Introduction to Virginia Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020
Virginia slot machine casino gambling does not exist … yet. Last year, the state legislature and Governor approved three new casinos, but each awaits approval by voters in their local municipalities.
This post continues my weekly State-By-State Slot Machine Casino Gambling Series, an online resource dedicated to guiding slot machine casino gambler to success. Now in its third year, each weekly post reviews slots gambling in a single U.S. state, territory, or federal district.
Both VA SB 384 and VA HB 896 are bills that would make sports betting legal through the Virginia Lottery. The main bill as it pertains to the legalization of gambling is VA HB 4. VA HB 4 would make casino gaming in Virginia legal for state residents and visitors. The Virginia Lottery Board would oversee the gambling market for the Commonwealth. Those companies have been closely reading state laws on gambling to find a way to bypass them. In Virginia, they noticed the law only bans slot machines with three factors — a wager, the offer of a prize or cash and a win based solely on chance. Knock out one, and a machine can be legal. What Forms of Gambling Are Legal. Your first port of call for a legal wager in Virginia is going to be the state lottery, which has run since 1989 after it was voted in to existence back in 1987. Since 1999 the proceeds have gone solely to educational funding, with total proceeds thus far amounting to almost $9 billion.
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Are Gambling Machines Legal In Virginia County
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Relevant Legal Statutes on Gambling in Virginia*
The minimum legal gambling age in Virginia depends upon the gambling activity:
- Land-Based Casinos: 21 (expected)
- Poker Rooms: Not available
- Bingo: 18
- Lottery: 18
- Pari-Mutuel Wagering: 18
On March 22, 2019, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed State Bill 1126 into law. This state law does not authorize casinos in Virginia. However, in effect, it establishes
- A Commission to study casino gaming regulations
- A framework for the Lottery Board to oversee gaming
- How eligible cities conduct a local casino approval referendum
Details of the state bill suggest eligible cities are Danville, Bristol, and Portsmouth. Regarding timing, the city of Bristol has scheduled their referendum for November 2020.
*The purpose of this section is to inform the public of state gambling laws and how the laws might apply to various forms of gaming. It is not legal advice.
Slot Machine Private Ownership in Virginia
It is legal to own a slot machine privately in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Gaming Control Board in Virginia
The framework included in the 2019 passing of Virginia State Bill 1126 includes giving oversight of sports betting regulations to the Virginia Racing Commission. This expansion of its responsibilities is in addition to its current responsibilities overseeing horserace pari-mutuel wagering.
The Virginia Lottery Board will obtain responsibility for casino gambling, but specific gaming regulations are not yet available. Establishing these gaming regulations is currently underway by Virginia's Joint Legislative and Review Commission.
Casinos in Virginia
There are currently no casinos with slot machines in Virginia.
Commercial Casinos in Virginia
There are currently no commercial casinos in Virginia. However, three eligible cities may have casinos after approval by voters. The Bristol referendum occurs first in November 2020.
These three potential casino locations include the cities of:
- Danville located 144 miles southwest of Richmond near North Carolina
- Bristol located 113 miles northeast of Knoxville near Tennessee
- Portsmouth located 97 miles southeast of Richmond near Chesapeake
Tribal Casinos in Virginia
The Pamunkey Indian Tribe gained federal recognition in 2015 and is pursuing establishing a tribal casino. They intend to have improved educational and employment opportunities to ensure the long-term success of the tribe.
At this time, the tribe is searching for a suitable site for a casino resort located within Virginia. Potential sites for a tribal casino now include Richmond and Norfolk.
Continual and effective opposition of tribal casinos in Virginia comes from the casino operator of MGM National Harbor in nearby Maryland.
Other Gambling Establishments
As an alternative to enjoying Virginia slot machine casino gambling, consider exploring casino options in a nearby state. Bordering Virginia is:
- North: Maryland Slots and District of Columbia Slots
- East: The Atlantic Ocean
- South: North Carolina Slots and Tennessee Slots
- West: Kentucky Slots and West Virginia Slots
Each of the links above will take you to my blog for that neighboring U.S. state to Virginia.
Colonial Downs Racetrack offers slot-like historical horse racing (HHR) electronic gaming machines. This horseracing facility is in the eastern part of Virginia located 30 miles east of Richmond.
Our Virginia Slots Facebook Group
- A Commission to study casino gaming regulations
- A framework for the Lottery Board to oversee gaming
- How eligible cities conduct a local casino approval referendum
Details of the state bill suggest eligible cities are Danville, Bristol, and Portsmouth. Regarding timing, the city of Bristol has scheduled their referendum for November 2020.
*The purpose of this section is to inform the public of state gambling laws and how the laws might apply to various forms of gaming. It is not legal advice.
