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Casino, Virginia

Rosie’s Gaming is Opening a New Casino in Northern Virginia

James MurrayBy James Murray

Rosies Gaming

Virginia has been slowly expanding its gambling industry for years. Rosie’s Gaming now operates slot-style gambling venues throughout the state. New reports claim that this company is set to open a new casino in Northern Virginia early next month.

Residents in this area of the state have reason to be excited! Today, we’ll talk about the details of this new gambling venue. We’ll also discuss some of the ways that the state’s gambling industry could change next year.

Let’s get into it!

Virginia’s Sports Betting Industry is About to Launch

Since May of 2018, every state around the US has been able to set its own laws on sports betting. The removal of PASPA completely changed the country’s gambling industry. 26 states have now officially legalized sports betting and most are earning a huge amount of revenue each month.

Virginia has been an anti-gambling state for many years. Lawmakers have been pushing against expanding the number of gaming options available. In November of 2020, however, the state finally approved sports betting legislation.

It’s the biggest move ever made for the gaming industry here. It will take time for any sports gambling options to become available, though. The state is currently working to come up with specific plans to regulate this industry.

Hope is that the first sports betting options will launch before next year’s Super Bowl. The Virginia Lottery Commission has yet to formally announce a launch date. The current plan is to allow approximately 12 different online sports betting sites to launch here.

This is expected to bring the state a huge amount of revenue every year. Analysts expect approximately $400 million to be wagered on sports in 2021. Interestingly, no land-based sportsbooks will launch in this state.

Virginia is slowly developing a casino-type industry, too. Several gambling venues have opened here recently. A new one is now set to reopen its doors in the northern area of the state!

Here’s What We Know About the New Casino in Northern Virginia

As we mentioned earlier, Virginia has been largely anti-gambling over the years. Finally, this past November, lawmakers approved a measure to allow casinos in five different cities. Hope is that these venues help to bring some much-needed revenue to these parts of the state.

There are already several casino-like venues operating here. Rosie’s Gaming currently operates three gambling venues throughout Virginia. These aren’t traditional casinos, though.

Instead, the venues operated by Rosie’s Gaming offer slot-style games to their customers. These games play similar to slot machines, but are actually tied to the results of past horse races. Players themselves are unlikely to notice the difference. It’s a sort of loophole that the state is allowing.

Rosie’s Gaming has just announced that it plans to open a new casino in Northern Virginia early next month! It’s easy to see why. Hundreds of millions are being wagered on these machines every month. Expanding is a great way to compete with the casino industry in neighboring Maryland.

This newest gambling property will open its doors in Dumfries. Mayor Derrick Wood believes this could help to make Dumfries a tourist destination with other residents in the north of Virginia.

“Everybody ain’t gonna like you, everybody ain’t gonna like me, and everybody ain’t gonna like every business that comes to town,” he said.“Dumfries has always been a place people drive through. Now we are trying to create a sense of destination.”

It won’t be long before real resort-style casinos open their doors in Virginia. We’ll continue offering updates on the gambling industry here over the next few months!

Online Casino Options Available in Virginia

Things tend to move slowly in the US gambling industry. It can sometimes take years for states to get their casinos operational after legalizing these venues. No one really knows when the casino-resorts in Virginia will begin opening their doors to the public.

Fortunately, there are some fantastic online casinos in Virginia available right now! Most of them are great, offering a huge range of different games and safe payment options. Our experts have reviewed most of the ones operating in the state right now.

We love Bovada Casino. This website launched back in 2011 and has become one of the most popular internet casino gaming platforms in the country. It provides all of the most popular casino games you’d expect including slots, table games, and poker.

Bovada also features an incredible live dealer casino section. This makes it feel as if you’re playing inside an actual land-based casino with a dealer connected via video stream. Check this site out today!

We’ll see the new casino in Northern Virginia open its doors early next month. It will be interesting to see how popular this new venue becomes in 2021.

Are you excited to see Virginia’s gambling industry expand? Let us know in the comments section below!

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Casino, Virginia

Danville’s New Casino Plans Are Already Paying Off

James MurrayBy James Murray

Caesars Entertainment Logo

Virginia’s lawmakers continue working to expand the state’s gambling industry. Not long ago, voters approved a measure to open a new casino in the city of Danville. New reports claim that Danville’s new casino plans are already paying off.

