The question “Who is in charge of Virginia gambling?” has three different answers depending on the type of bet — but that may change under a restructuring plan.
As of now:
- The Virginia Racing Commission regulates live horse racing and electronic historical horse racing (HHR) games.
- Members of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services monitor the state’s charitable gaming license process.
- The Virginia Lottery handles everything else, including Virginia sports betting and casino regulations.
Some lawmakers feel the splintered oversight creates inconsistencies and gaps in Virginia gambling enforcement. A newly created Joint Subcommittee to Study the Feasibility of Establishing the Virginia Gaming Commission could make changes based in part on a 2022 study.
“Change is difficult, but it is the right thing that we need to do to get a handle on it. Otherwise, everybody is working in different silos,” State Sen. Bryce Reeves, the committee chair, told the Virginia Mercury’s Markus Schmidt in an interview after the Aug. 21 subcommittee meeting.
One State Agency for Virginia Gambling
The 2022 Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission recommended a single agency to handle all Virginia gambling under a “Virginia Lottery and Gaming Commission.”
The joint subcommittee may recommend a two-agency approach, according to Virginia Mercury reporting.
The proposed Virginia Gaming Commission would regulate:
- Online sports betting
- The state’s licensed brick-and-mortar casinos
- Live horse racing
- Licenses for Rosie’s Gaming Emporium’s HHR parlors
- Charity gaming
- Fantasy contests and
- Bingo
Meanwhile, the Virginia Lottery would remain intact with a singular focus on its in-person and online lottery plays.
Betting is Big Business in Virginia
Hard Rock Bristol Casino, Rivers Casino Portsmouth and Caesars Virginia Casino in Danville combined for $59.3 million in July 2024 betting revenue, according to the Virginia Lottery.
A fourth casino in Norfolk, VA finally reached a city architectural review board after years of legal maneuvering. Voters could approve a Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia in Petersburg as part of the Nov. 5 general election ballot.
Virginia does not have real-money online casino games, but users can use virtual currency for sweepstakes casino games and social casino plays in the meantime.
Online Virginia sports betting arrived in January 2021. Since its arrival, Virginia sportsbooks have accepted:
- $17 billion in bets, which earned
- about $1.7 billion in revenue and
- generated $189.4 million in taxes.
Virginia Lottery profits totaled more than $934 million in fiscal year 2024. The amount was the highest in the lottery’s 36-year history.
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