- Virginia Governor Ralph Northam’s signature passes the gambling bill known as SB 1126.
- The bill must be reenacted during the 2020 legislative session.
- Details of which types of gambling will be allowed in Virginia are now at the Discretion of the Virginia Lottery Board.
RICHMOND, Va. – In what appears to be a monumental shift in the Old Dominion State’s gaming landscape, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed Senate Bill VA SB 1126 earlier this week which would legalize brick-and-mortar casinos, online gambling, and sports betting.
The bill grants the power to the Virginia Lottery Board to issue one casino license per city, so long as the city meets certain requirements.
Those requirements include having a population greater than 200,000 people, an unemployment rate of at least five percent in 2017, a poverty rate of at least 20 percent in 2016, and a population decrease of at least four percent between the years of 1990 to 2016.
To narrow down the options even further, at least 40 percent of the land area within the city must be exempt from local property taxation. If the Virginia Indian Tribe chooses to conduct casino gaming then that number falls to 24 percent.
Although, whether or not these casinos will be able to offer online gambling or sports betting will remain at the discretion of the Virginia Lottery Board.
The bill defines casino gambling to include both of those types of gaming, but specifics on what the tax rate will be for them, who will operate them, and where they can be accessed are still in the works.
VA Sports Betting Timeline
While the signing of this bill includes the possibility for sports betting to be available in Virginia, don’t expect to be able to place your wagers this upcoming football season.
In order for the laws to become official, A Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission will have to provide an extensive report on gaming laws by December of this year, the Virginia Lottery Board will have to create regulations for the new gambling industry, and the 2020 legislature will have to vote to reenact the bill.
After all of that, local lawmakers at qualifying locations will then have to host city-wide referendums in order to construct a casino or other gaming facility.
The law, however, doesn’t require these gaming facilities to include sports betting or online gaming. The Virginia Lottery Board could choose to ignore these amenities until after physical locations are built.
If everything does fall in favor of sports bettors in VA, local sportsbooks and state-regulated online wagering sites could launch by fall of 2021.
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News tags: SB 1126 | sports betting | VA sports betting law | Virginia | Virginia sports betting
– In his career, Hasan has worked both local and state government positions—including the Attorney General’s Office in Florida. On top of being familiar with the legislative process, he has also been researching and writing on the legality of sports betting across the US. Outside of work you’ll most likely find him producing or playing music, playing sports, or working on creative writing projects. You’ll also catch him at Doak Campbell Stadium cheering on the Noles.
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