Caesars Entertainment is scheduled to operate this new casino. Today, we’ll talk about how this will benefit Danville. We will also look at some of the other states working to bring in casino revenue right now.

Let’s get into it!

Voters Finally Approve Plans to Open a Casino in Danville

It’s been very interesting to see Virginia’s gambling industry expand over the years. As many know, lawmakers here banned almost all forms of gambling for decades. Finally, this past March, officials approved a measure to start allowing commercial casinos in the state.

There were discussions about where the new casinos would end up. Officials in the city of Danville began pushing hard to host one of these venues. Before this could be approved, however, residents in the city would need to vote for its approval.

Many analysts were torn on whether or not this would take place. There have been many vocal anti-gambling advocates making their case heard in the state. On the other hand, many seemed to recognize the revenue potential from this industry.

Earlier this month, voters officially approved the plans to open a new casino in Danville. It was extremely exciting for gambling fans in the area. City leaders also expressed their excitement and claimed this new gambling venue would help to boost tourism.

Virginia’s gambling industry is growing quickly. Many now feel this state could end up becoming one of the largest gaming hubs on the East Coast. More casinos are expected to open here over the next couple of years.

We’re now starting to hear how Danville is already benefiting from its expanded casino plans.

Here’s Another Update on Danville’s Casino Plans

There were many requirements that went into the approval of a casino in Danville. As we mentioned earlier, Caesars Entertainment has been chosen to operate this venue. Under the rules, the company needs to grant Danville $15 million within 30 days of the vote to approve the new casino.

That’s a large amount of money for the city. Officials here have already figured out what some of this money will go toward. $5.9 million will be used to build a new police station off Memorial Drive. It’s unclear where the rest of this money will be allocated.

It’s clear that Danville’s new casino plans will benefit the city in a major way. Ann Vandervliet Stratton, who serves as a member of the Investing in Danville Committee, told the media this money should be used to fund public schools.

“I just hope that they [city officials] find a balance between supporting infrastructure needs to prepare for the casino with prior needs that haven’t historically been addressed,” she said. 

The original $15 boost isn’t the only money coming in. Analysts in Virginia believe that this casino will bring in an estimated $38 million to Danville every single year. Officials will need to figure out how to disperse this money, as well.

Danville is almost guaranteed to see a major boost in tourism with this casino open. Of course, hope is that the US land-based casino industry is in a better place by the time this venue actually opens its doors.

More Casino Revenue Reports Are Coming Out!

There’s been more interest in casino revenue this year than ever before. Analysts have been fascinated to see how different states’ casinos have been faring every month. Certain areas of the country are clearly doing better than others.

Las Vegas has been slowly improving over the past nine months. In March, all of the casinos here were completely shut down. They reopened in June, and tourism rates to the city have been slowly increasing ever since. Unfortunately, revenue remains far lower here than it was last year.

New Jersey has been seeing large revenue earnings, as well. Unlike many other states, New Jersey allows both online casinos and online sports betting options. This is helping to bring in a huge amount of revenue every month.

Some of the smaller gambling destinations in the country are seeing different revenue figures. Arkansas has been seeing lower revenue figures than in 2019. The casinos here have been successful in recent months, though.

Much of the progress being made here could soon come to an end, though. Many states are beginning to implement new health regulations right now. Some fear that casinos will eventually be forced to shut down around the country.

The good news is that Danville’s casino plans will benefit the city in a big way. Officials are already looking at ways to use the money coming in. Stay tuned for updates over the next few months!

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Casino, Virginia

Caesars Offers Exciting Update on the New Casino in Danville

James MurrayBy James Murray

State of Virginia Made out of Money With Sportsbook Background

Virginia’s casino industry is about to expand. On November 3rd, voters in the state approved a measure to allow a new casino in Danville. This week, Caesars Entertainment offered some exciting new updates on this property.

There are some big changes coming here. Some feel Virginia will soon become one of the largest casino destinations in the United States. Now is a great time to look at what Caesars has planned in Danville.

Let’s get into it!

US Casinos Continue Asking for Aid From the Government

It’s been almost eight months since all of the country’s casinos were forced to shut down. Incredibly, things haven’t improved by very much. Nearly all casinos are still seeing massive drops in their year-on-year revenue earnings.

