A bill aiming to bring a casino to Fairfax County is moving forward for a full Senate vote in Virginia. It recently passed that body’s Finance and Appropriations Committee.
This marks the second straight year the bill has been introduced. Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D) is pushing the legislation this year. SB756 would bring a casino to the northern part of the state, adjacent to Washington D.C.
The bill came out of the committee with a key change. The property had been stipulated for the city of Tysons, but that has now been removed.
Surovell said the casino would keep revenue in the state that is currently going to MGM National Harbor. The MGM Resorts-owned casino resort is located across the Potomac River in Maryland.
“That casino is still going strong, sucking money out of our state every day, and I want to get some of that money back into our state to pay for our schools and school construction all around the entire state,” Surovell told local news outlets.
“If we had one in Fairfax County, it would generate about $2 billion a decade for school construction in Virginia and also probably generate at least over $100 million for Fairfax County.”
Bipartisan Support
The bill passed out of the committee on a 10-5 vote with bipartisan support. Seven Democrats and three Republicans voted for the plan. Any plan approved by legislators would then need to be approved by citizens in the county via a referendum.
Adding a casino to the area has come with significant opposition. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted 5-4 in December in opposition, and some on the board have been skeptical of revenue projections
Several community groups have come out in opposition of the bill as well. That includes a homeowners group in Reston, which is located in Fairfax County.
“Reston Association maintains that a casino is detrimental to our community and goes against the careful planning that has been a part of Reston for more than six decades,” a group spokesperson said.
Growing Gaming Market
Virginia voters legalized up to five casinos in 2021. There are gaming properties now in Bristol, Portsmouth, and Danville. Hard Rock Bristol was the latest, officially opening in November 2024 and unveiling a poker room in February 2025.
The Cordish Companies and Bruce Smith Enterprises broke ground on a Live! Casino and Hotel in Petersburg last March.
Beyond brick-and mortar-casinos, lawmakers have looked at legalizing online gaming and poker recently. The General Assembly is also considering a bill to create a gaming commission. The commission would oversee all aspects of the gambling industry, which is currently regulated by three different agencies.
