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Virginia Online Casino Bill Shelved After Fiscal Note, While Tysons Proposal Advances

A bill to regulate online casino play in Virginia will not get further consideration from legislators in 2025

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Derek Helling Avatar
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This week, members of the Virginia Assembly abandoned the commonwealth’s first attempt to legalize online casinos but made progress on legislation that would clear the way for a Fairfax County vote on retail casino gaming. Sen. Mamie Locke’s iGaming proposal will not get further consideration until 2026, due to a need for further research on its economic impacts.

The Fairfax Co. proposal still faces opposition from residents and a short calendar in 2025. Players who would like to see legal online casino games come to Virginia should not consider the shelving of the bill for the year a defeat at this point.

Committee postpones online casino bill debate

According to Nathaniel Cline of InsideNOVA, the Virginia Senate Subcommittee on Gaming has passed on discussing SB 827 for 2025. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Mamie Locke, requested the postponement because “it requires further study.”

SB 827 would expand the current framework for legal online gambling in Virginia to include online casino games. Gaming licensees could offer online slots and table games with Virginia collecting tax revenue on licensees’ winnings.

Quick action on SB 827 was anticipated because of the shortness of the legislative session in 2025. The Virginia Assembly only meets for 30 days in odd-numbered years with the intent to finalize budget matters.

While pushing the bill to 2026 does add a delay, it also could behoove the chances of enactment. There are significant obstacles currently.

Roadblocks for SB 827

Locke’s request to postpone consideration of SB 827 buys her time. She can use the rest of 2025 to gather support and have informal discussions with stakeholders to prepare the proposal for 2026.

Even with the lead-in time, however, passage in 2026 does not seem a foregone conclusion. Some of the gambling interests in the state oppose online casino regulation out of concerns that the apps will take revenue away from their businesses.

The fiscal note attached to the bill speaks to those worries. The note forecasts drops in revenue for the Virginia Lottery’s online sales. The fiscal note also raises concerns about impact on funding for corrections and overall revenue for the state.

Virginia will also have a new governor during the session. Current front-runner candidates have not weighed in on the issue of iGaming in their campaigns.

The 2026 legislative session could produce more gambling expansion besides online casino play. Voters in Fairfax County could weigh in on the issue.

Tysons casino bill moves on

Earlier this week, SB 982 survived two hearings to set the stage for a third. The bill is now in the Virginia Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee for potential recommendation to the full Senate.

The bill amends the state code to create a sixth brick-and-mortar casino license in Virginia. The proposed site is in Tysons, near the Metro Silver Line.

At this time, proponents have not identified a potential casino developer/operator. Companies like Caesars and Rush Street Gaming operate gaming facilities elsewhere in the commonwealth.

Should the bill pass, voters in the city would participate in a referendum on the matter in 2026. There are some indications that support may be lacking.

Community members express negative views on casino

According to Drew Wilder of NBC 4 Washington, Fairfax County residents took part in a Monday hearing and displayed staunch opposition. Furthermore, the town council of Vienna, Virginia has expressed its opposition in a formal statement.

In addition, Wilder reports that Loudoun Co. residents plan to file a petition opposing the casino proposal. While they will not participate in a potential casino referendum, they hope to sway legislators in Richmond against SB 982.

There is some precedent for failed referendums on the issue in Virginia. Richmond citizens defeated such proposals twice in 2020 and 2021.

State law enacted since now imposes a moratorium on such referendums after the first failure. Before the referendum becomes an issue, however, SB 982 or another bill like it would have to clear the Virginia Assembly and a potential gubernatorial veto.

For at least the remainder of 2025, the status quo of Virginia’s regulated gambling landscape will remain intact. Change could be on the horizon in 2026, however.

Derek Helling Avatar
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Derek Helling is a staff writer for PlayUSA. Helling focuses on breaking news, including finance, regulation, and technology in the gaming industry. Helling completed his journalism degree at the University of Iowa and resides in Chicago

View all posts by Derek Helling

Derek Helling is a staff writer for PlayUSA. Helling focuses on breaking news, including finance, regulation, and technology in the gaming industry. Helling completed his journalism degree at the University of Iowa and resides in Chicago

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