The biggest US casino companies are suffering right now. Many have recently been forced to implement new safety measures recently. With cases of Covid-19 increasing around the country, casinos are seeing major dips in visitation rates.

Many of these companies are now asking for more aid from the government. Not long ago, the head of the American Gaming Association sent a formal aid request to the federal government. This official claims many of these companies could fail without support.

This includes some of the biggest casino operators in Las Vegas. Not long ago, the Sheldon Adelson-run Las Vegas Sands announced it was interested in selling many of its US casinos. Most agree this decision is due to the state of the country’s land-based casino industry.

Things are clearly tough for all casinos around the country. That doesn’t mean this industry is heading towards a complete downfall, though. Some states are actually working to expand their number of casinos right now.

That includes Virginia. News has just broken that residents here have approved plans to open several more gambling venues.

Virginia Approves Measure to Open New Casino in Danville

Lawmakers in Virginia have been discussing plans to expand the state’s casino industry for years. Much of the focus centered around whether or not to allow a new commercial casino in the city of Danville. Most residents here seemed open to the idea.

Many seemed unwilling to bring this idea to the ballots. Finally, a bill to officially add a new casino in this city was approved earlier this year. It then came down to a public vote appearing on November 3rd.

News has broken that the vote to open a new casino in Danville was passed unanimously. Caesars Entertainment is already selected to operate this new venue. The company released an official statement this week expressing excitement to break into this new city.

“Caesars Entertainment thanks the voters of Danville for their support of the referendum that will bring Caesars Virginia to Danville. We look forward to fulfilling the trust the voters have placed in us by bringing 1,300 good-paying jobs, tourism dollars and economic development to the City, and we are incredibly excited to begin construction,” the statement said. “We’d like to offer our sincere thanks to all of our supporters, especially the City of Danville team, our campaign steering committee, campaign committee co-chairs Delegate Danny Marshall, Mayor Alonzo Jones, Dr. Tiffany Franks and Tammy Wright-Warren, Campaign Director Steven Gould, Josh Norris and the entire campaign staff.”

Officials within Caesars went on to state that this casino would be competitive with the other gambling venues in the state. Groundbreaking is expected to take place in mid-2021. If all goes according to plan, the casino-resort will open its doors to the public by 2023.

It’s an exciting time for gambling fans here. It seems likely that the US casino industry will be back to normal by the time the new casino in Danville opens. We’ll continue offering updates on this venue over the next few months!

The Sports Betting Industry Continues to Grow in the US

There has been a serious debate growing over how the US casino industry will fare over the next few years. It’s an unprecedented time for this industry and things are constantly changing. There’s no doubt that the sports betting industry in the United States is growing rapidly, though.

Back in May of 2018, the US Supreme Court struck down PASPA, allowing each state to set its own laws on sports betting. Within just a few weeks, several states approved this new form of gambling. Today, more than 25 states have approved measures to regulate sports betting.

News has now come out that several states have just approved sports betting legislation. Maryland, South Dakota, and Louisiana have all officially approved measures to allow sports gambling. Officials and residents in these states recognize how much revenue legal sports betting can bring in.

Many of the top European sports betting companies are now making their way into the US market. William Hill has been operating in the country for years. Not long ago, Caesars Entertainment purchased this company and will soon take over all of its US assets.

Virginia approved sports betting legislation this year, yet no sportsbooks have begun operating here yet. Soon, all of the state’s casinos will feature sportsbooks. This should help to bring some much-needed revenue in.

Are you excited to hear about the new casino in Danville? Let us know in the comments section below!

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Casino, Virginia

3D Model of Hard Rock Bristol Unveiled For Public View

Brian WalkerBy Brian Walker

Hard Rock International Logo
Officials of the proposed Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Bristol unveiled to the public on Thursday the architectural 3D model of the project which will be built on the former Bristol Mall property. The model will be on display to the public at the former Bristol Mall from September 17-19, 2020.

The project is being spearheaded by local business leaders led by Jim McGlothlin, CEO of The United Co. and Clyde Stacy, the president of Par Ventures and owner of the 46 acre property where the proposed casino and hotel will be built. Florida-based Hard Rock who will manage the facility.

