Virginia House Alters Senate Online Casino Bill To Require Two-Year Passage
By Drew Ellis
Published:
If Virginia is going to legalize iGaming, it’s looking more likely that it could be a two-year process.
Senate Bill 118 and House Bill 161, each of which would make Virginia online casinos legal, both passed through their respective chambers earlier this month.
The House passed a bill that would require legislation to pass through both chambers in the 2026 legislative session and the 2027 legislative session in order for online casinos to be legalized.
SB 118 did not have that same requirement, but this week the Virginia House General Laws Committee added that substitution to the bill and approved it (16-4).
The Senate doesn’t have to agree to the changes, ultimately, but it has not adjusted the House bill in the same way. HB 161 got a 9-6 approval vote in the Senate General Laws and Technology Committee this week.
Should the two chambers agree to a common bill with two years of passage, iGaming wouldn’t launch in Virginia until at least 2028.
What Was Added to SB 118
With the House adjustment to SB 118, these two online casino bills now match.
The key addition to the Senate Bill is what reads at the end and can be found at the end of HB 161:
That the provisions of this act shall not become effective unless reenacted by the 2027 Session of the General Assembly.
This means that should the bill pass the Virginia Senate and House this year, it will need to do so again in the 2027 legislation session before it can become law.
The two bills now include the following key details of what iGaming in Virginia what look like:
- 20% tax rate on iGaming operator’s adjusted gross revenue
- Up to three online casino licenses issued to each land-based casino operator
- $2 million platform fee for the licensee
- $500,000 licensing fee for each online casino operator
- Licenses/fees last five years with a renewal option at half the price
The bills also call for the Virginia Lottery Board to be able to promulgate regulations necessary for iGaming by Jan. 1, 2028.
Why Include Two Years of Passage?
The reason why adding this detail isn’t necessarily defined by a single thing.
It’s clear that expanding gambling in Virginia to include online casinos is a widely-debated topic.
Adding another year gives lawmakers more time to research the topic, as well as discuss the pros and cons with key people in the industry, as well as those opposed to it.
This also could bring in some new voices on the matter in the 2027 legislative session. Newly-elected state Delegates or state Senators might have a strong feeling on iGaming expansion one way or another. Passage of a bill in 2026 doesn’t necessarily mean it will pass in 2027 as well.
Adding another year could also help further establish just who will be regulating and overseeing online casinos in Virginia.
As it stands, these two pieces of legislation put that under the eye of the Virginia Lottery Board, which already oversees sports betting and the lottery in Virginia.
Currently, Senate Bill 609 is being considered in the Virginia House as well. That would call for the establishment of the Virginia Lottery and Gaming Authority. They would oversee all forms of legal gambling in Virginia is the bill is passed.
Drew Ellis has experience covering the gambling industries in North America and around the world. Decades of media experience provide him with the background to handle the complexities of different gambling laws and policies around the United States and North America. Ellis has primarily focused on online and retail casino news since 2021. Prior to working in the gambling industry, Ellis spent over 20 years in the newspaper industry, covering sports and the gambling. His work for The Mt. Pleasant Morning Sun and The Oakland Press was recognized with awards by the Associated Press and other media organizations. Drew has also contributed to the Detroit Free Press and the Associated Press.
