Senate committee advances a package of gambling bills, including a proposed Fairfax entertainment district
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Summary
A Senate committee in Richmond advanced several gambling-related measures, reporting committee substitutes that would authorize an entertainment district in Fairfax County, rename the Virginia Lottery to expand gaming oversight, and create new tax/regulatory schemes for skill and internet gaming.
A Virginia Senate committee in Richmond on Monday advanced a package of gambling-related bills that would reshape how the commonwealth regulates casinos, fantasy sports, skill games and internet gambling.
The committee approved committee substitutes or reported several bills that together would: authorize a new entertainment district in Fairfax County that could include a casino; rename the Virginia Lottery to the Virginia Lottery and Gaming Authority and expand its regulatory remit to casinos, sports betting, fantasy sports, charitable gaming and horse racing; and create new tax and registration rules for skill-game machines and internet gaming platforms.
Sponsor comments on the Fairfax proposal emphasized revenue for education. An unnamed sponsor told the committee the bill would allow an entertainment district in Fairfax County and "would generate about $2,000,000,000 a decade for school construction in Virginia" and "probably generate, probably at least over a $100,000,000 plus for Fairfax County." The committee agreed to report the bill with a committee substitute that removes a mandated casino location.
Committee staff described the skill-games committee substitute in detail, saying it would establish a regulatory and registration scheme for skill games sold through lottery retailers and impose a 25% monthly tax on gross revenue. Under that proposal, the substitute would direct 75% of the tax to the PreK–12 priority fund, 15% to the localities hosting the machines, 6% to the lottery for regulatory costs, 2% to a problem-gambling treatment and support fund, and 1% each to state police and the lead local law enforcement office.
On the broader restructuring, staff explained a substitute to SB 609 that would rename the Virginia Lottery to the Virginia Lottery and Gaming Authority and expand oversight to include casinos, sports betting, charitable gaming, fantasy sports and horse racing. The substitute also adjusts tax distributions and directs funding for lottery regulatory operations.
Not all committee members embraced immediate action on every proposal. Committee discussion included technical questions about "look back" periods for non-gaming operators and whether language from other bills should be incorporated; the committee agreed in some cases to incorporate language "in concept" and return with clarified drafts.
The committee heard public comment where allowed for the substitute on SB 609 and then voted to report the bill with the committee substitute; the record shows one abstention on that vote.
What’s next: Committee action sends reported bills to the next stage in the legislative process. Carried-over measures will be reviewed in the interim or come back to committee with revised language.