More Than Just A Casino

According to Hard Rock International Senior Vice President of Business and Casino Development Sean Caffrey said that the project will cost upwards of $350M. He emphasized that the development is more than just a casino. As the 3D model revealed, there is a hotel with a rooftop bar and a cabana flanked resort pool.

Seven restaurants and four bars are being planned for the project. Retail shops will also be an attraction while there are other areas like a sports betting shop, golf simulators, and a racing facility for children.

The other side of the property is a huge concert venue for big-name acts. Caffrey said that they’re thinking of something like the Hard Rock Live concept which would have a 3,200-seat capacity for indoor entertainment with a dual-sided stage that opens up to an amphitheater which can accommodate 20,000 people in an outdoor setting

Perk Up The Economy

Before it can be built, the project has to be approved by a public referendum on November 3rd. If the project is approved after the November 3 vote, licensing will follow and that is expected to take three to six months to complete. Once it has obtained a license, the project could take up to two years to complete. Caffrey noted however that entertainment and dining options could be offered at a temporary facility after 90 to 100 days after the licensing period.

The Hard Rock project comes to Bristol at a time when the economy is bleeding due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the long-term benefits, including a $15M annual tax revenues for Bristol, won’t be there until the project is completed, the construction will help perk up the local economy. Construction costs are expected to directly impact up to $20M to the city and it’s going to provide 2,000 direct jobs as well.

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Lottery, Sports, Sports Betting, Virginia

Virgnia’s “Sports Bettor Bill of Rights” Draws Flak From Major Operators

Brian WalkerBy Brian Walker

Virginia Sign

The public comment period on the proposed rules and regulations of sports betting in Virginia ended last Wednesday and some of the initial policies have received opposition from major gambling operators.

During the review process, major platforms like DraftKings and FanDuel have taken issue with some of the consumer protection rules that officials are proposing. One particular regulation that has received negative feedback is the one that requires the betting platforms to provide players with information that can help them make “informed decisions about their gambling”. These information include how the odds were calculated, odds of winning a bet, and the handle and payout amounts.

Other Issues That Drew Negative Reactions

According to the gambling operators, no other sports betting state in the United States has imposed a similar requirement. FanDuel in particular, noted that it recently offered 24 different bets on an NBA playoff game and that had nearly 300 potential outcomes and even more possible parlay wagers. Presenting the required information under Virginia’s proposed Sports Bettors Bill of Rights in real time will cause logistical problems on both processing power and screen space.

Other issues that drew negative reactions include the process of allowing players voluntarily ban themselves from sports betting for two years, five years, or for life if they feel they are losing too much money or if they feel they are getting addicted to gambling. The regulations also requires gambling operators to submit all marketing and advertising materials to the Lottery for pre-approval. The advertising rules also prohibit them from targeting minors and ads that violate “good taste” are disallowed.

Additionally, there is a proposed rule that bans betting on the Olympics, something which was not included in the legislation of the General Assembly. For this issue, the operators argued that excluding some sports evets would defeat the purpose of the legislation. Several companies also requested for a more lenient advertising policy where they won’t need a formal sign-off in advance.

Laying The Foundation of Virginia Sports Betting

The public review is being conducted by the Lottery to lay the foundation of the sports betting rules in Virginia. The outcome of the review will determine how quickly or not sports betting will launch in the state and what the bettors expect to see in the betting apps when they are officially launched. If all goes well, sports betting is expected to start next year in Virginia.

This year, the General Assembly passed a legislation authorizing the Virginia Lottery to hand out between four to 12 sports betting licenses in the state. Sports betting in Virginia will start online, largely via sports betting apps. However, it could eventually expand to the brick and mortar casinos being planned in different cities and the Colonial Downs operated Rosie’s gambling places.

The Virginia Lottery Board is expected to meet on Tuesday to vote on the new rules on sports betting. Once the rules and regulations are in place, the Lottery will begin accepting applications for sports betting licenses next month. Sports betting is expected to bring in an annual $55M in state tax revenues.

