Virginia legislators are weighing whether to legalize online casino games like poker, roulette and slot machines.
RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia legislators are weighing whether to legalize online casino games like poker, roulette and slot machines, while also discussing consolidating the state’s fragmented gaming oversight under a single regulatory body.
During a legislative meeting Tuesday, lawmakers heard arguments for and against legalizing so-called “i-gaming” — online casino games that are currently illegal in Virginia despite the popularity of sweepstakes casino sites like Bovada and Stake.
Many Virginians remain unaware that these online table games are prohibited in the state, even as fantasy sports and sports betting operate legally.
“Outside of like sports betting games did you know that tables games online in Virginia are illegal?” one Virginia resident said when asked. “No I didn’t know that… Wow.”
Delegate Marcus Simon presented a draft bill that would legalize online casino games, arguing it could generate billions in state revenue while reducing illegal gambling activity.
“One of the first advantages is moving the players out of the illegal market,” Simon said.
Dave Rebuck, former director of New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement, supported legalization by highlighting his state’s experience as the first to allow i-gaming.
“I-gaming demonstrated itself to be complimentary to the existing forms of gaming and the growth of land gaming casinos,” Rebuck said.
However, gambling and mental health consultant Brianne Doura-Schawohl warned against the potential dangers of online casino games.
“I have worked for 13 years in this space and there is no doubt that we deserve to give this the time, debate and attention that it deserves,” Doura-Schawohl said. “These products are different, these products are dangerous.”
She cited research showing increased problem gambling rates near physical casinos.
“Did you know that if you live within 50 miles of a casino the rate or the risk profile for problem gambling doubles — what if I told you if you live within 10 miles of a casino it goes up 90% risk so what happens when we consider putting a casino in every single pocket,” Doura-Shawaohl said.
The meeting also addressed Virginia’s current regulatory structure, where three different entities oversee casino games, sports betting, slots and horse racing. Lawmakers are exploring consolidating oversight under a proposed Virginia Gaming Commission.
“You have entities overseeing entities that are overseeing entities, one entity that oversees a complete thing of gaming to me makes common sense,” said Allan, a Virginia resident who enjoys scratch-off lottery tickets with his wife Phyllis.
One legislator emphasized the enforcement challenges with the current system.
“I couldn’t agree more about the enforcement side, that’s the biggest problem we have overall is enforcement on all gaming, we don’t have any enforcement right now till we get the VGC set up,” the legislator said.
State leaders say they hope to establish the unified gaming commission before moving forward with any i-gaming legislation, aiming to pass the necessary measures in the upcoming legislative session.
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