Will Virginia Allow Commercial Casinos?

Gambling has always been a hot topic for lawmakers in any country. We’ve recently observed several attempts of Virginia state to expand its legal gambling options. Eventually, some of these turned out to be successful, as a Senate sub-committee passed a bill allowing commercial casinos in the state; as reported by Casino.org on February 5.

For gambling proponents, this is definitely a huge win, which may lead to the actual approval of such gambling venues later this year! So, let’s take a look at the current situation of the gambling regulations in Virginia, and discuss what changes might come soon.

Virginia’s Gambling Regulations

Virginia is quite a conservative state that has maintained a strict regulatory position towards gambling activities. Actually, there are almost no legal gambling ventures operating in the state at the moment. Such a situation resulted from a long-standing tradition, as all forms of gambling were prohibited during any stage of the territory’s development here. Only in 1987 did the Virginia authorities allowed citizens to entertain themselves with a state lottery.

There was also an attempt to legalize riverboat casinos, but this was rejected quickly. Another one followed in 2013 and also failed quickly after the start. We have to point out, however, that there are some online casinos operating in Virginia, although they don’t fall under regulation by the state. Eventually, we can see that officials agree to introduce guidelines for some gambling companies only in 2019 when a bill aimed at regulating commercial casinos was submitted to the Senate. It finally approved the bill earlier this month.

Where Are Casinos Expected to Appear?

The gambling industry has started to bloom in the USA over the last few years, as more states have realized the profits such activity may bring to the local treasury. And this may be the case in VA too! The Senate General Laws and Technology Subcommittee on Gaming officially adopted the bill on commercial casino legalization. According to this document, proposals regarding opening new casinos are to be approved by the majority of the state’s residents.

Most people think that this project is going to be successful. Besides, there are already five aspirants for opening a casino, including Richmond, Danville, Norfolk, Bristol, and Portsmouth. Lawmakers have already started to devise regulations for the new casino market and revealed that gambling profits will be taxed at 27%.

Representatives of the Conservative Party have created a big fuss over this new bill, stating that it should not be passed under any circumstances. Luckily, the advantages of opening commercial casinos are obvious and numerous for the authorities, so it looks like the law is here to stay!

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