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Casino, Virginia

Here’s an Update on the Bristol Casino Project

James MurrayBy James Murray

Earlier this year, lawmakers in Virginia approved a measure to allow five new casinos to open throughout the state. Under the current plan, one of these gaming venues will be located in the city of Bristol. This week, airport executives in the city spoke with the media about some of the potential tourism benefits the Bristol casino project could bring the city.Virginia Sign

Many feel that Virginia’s casino will eventually grow to become one of the biggest on the East Coast. The legalization of this industry came at a tough time, though. Now is the perfect time to look at when the new casino in Bristol may open its doors.

Let’s get into it!

Virginia’s Long Road to Casino Legalization

For years, we’ve been covering Virginia’s slowly-changing gambling regulations. For many years, almost all forms of gambling were completely prohibited here. State officials started to realize the massive revenue potential that legal casinos could bring about a decade ago.

In early 2020, an official bill to legalize tribal and commercial casinos made its way through Virginia’s House and Senate. It was pushed through and ultimately approved by Governor Northam. The timing, it would turn out, was not ideal.

The US land-based casino industry is in its toughest position ever. Back in March, all casinos around the country were forced to shut down. States have gradually begun allowing these properties to reopen.

Things are far from normal, though. Intense safety regulations are set in place at all casinos around the United States. Most casinos continue to see monthly massive revenue drops when compared to the same months in 2019.

This isn’t what Virginia’s lawmakers want to see. The state has already invested a large amount of money and time into the legalization of this industry. Some analysts feel it could take years to see a full recovery, if a full recovery is possible at all.

That isn’t stopping officials from pushing ahead with their casino plans. We’re now beginning to hear more about how a casino in Bristol would help the city.

Bristol Casino Project is Expected to Boost Tourism

As of now, three cities have official permission to host one of Virginia’s new casinos. That includes Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Bristol. That latter is continuing to push hard to be one of the first cities in the state with a casino.

Many residents, business owners, and officials here are excited to see this new gaming venue open. This week, several advocates of the project spoke to the media about the benefits this new Bristol casino project will bring the city. That includes a significant increase in air traffic and tourism.

United Company President and Chief Operating Officer Martin Kent feels confident this Hard Rock-run casino will be a huge attraction.

“Hard Rock will operate the hotel and casino. There will be connectivity with their other resorts here in the U.S. and abroad, so we will have truly international reach,” he said. “Bristol will be given the opportunity to draw from a large pool of highly sought after performers. … We expect restaurants and a shopping experience. People are going to come here and stay and play and participate in many attractions as well.”

Casinos are great venues to boost tourism in a city. Many parts of the country rely almost entirely on their casinos to bring in visitors. As you might expect, the casino shutdown back in March proved to be devastating for these cities.

This venue is also expected to bring the city somewhere between $15 and $20 million in tax revenue. At a time when cities and states desperately need money, it’s easy to see why officials are pushing so hard to get the Bristol casino open.

When Will Virginia’s Sports Betting Options Become Available?

Since May of 2018, every state around the country has been given permission to legalize and regulate sports betting. 18 states have already launched their sportsbooks. Six more have approved sports betting bills and will launch their sports betting options in the near future.

As we already mentioned, Virginia has taken a complete 180 when it comes to their stance on the gambling industry. Casinos will soon be operational throughout the state. In July of 2020, Governor Northam also approved a measure to allow both online and land-based sports betting.

Many are surprised at the fact that sports betting has not become available here yet. The longer the state waits, the longer it will take to generate revenue. Ultimately, however, lawmakers here want to ensure this new industry is launched the correct way.

Most analysts predict that Virginia’s sports betting options will launch before the end of the year. It’s expected to immediately begin drawing in large revenue earnings.

If all goes to plan, construction on the Bristol casino project will begin next year. Many analysts seem to feel that it will be a huge benefit to the city. We’ll continue offering updates on this casino and others in the state over the next few weeks.

Are you excited to see casinos open in Virginia? Let us know in the comments section below!

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Casino, Virginia

The New Danville Casino Plans Have Been Approved!

Nickolas BransonBy Nickolas Branson

For years, lawmakers in Virginia have discussed ways to effectively expand the state’s gambling industry. One of the ways to achieve this goal is to open a large new casino in the city of Danville. According to new reports, the new Danville casino plans have officially been approved by the Virginia Lottery.

New Danville Casino Plans

It’s a big step in getting this venue built. Today, we’re going to look back at the state’s road to opening more casinos. We’ll also look at what else needs to be done in order for the Danville casino to open.

