The Virginia Lottery Has Approved Final Casino Gaming Regulations
- Virginia should see a finalized set of casino rules and regulations by the end of the year.
- Governor Ralph Northam will need to sign off on the rules that the Virginia Lottery Board has approved.
- Once the Governor gives his approval, a sixty-day period for public comment will open before the casino rules are made final.
RICHMOND, Va. – Soon enough, Virginia will no longer have to operate their casinos under temporary rules. On Wednesday, the Virginia Lottery Board gave the greenlight for a permanent set of rules and regulations regarding casino gaming establishments in the Old Dominion to operate under. Temporary rules were set in February, but they will now turn into a thing of the past as soon as Governor Ralph Northam approves of this set of rules that have been submitted to him.
After an approval from the Governor, Virginia will then open up a 60-day window for public opinion. This means that Virginia casinos could see the final set of rules put into motion before the end of the year. One final look over from the Lottery Board takes place after the comment period ends.
Casino Gaming In Virginia
The new rules and regulations set forth by the lottery are not new in terms of what’s to be expected from a state casino gaming industry.
"Casino gaming" or "casino game" or "game" means baccarat, blackjack, twenty-one, poker, craps, dice, slot machines, roulette wheels, Klondike tables, punchboards, faro layouts, numbers tickets, push cards, jar tickets, or pull tabs and any other activity that is authorized by the board as a wagering game or device under this chapter. "Casino gaming" or "casino game" or "game" includes on-premises mobile casino gaming,” an excerpt from the draft reads.
The idea was to get the language as concise as possible to allow for people to understand what was and was not regulated for casino games, with both retail and mobile casino platforms in Virginia. The new language seems to have hit that mark precisely.
What’s Ahead
Virginia already has mobile gaming and is currently in discussions for retail casino locations. Regulated casino gambling became available in 2020 in the Old Dominion. During that period, it was announced that there would be five cities that will have casinos in the Commonwealth; Bristol, Danville, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and most recently approved, Richmond.
“The Lottery’s Gaming Compliance Department and Office of General Counsel have been diligently working to set up the regulatory and licensing framework to ensure casino gaming in Virginia is secure and transparent,” said Kevin Hall, Virginia Lottery Executive Director. “In this role, we see the Lottery as the public’s watchdog, confirming that the law and regulations are followed, and the integrity of casino gambling is protected.”
Virginians should see permanent casino rules and regulations before the end of 2