Virginia lawmakers have introduced a bill to create a state gaming commission. House Bill 271, filed by Del. Paul Krizek (D) last week, would create the Virginia Gaming Commission to oversee all aspects of the gambling industry in the state.
Gaming has expanded rapidly over the last few years in the Old Dominion. It is currently overseen by three different agencies.
The Virginia Lottery Board regulates casinos and sports betting, which were legalized in 2020. The Racing Commission oversees horse racing, including slot machine-like historical horse racing games, and the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services regulates charitable gambling and daily fantasy sports.
“The creation of a Virginia Gaming Commission is not about building more bureaucracy, it’s about promoting smarter government,” Krizek recently told iGaming Business. “A unified commission would streamline oversight by bringing all gaming under one roof, with consistent standards and enforcement. It would strengthen consumer confidence by ensuring transparency and fairness across all gaming platforms.”
Could Commission Proceed iGaming Legalization?
The idea of putting all gambling under one agency comes as lawmakers eye online casino legalization. Whether there’s a correlation remains to be seen. According to reports, iGaming has bipartisan support at the capitol.
Backers of online casinos believe legalization will move players from unregulated sites to a more protected environment. The commonwealth could also better compete with nearby states like Pennsylvania and West Virginia, both of which offer online poker and online casinos.
Florida created its Florida Gaming Control Commission as Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a new gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe. The deal legalized sports betting in Florida, and expanded options at both pari-mutuel facilities and Seminole-owned casinos. Just a couple years later, before the agreement was cemented by the courts, the legislators passed a bill to create the FGCC.
Virginia’s potential new regulatory body comes at a similar point in the state’s gambling history.
“We’re not creating a new category here with iGaming,” sponsor Del. Marcus B. Simon (D) told a joint subcommittee in August. “My goal is to bring it under a regulated umbrella where we can have some oversight of it and supervision.
Maine legalized online poker and casino gaming last week after Gov. Janet Mills (D) allowed LD1164 to become law without her signature.