Let’s get into it!

History of Gambling Legislation in Virginia

Back in the 1800s, Virginia had one of the largest gambling industries in the United States. By the turn of the century, lawmakers here began to associate this industry with crime. They eventually made the decision to ban nearly all forms of traditional gambling.

This legal ban on gambling remained in place for decades. Beginning in the 1990s, however, state officials here began to change their stance. Many recognized how much money having a regulated casino industry could bring the state.

Several bills to legalize casinos were presented over the past 20 years. None managed to gain any traction. Fortunately, things appear to be changing. In March of this year, Virginia’s House of Delegates finally approved a measure to allow several commercial casinos to open around the state.

This was one of the crucial steps needed to get this bill put into legislation. Since that time, many have been working to come up with specific plans to open casinos in different cities. Casino proponents want to clearly explain how opening a casino will help the state’s economy.

Since 2019, lawmakers have been interested in opening a casino in the city of Danville. Many residents of this city have supported the idea, as well. It now appears we’re closer than ever to seeing a casino constructed here.

Virginia Lottery Approves the New Danville Casino Plans

City officials in Danville have been working hard to get their casino plans approved. It certainly hasn’t been easy, though. The state’s Lottery Commission, responsible for monitoring all gambling activities here, needed to give its approval for the project to move forward.

Fortunately, that’s what’s happened this week. The Virginia Lottery has officially pre-certified the new Danville casino plans. This paves the way for the casino referendum to make its appearance on November’s ballot. Voters in the city will then ultimately decide whether or not to allow a casino.

Ken Larking, City Manager of Danville, spoke about the situation to the media this week.

“It’s certainly good news,” he said. “We’re glad Caesars was able to pull together the necessary information and show the state that they are capable of developing a high-quality project in our community.”

Officials in the city of Danville are obviously excited to see this project move forward. Recently, the Lottery also approved casino projects in Bristol, Norfolk, and Portsmouth. Of course, approval of these projects does not mean a casino license is guaranteed. This is a separate process that takes place once voters approve the casino referendum.

It’s established that Caesars Entertainment will operate the casino expected to be built here. As many know, this company is involved in a massive merger with Eldorado Resorts right now. Here’s where things stand with that situation.

New Jersey Gaming Commission Gives Approval For Eldorado-Caesars Merger

The higher-ups in Caesars Entertainment have to be excited to hear that the new Danville casino plans have been approved. Of course, most of the company is solely focused on its merger with Eldorado Resorts. Back in June of 2019, Eldorado paid an incredible $17.3 billion to acquire Caesars and its assets.

This is the largest merger between two casino companies in history. Our team has been covering the merge for more than a year. Obviously, such a massive deal takes a long time to complete.

Initially, the plan was for everything to be finished by June of this year. After several delays, company officials pushed the finalization date to July. It now appears that things will be completed in August.

Eldorado and Caesars recently gained approval from the Nevada and Indiana Gaming Commissions. These companies now only need the green light from New Jersey’s regulators for things to move forward. Hope was that this would get done before the end of the week.

News has just broken that New Jersey has officially approved the merger. It was the final hurdle in the way of the deal closing. Only a few more easy steps are needed before the country’s largest casino merger is done!

These companies have reason to celebrate. Their deal is nearly complete, and the new Danville casino plans have officially been approved. Stay tuned for more news on Virginia’s casino industry over the next few weeks!

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Virginia

Caesars Entertainment in Talks to Open New Casino in Virginia

Devin P-BBy Devin P-B

The City of Danville, VA, is quickly moving forward with a bidding process to open the city’s first casino. After receiving proposals from operators in early May, the city has decided to move forward with Caesars Entertainment.

Official Government Logo for Danville, Virginia

The city has not approved a site for the casino to be built. However, recent reports suggest the former Dan River Mills industrial complex in the Schoolfield area of Danville is in discussion for the casino’s location. As part of the bidding process, Caesars created a flythrough tour of what the new casino property would look like.

The proposed property features 500 hotel rooms, a 2,500-seat concert venue, and a 35,000 square foot convention center. The designs shared with the city include plans for a sportsbook, 2,000 slot machines, 75 table games, and 16 poker tables.

