VIRGINIA (WRIC) — The Virginia Lottery Board approved proposed permanent casino gaming regulations on Wednesday and now the next leg of the approval process goes to Gov. Ralph Northam’s desk.
If the governor approves, there will be a 60-day public comment period that will lead up to final approval by the Lottery Board.
The initial emergency casino regulations were approved by the board on February 3.
“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 Virginia Lottery Executive Director Kevin Hall in a press release. “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.”
As of July 2021, there are four proposed land-based casinos in Virginia in Bristol, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Danville. Voters approved those casinos in local elections last November.
ONE Casino + Resort in Richmond is on a different timetable and has yet to be approved by voters. The November 2021 ballot is expected to contain a vote on the casino referendum.
The application period for casino operators opened in April 2021 and the Virginia Lottery has conducted a review of each with comprehensive checks of criminal history and financial review.
