’s fifth casino. Voters in the city or cities would then have to support a casino through a Nov. 7 vote.
VA casino news
VA preferred casino partners
VA Casino Host City | Preferred Casino Partner | Potential Sports Betting Platform |
---|---|---|
Bristol | Hard Rock International | Hard Rock Sportsbook |
Danville | Caesars Entertainment | Caesars Sportsbook |
Richmond | Urban One/Peninsula Pacific Entertainment | TBD |
Portsmouth | Rush Street Gaming | BetRivers Sportsbook |
Norfolk | Pamunkey Indian Tribe | TBD |
VA casino host cities
Legislation allowed for casino gambling in five cities:
- Bristol
- Danville
- Norfolk
- Portsmouth
- Richmond
Those cities were chosen based on criteria set forth by the legislature, including:
- 40% of the city’s real estate is exempt from local property taxes
- 4% higher unemployment rate than that of the state
- 20% poverty rate
- 20% population decrease from the previous year
Voters in all of the cities except Richmond formally approved the projects during the 2020 election cycle. They simply needed half of the votes, but each casino referendum passed by a convincing 2-1 margin.
Richmond voters, though, opted against casino gambling and voted no to a casino referendum on 2021 Election Day.
Virginia casino launch timeline
Date | Event |
---|---|
June 1, 2020 | Preliminary review of casino partners begins. |
July 15, 2020 | Lottery Board meeting |
Aug. 14, 2020 | Deadline to order referendum with host cities. |
Nov. 3, 2020 | General Elections in Bristol Danville, Norfolk and Portsmouth |
Nov. 16, 2020 | Secretary of State certifies election results. |
Late December | Host cities certified and notified the Lottery of its preferred casino partner. |
Feb. 3, 2021 | Casino regulations finalized and applications for casino gaming licenses become available. |
Nov. 2, 2021 | Richmond voters narrowly reject One Casino + Resort proposal |
June 2022 | Virginia General Assembly blocks a Richmond vote until 2023 in order to study a Petersburg site. |
Opening the first VA casino
Currently, the four host cities have received approval of their casino partners from the VA Lottery, the regulatory agency for gambling in the state.
In addition, the cities passed measures during the November 2020 election that allowed voters to decide if they would allow the construction inside their towns. Each referendum passed overwhelmingly, and site work and construction are moving forward.
At present, regulators continue to finalize the regulations to govern casino gambling in the commonwealth. As it stands, “Bristol Casino — Future Home of Hard Rock,” a temporary version of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol,” opened first. The scaled-down temporary casino began welcoming guests in July 2022.
The first full-scale casino to open will be Rivers Casino Portsmouth, which announced a Jan. 15 opening date. It’s the only project that skipped the temporary casino phase. It’s about a year ahead of the other full-scale venues for an opening date.
VA casino tax revenue
Virginia, and the rest of the country, for that matter, is experiencing some financial challenges as its economy emerges from the pandemic-forced shutdowns.
Needless to say, revenue for the state is an important topic. That’s why casino gambling’s impending arrival in 2022 or 2023 cannot come too quickly.
When VA casino gambling finally does launch, however, it is estimated to provide $262 million in tax revenue.
Casino revenues will be taxed on adjusted gross revenue according to the following schedule:
- 18% on the first $200 million, 6% of which is designated to the host city
- 23% on the amount exceeding $200 million and not exceeding $400 million, 7% of which is designated to the host city
- 30% on the amount exceeding $400 million, 8% of which is designated to the host city
The big beneficiary of casino tax revenue outside of the host cities is the public fund supporting school infrastructure projects including school construction and upgrades. It receives the remaining funds after the cities are paid, minus:
- 1% by a VA Indian tribe operator to the Virginia Indigenous People’s Trust Fund
- 0.8% to the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund
- 0.2% to the Family and Children’s Trust Fund
History of gambling in VA
Some form of gambling in Virginia has been legal since 1973 when charitable gambling became legal.
Today, charitable gaming includes several forms of bingo and poker. Its 1.125% tax generates more than $265 million per year for the state.
In 1988, the Virginia Lottery began operating in the state. Today, more than 100 games are offered by the VA Lottery, including the multi-state Powerball and Mega Millions draw games.
The state has more than 5,000 retail locations, and all profits (roughly 30% of ticket sales) are designated for education. In 2020, the Lottery generated $595 million for schools.
One year after the introduction of the Virginia Lottery, horse racing in Virginia became legal.
The market was averaging about $100 million per year in revenue from 2000 until 2014, when Colonial Downs was closed due to a conflict between the owners and breeders.
Colonial Downs reopened in 2019, but the live racing schedule was ultimately canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, officials from the Vinton racetrack enjoyed a full 2022 season with live spectators. Shenandoah Downs in Woodstock is also planning the same for its fall season of harness racing.
In 2016, several daily fantasy sports sites received licenses form the state. And in 2018, HB1609 approved historical horse racing machines (HHR) that allow bettors to wager on previously run races.
In May 2018, the federal ban on sports betting was lifted by the US Supreme Court. It started the more than two-year journey toward legalizing sports betting and casino gambling in Virginia.
So far, 2022 is already a banner year for gambling in Old Dominion. The launch of sports betting in January 2021 was nothing short of a boon for the state.
Temporary casinos are opening around the state. The multi-million-dollar permanent casinos won’t arrive until late 2023 as the earliest. So, Virginia is well on its way to becoming a full-service gambling state.
VA casino FAQs
Customers can expect casino games similar to those found in any casino, including poker, blackjack, slot machines, and craps.
Ultimately, it is the Lottery Board that will authorize all casino gaming. Additionally, the law allows for on-premise mobile casino gambling.
The current law only allows for casino gambling in the five designated host cities. Any further expansion would require additional legislation.
Yes. The law establishes the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund which will provide resources to help someone with a gambling problem. Call the Virginia Problem Gambling Helpline at (888) 532-3500.
The Virginia Lottery is the regulatory agency that oversees Virginia casinos. It establishes the regulations for safe casino play and ensures players’ funds are protected.
Additionally, the Lottery Board is responsible for:
- Game testing
- Investigation of license applicants
- Auditing of the financials of the state’s casino gambling operations
- Maintaining self-exclusion programs in Virginia
- Providing problem gambling resources