Check out the video highlighting the initial design of Danville’s new casino.

Virginia Changes Stance on Casino Ban

The Commonwealth of Virginia does not currently allow casinos to operate. However, recent legislative changes have provided cities with a democratic process to legalize casino gaming and legalized gambling.

On April 22, the state’s House of Delegates and Senate voted in favor of Gov. Ralph Northam’s amendments to Virginia’s casino legislation. The bill provides authorization to the “host cities” of Bristol, Danville, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Richmond to vote via referendum on whether to authorize casinos to operate locally. Each city will vote on its referendum during the general election in November 2020, with the exception of Richmond.

Construction of Caesars Casinos Expected to Generate Jobs

The City of Danville could see the creation of nearly 900 construction jobs during the build-out phase of Caesars Entertainment’s new property. Once the casino is completely operational, the  city expects approximately 1,300 new jobs created to staff the casino and resort.

The construction of the new casino is expected to cost more than $400 million in capital investment. If approved in the near future, the casino should be completely built in 2023. The City of Danville expects to receive over $20 million in revenue annually from taxes on gaming activity.

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Casino, Virginia

General Assembly is Ready to Review Virginia’s New Casino Regulations

Nickolas BransonBy Nickolas Branson

Lawmakers in Virginia have been discussing opening up the state’s casino industry for years. It seemed as if casinos were set to become legal earlier this year, yet certain state officials are still asking for revisions to the gambling legislation. This week, the state General Assembly is meeting to discuss Virginia’s new casino regulations.

Virginia Casinos

If all goes according to plan, Class III casinos will be approved in this state before the summer. Today, we’re going to discuss the changes to gambling laws here. We’ll also look at what other forms of gambling may become available over the next couple of years.

Let’s get into it!

Virginia’s Governor is Asking for Changes to Proposed Casino Laws

More states are beginning to embrace their gambling industries. It seems like every few months, another state announces it’s becoming interested in legalizing casinos. This is certainly true in Virginia, which has been looking at the legalization of casinos for years.

As we already mentioned, it seemed like casinos would become legal here last year. Things failed to materialize, however, and another push to legalize casinos began in the beginning of this year. In February, news broke that the House and Senate approved a set of casino bills.

That didn’t mean casinos instantly became legal here. Virginia Governor Ralph Northam began taking a closer look at this legislation. Eventually, the Governor asked for an amendment to the casino bills that would allow revenue from these gambling venues to go towards public school construction.

It was a little disappointing for those hoping to see casinos legal this year. Northam’s decision now means the House and Senate will need to agree on the new terms. It’s unclear whether this will take place.

The fact that all US land-based casinos are shut down right now isn’t helping either. There are some analysts that feel the country’s casino industry will never look the same once this pandemic has ended.

This week, Virginia state officials will once again look at the casino legislation being presented.

Officials Are Now Set to Review Virginia’s New Casino Regulations

It’s clear that legalizing casinos is not easy. As many in Virginia now realize, there are several legal steps that need to be taken before these gambling venues can be approved. This includes gaining approval from the state’s General Assembly.

Once again, the House and Senate will need to review the new amendment presented by Governor Northam. These state government bodies will need to approve House Bill 4 and Senate Bill 36. If both bills are approved once again, casinos may finally become legal here.

Senator Todd Pillion gave an enthusiastic statement about this new meeting to the media yesterday.

“Fixing our deteriorating schools is an issue that unites legislators across political and geographical divides,” he said. “Republicans and Democrats from Lee County to Norfolk recognize this is an issue that needs our attention. The amendment, which I support, will allow a portion of state revenues collected from casino projects to be returned to localities to fix our schools, directly benefiting our students and teachers. I am hopeful this solution will have broad bipartisan support in both the Senate and House.” 

It remains to be seen whether or not these bodies will decide to approve these bills. If they are rejected, the legislation will go back to the Governor. It would then be discussed again once again in November.

Are any other forms of gambling likely to be approved here?

Sports Betting is Likely to Become Legal in Virginia Soon

Since May of 2018, every state in the country has been able to legalize sports betting. That’s due to the Supreme Court striking down PASPA. Today, more than 20 states have officially legalized this form of gambling.

