Virginia Gaming Expansion Draws Heavy Lobbying as Skill Games, Casino Legislation Takes Center Stage
Gambling expansion in Virginia continues to be a key focus for lawmakers, with significant lobbying efforts underway ahead of the 2025 legislative session starting January 8.
Slot machines with display panels
Virginia's gambling landscape has evolved dramatically in recent years, expanding from just lottery and parimutuel wagering to include brick-and-mortar casinos, online sports betting, and historical horse racing (HHR) machines.
Major lobbying investments for the 2025 session include:
- Caesars Entertainment: $418,155
- Churchill Downs: $268,593
- No NOVA Casino committee: $370,209
- MGM Resorts: $222,267
- Sports Betting Alliance: $160,926
- Pace-O-Matic: $461,048
Two key issues expected to dominate the session:
- Northern Virginia Casino Proposal
- State Sen. David Marsden's push for a casino in Fairfax/Tysons faces significant opposition
- Local homeowners' associations and the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors oppose the initiative
- Union support keeps the discussion alive despite community resistance
- Skill Games Legislation
- Previously banned in October 2023 by Virginia Supreme Court
- 2024 legislation allowing ABC-licensed businesses to operate skill games failed
- Governor Youngkin's amendments included:
- 35% tax rate (up from proposed 25%)
- 35-mile buffer zone around casinos and parimutuel venues
- 2,500-foot exclusion from schools, daycares, and religious buildings
The restrictive exclusion zones effectively killed the skill games legislation, as they would limit operations to only the most rural areas. The upcoming session may see renewed efforts to find middle ground on these regulations.
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