Slot Machine Private Ownership in Virginia
It is legal to own a slot machine privately in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Gaming Control Board in Virginia
The framework included in the 2019 passing of Virginia State Bill 1126 includes giving oversight of sports betting regulations to the Virginia Racing Commission. This expansion of its responsibilities is in addition to its current responsibilities overseeing horserace pari-mutuel wagering.
The Virginia Lottery Board will obtain responsibility for casino gambling, but specific gaming regulations are not yet available. Establishing these gaming regulations is currently underway by Virginia's Joint Legislative and Review Commission.
Casinos in Virginia
There are currently no casinos with slot machines in Virginia.
Commercial Casinos in Virginia
There are currently no commercial casinos in Virginia. However, three eligible cities may have casinos after approval by voters. The Bristol referendum occurs first in November 2020.
These three potential casino locations include the cities of:
- Danville located 144 miles southwest of Richmond near North Carolina
- Bristol located 113 miles northeast of Knoxville near Tennessee
- Portsmouth located 97 miles southeast of Richmond near Chesapeake
Tribal Casinos in Virginia
The Pamunkey Indian Tribe gained federal recognition in 2015 and is pursuing establishing a tribal casino. They intend to have improved educational and employment opportunities to ensure the long-term success of the tribe.
At this time, the tribe is searching for a suitable site for a casino resort located within Virginia. Potential sites for a tribal casino now include Richmond and Norfolk.
Continual and effective opposition of tribal casinos in Virginia comes from the casino operator of MGM National Harbor in nearby Maryland.
Other Gambling Establishments
As an alternative to enjoying Virginia slot machine casino gambling, consider exploring casino options in a nearby state. Bordering Virginia is:
- North: Maryland Slots and District of Columbia Slots
- East: The Atlantic Ocean
- South: North Carolina Slots and Tennessee Slots
- West: Kentucky Slots and West Virginia Slots
Each of the links above will take you to my blog for that neighboring U.S. state to Virginia.
Colonial Downs Racetrack offers slot-like historical horse racing (HHR) electronic gaming machines. This horseracing facility is in the eastern part of Virginia located 30 miles east of Richmond.
Our Virginia Slots Facebook Group
Are you interested in sharing and learning with other slots enthusiasts in Virginia? If so, join our Virginia slots community on Facebook. All you'll need is a Facebook profile to join this closed Facebook Group freely.
There, you'll be able to privately share your slots experiences as well as chat with players about slots gambling in Virginia. Join us!
Payout Returns in Virginia
As Virginia casinos await voter approvals, the state legislature is working to establish slot machine gaming regulations. Therefore, it is not yet known if Virginia will offer theoretical payout limits or return statistics.
Summary of Virginia Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020
Virginia slot machine casino gambling does exist but is now on the horizon. Commercial casinos are awaiting approval by voters in Bristol, Danville, and Portsmouth.
Annual Progress in Virginia Slot Machine Casino Gambling
In the last year, there has been no change to the slots gaming industry in Virginia. However, potential changes are imminent.
Related Articles from Professor Slots
Other State-By-State Articles from Professor Slots
- Previous: Vermont Slot Machine Casino Gambling
- Next: Washington Slot Machine Casino Gambling
Have fun, be safe, and make good choices!
By Jon H. Friedl, Jr. Ph.D., President
Jon Friedl, LLC
By: Jacob Newton
Are Gambling Machines Legal In Virginia State
Playing casino style slot machines in Virginia may soon become a reality. House Bill 4 Lottery Board; regulation of casino gaming (the 'Bill'), proposes an amendment to the Code of Virginia, which would expand gambling and gaming rights throughout the Commonwealth to include classic slot machine casino gambling.[1] The Bill will give the power to grant gambling to localities and Virginians across the Commonwealth will get the chance to vote if they want casino gambling inside local communities.[2] The Bill is still subject to the Governor's approval, but Virginia lawmakers have given approval to the Bill to allow voters in Bristol, Danville, Richmond, Norfolk and Portsmouth to hold local referendums later this year to approve casinos.[3] The Governor has until 11:59 p.m., April 11, 2020 to take action on the Bill.[4]
Lawmakers are conflicted by the desire to keep the revenue of Virginian gamblers inside the state's economy,[5] and the negative morality associated with gambling. Due to this conflict, they have been continuously making exceptions to Virginia Code § 18.2-326, the statute penalizing illegal gambling.[6] Even though lawmakers have been making exceptions to the general rule against gambling, they have been reluctant to legalize the most common type of gambling, the casino style slot machine[7]
Gambling machines that look and operate similar to the classic casino style slot machine are common within Virginia, even though the casino style slot machine is currently illegal in within the state's borders.[8] The legality of these casino-like slot machines are possible because the exceptions to Virginia Code § 18.2-326 have been expanded or exploited to make the machines fit under specific exceptions.[9] The advancement of technology has transformed the gambling industry and created gray areas in need of defining.[10] One prevalent example of these exceptions to Virginia Code § 18.2-326 is Va. Sports betting investment system. Code Ann.§ 18.2-340.15 (the charitable gaming exception).