Lawmakers in Virginia have discussed plans to allow sports betting for years. It now appears 2020 is the year this happens. During today’s meeting to discuss Virginia’s new casino regulations, lawmakers will also decide on whether or not to approve sports gambling legislation.

Most feel this will happen. The main focus point will be on how much sports betting licenses cost. Under the current plans, it will cost $250,000 for a three-year license and an additional $200,000 to renew these licenses.

Most agree that sports betting will be hugely popular in this state. Virginia is known for its large sports fan base. Governor Northam seems to recognize this, and almost all analysts expect him to sign the sports gambling bills once approved by the House and Senate.

It’s an exciting time for gambling fans in Virginia. This year, two separate forms of gambling are likely to become legal here.

Do you think Virginia’s new casino regulations will be approved? Let us know in the comments section below!

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Casino, news, Virginia

Governor Northam Amends Virginia’s Casino Legislation

James MurrayBy James Murray

For years, lawmakers in Virginia have been pushing to expand the state’s gambling industry. The legalization of casinos, they argue, would help to bring the state millions in additional revenue every single year. Unfortunately, Governor Northam has amended Virginia’s casino legislation and it’s unclear when casinos will be able to operate here.

Virginia Sign

It’s disappointing news for gambling fans in this state. Today, we’re going to discuss when casinos may finally be able to operate here. We’ll also look at how other state’s casino industries are faring right now.

Let’s get into it!

Virginia’s Road to Casino Legalization

Virginia is one of the few states in the country that does not currently allow casino gambling. It wasn’t always this way, though. Many decades ago, this state had a large and successful gambling industry. Today, however, almost no legal forms of wagering are allowed here.

The first attempts to legalize casinos here appeared in the mid-90s. None of these early attempts made it to the Senate. That hasn’t stopped proponents of this industry from trying, though.

Recently, another major push to allow casinos has been taking place. This time, it appears things may actually be successful. Two different bills are being considered here to officially allow casinos in five different cities.

In February, news broke that lawmakers had advanced these bills. Several anti-gambling groups began voicing their concerns, claiming it would lead to higher rates of crime and gambling addiction. Despite these claims, state leaders seemed to be embracing the land-based casino industry.

Things are being delayed once again. News is now coming out that the Governor is amending the policy to allow casinos to start operating. Here’s what we know about this situation.

Governor Decides to Amend Virginia’s Casino Legislation

Allowing land-based casinos to operate in Virginia was never going to be easy. Completely new laws had to be introduced. This week, Governor Ralph Northam decided to delay things a little bit to ensure the money earned from legal casinos goes to the right place.

Governor Northam is now proposing an amendment that would use casino revenue to fund public school construction. Carter Hutchinson, deputy policy advisor for the Governor, recently spoke about the situation to the media.

“The governor is going to amend that provision of the bill that says roughly two-thirds of the [tax] revenue goes to the general fund,” he said. “He is going to amend that language to designate the funding go to school construction, renovation and repairs. The language is going to be relatively broad given the revenue from the casinos won’t start coming in for at least a couple years, probably more.”

Lawmakers in Virginia will meet once again on April 22nd to further discuss Virginia’s casino legislation. At this time, a decision will be made on whether or not to officially approve the new bills.

A 2019 study concluded that legalized casinos could bring Virginia $900 million within five years. A casino in Bristol could bring the state $15 million annually.

We’ll need to wait and see how things go later this month.

US Casino Industry Remains Shut Down

It’s an unusual time for Virginia to consider allowing land-based casinos. As most are well-aware, almost all land-based casinos in the state are completely shut down due to Covid-19. It’s unclear when this will change.

It’s a difficult situation. Health experts believe that casinos pose a serious risk for infection spread. Because of this, some feel it may be months before any land-based gaming venues are able to open again.

The casino shutdown has been seriously damaging for several states. Nevada, in particular, is losing out on an enormous amount of revenue right now. Several major casino operators in Las Vegas are losing millions of dollars every single day due to these regulations.

Atlantic City is beginning to suffer, as well. A recent report claims the city may begin losing $500 million every month. Unless things change, it will be extremely difficult for many casino companies to continue operations here.

Virginia’s casino legislation may soon be approved. It will be interesting to see how the new coronavirus affects these plans.

Stay tuned for more Virginia casino news over the next few weeks!