An Act to amend and reenact §§ 58.1-4032, 58.1-4100, 58.1-4101, 58.1-4107, 58.1-4107.1, 58.1-4109, 58.1-4110, 58.1-4111, 58.1-4123, and 58.1-4125 of the Code of Virginia, relating to casino gaming; eligible host localities.
SB756 revises Virginia’s casino gaming and sports betting framework, with a particular focus on which localities may host casino gaming and how preferred operators are selected and licensed. The bill updates definitions, reinforces the Virginia Lottery Board’s regulatory authority, and preserves the requirement that casino gaming can only occur in designated eligible host localities. It also expands and clarifies the process for selecting a preferred casino gaming operator, including local discretion, Department review, and required documentation before a referendum can proceed.
The bill gives special consideration in sports betting permitting and casino licensing to certain applicants, including major league sports franchises, operators tied to large in-state investments, and applicants with minority investment or procurement plans. It also authorizes temporary casino gaming under specified conditions, sets license duration and renewal standards, and requires background checks, fees, bonds, and anti-fraud disclosures. The bill further establishes or directs revenue distributions from casino gaming proceeds to localities, the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund, the Family and Children’s Trust Fund, the School Construction Fund, and, for certain tribal operations, the Virginia Indigenous People’s Trust Fund.
SB756 amends multiple sections of Title 58.1 governing casino gaming, sports betting permits, eligible host city localities, operator licensing, local referenda, and the Gaming Proceeds Fund. It changes who may be considered for preferred treatment, adds procedural requirements for localities and the Department of the Lottery, and adjusts how gaming tax revenues are allocated among localities and state funds. The bill affects casino operators, sports betting permit applicants, eligible host cities and counties, the Virginia Lottery Board and Department, and downstream recipients of gaming revenue, including education, problem gambling, and family-support funds.
The bill appears to have been generally supported enough to advance through both chambers and conference committee, but with notable opposition at several stages. Committee and floor votes show recurring split support, including close votes in committee and substantial minority opposition in the House and Senate. The final conference report was adopted by both chambers, indicating that a negotiated version ultimately secured enough support despite earlier disagreement.
The main points of contention appear to be the scope of casino expansion, the degree of preferential treatment for certain applicants, and the balance between state oversight and local control. Provisions favoring major league sports franchises, large investors, and certain localities likely drew scrutiny from members concerned about fairness, competition, and economic favoritism. Other likely flashpoints include the use of gaming revenue, the creation of temporary gaming authority, and the extent to which the bill steers development toward specific projects or localities rather than a broader statewide licensing approach.