The charitable gaming exception was legalized in 1973, making it the earliest exception to the criminality imposed upon gambling in Virginia.[11] It provides charitable gaming shall be permitted in the Commonwealth as a means of funding qualified organizations.[12] A qualified 'organization' is defined by the statute as a volunteer emergency services organization operated exclusively for religious, charitable, community or educational purposes; athletic association or booster club; veterans; fraternal association or corporation operating under the lodge system; local chamber of commerce; or any other nonprofit organization that raises funds by conducting raffles that generate annual gross receipts of $40,000 or less, provided such gross receipts from the raffle, less expenses and prizes, are used exclusively for charitable, educational, religious or community purposes.[13] The list of qualified organizations is implicitly an exhaustive list meant to target specific types of organizations.
The types of gambling allowed under the exception permits qualified organizations to conduct raffles, bingo, network bingo, and instant bingo games.[14] Instant bingo closely resembles the classic slot machine and is provided for by statute.[15] Electronic pull-tabs are an electronic version of a single instant bingo card or pull-tab. The electronic pull-tab is a predetermined game outcome in electronic form, distributed on-demand from a finite number of game outcomes by a distributed pull-tab system.[16] The specifics of the machines are highly regulated by the charitable gaming board, but the machines still resemble a slightly watered down version of a classic slot machine because they operate at the press of a button and display symbols in the form of a crisscross.[17]
Some companies are charging potential gamblers a nominal lifetime membership fee to use the electronic pull tab machines and claiming to fall under the lodge system definition of qualifying organizations.[18] Specific companies are not listed because they do not advertise this on any platform. Companies using this method have essentially placed themselves in this category already carved out by the charitable gaming statute, and the Charitable Gaming Board has yet to condemn or approve this method. This is just one example of a gray area surrounding the legal boundaries of gambling in Virginia.
The legislative trend is moving toward complete legalization of casino slot style gambling in Virginia. However, 'dancing' around compete legalization puts stress on local government and law enforcement to maintain the gray boundaries of the expanding amount of exceptions. If the Governor signs House Bill 4 Lottery Board; regulation of casino gaming, then Virginia will be one step closer to alleviating the pressure of maintaining those boundaries.
[1] Va H.R. 4, 1127 Leg. Session (2020).
[2]See id.
[3]See Associate Press, Virginia to expand gambling options, legalize casinos, WHSV 3 (Mar. 08, 2020, 4:48 PM), https://www.whsv.com/content/news/Virginia-to-expand-gambling-options-legalize-casinos-568611311.html
[4]SeeHB 4 Lottery Board; regulation and control of casino gaming, Virginia's Legislative Information System (last visited Oct. 6, 2008), https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+sum+HB4.
[5]See Gregory S. Schneider, ‘Boring' no more? Virginia has already begun embracing casino-style gaming, Wash. Post (July 7, 2019, 1:00 PM), https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-news/boring-no-more-virginia-has-already-begun-embracing-casino-style-gaming/2019/07/07/79477f62-9db1-11e9-85d6-5211733f92c7_story.html.
[6]See Va. Code Ann.§ 18.2-340.15; Va. Code Ann.§ 18.2-334.3; Va. Code Ann.§ 59.1-364.
[7] Riverboat Gaming Commission with riverboat gaming, Va H.R. 2400, 1110 Leg. Session (1995).
[8] See generally House Bill 1609 (describing the functions of the historic horse racing machines); 11 Va. Admin. Code § 15-40-410 (2019) (describing electronic pull-tab bingo).
[9]See Va. Code Ann.§ 18.2-340.15; Va. Code Ann.§ 18.2-334.3; Va. Code Ann.§ 59.1-364.
[10]See IN THIS ISSUE: CULTURAL PRODUCTION IN A DIGITAL AGE: Digital Gambling: The Coincidence of Desire and Design, 597 Annals 65.
[11]See Casino heist helmets. Va. Code Ann.§ 18.2-340.15.
[12]See id.
[13]See Va. Code Ann.§ 18.2-340.16.
[14]See Va. Code Ann.§ 18.2-340.22.
[15]See id.
[16]See 11 Va. Admin. Code § 15-40-410 (2019).
[17]See id.
[18]See Va. Code Ann.§ 18.2-340.16.
image source: https://thesportsdaily.com/2019/06/04/free-slot-machine-games/