Virginia Lawmakers Address Possibility of Online Casinos, New Gaming Regulator
Virginia lawmakers continued discussions this week on whether to introduce legalized online casino gaming as part of the state's rapidly expanding gambling industry. At a committee hearing in Richmond on Tuesday, members of the Joint Subcommittee to Study the Feasibility of Establishing the Virginia Gaming Commission heard testimony and reviewed a draft proposal that could bring iGaming to the Commonwealth in the coming years.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:Delegate Marcus Simon presented an outline of a bill that would authorize online casino operations through partnerships with Virginia's existing land-based casinos. He emphasized that legalization would not create an online gambling market but instead regulate an activity that already exists in the state.
Related: Virginia iGaming Bill Abruptly Pulled Days After SubmissionSimon pointed to estimates suggesting that online casinos could generate as much as $5 billion in revenue over five years. This would create a new source of tax funding while reducing the appeal of unregulated operators.
Simon explained that the framework would require licensed Virginia casinos to work directly with online providers to ensure accountability and consumer protections. The proposal also includes licensing fees that would help fund regulatory oversight and enforcement. He told the committee that the current illegal market generates no benefit to the state and that Virginia is currently receiving 0% of the potential revenue.
Public testimony at the hearing reflected a mix of support and skepticism. Keith Whyte, president of Safer Gambling Strategies, took a neutral stance on the broader question of legalization but noted that other states have used regulatory structures to implement responsible gaming tools.
He described measures such as deposit limits, time restrictions, budget calculators and personal activity dashboards as strategies that could help players manage their gambling activity and reduce risks associated with problem gambling.
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Some stakeholders remain wary about adding new gambling options to the Commonwealth. For decades, Moose Lodges operated the only legal form of gaming in Virginia through charitable activities. Since the legalization of skill games and casinos, the group has expressed concerns that expanded gambling has negatively affected its fundraising.
Moose Lodge spokesperson Brooke Archambeau said on Tuesday that the state is already struggling to regulate existing forms of gambling and argued that Virginia should resolve those issues before considering what she described as a risky expansion into iGaming.
Others countered that iGaming could provide benefits for existing casinos rather than diminish their market share. Dave Rebuck, a former director of New Jersey's Division of Gaming Enforcement, told lawmakers that New Jersey was the first state to legalize online casino gaming and that the integration of iGaming with traditional casinos ultimately boosted overall profits.
He said that requiring partnerships between online platforms and land-based casinos ensured that the industry remained aligned and mutually beneficial.
Opposition was also voiced by Brianne Doura-Schawohl, a consultant focused on gambling and mental health. She argued that the legislature should not make decisions based solely on current illegal activity and urged lawmakers to consider whether legalization is truly in the best interest of Virginia residents.
Committee members acknowledged that a new state regulatory authority would likely need to be established before online casino gaming could be authorized. Lawmakers indicated that a bill to create a dedicated gaming commission would likely be introduced as a priority in the 2026 legislative session. Such an entity would oversee the full scope of gambling operations in Virginia, including casinos, skill games, sports betting and any future iGaming platforms.
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