Sports Betting Coming to Virginia?

Following last week's shock news that New Mexico would start offering sports betting starting Tuesday October 16, now comes word that Virginia may be next on the list...or at least on the list. 

While it came as quite a surprise that New Mexico law required no amendments to allow sports wagering, Virginia will have to go through the legislative process.  The General Assembly will not be back in session until early 2019.

“More than a dozen lobbyists have registered to represent casino and gambling interests, including some of the big names, like MGM Grand and Caesars, ahead of the General Assembly session early next year,” said reporter Ned Oliver, of the Virginia Mercury.

Virginia does not even have full service casinos. Residents currently have access to casinos via neighboring states like West Virginia and Maryland.  West Virginia has already legalized sports betting and is set to open its sportsbooks shortly.

“That probably has a lot to do with the interest of MGM Grand and Caesars,” said Oliver in reference to the push to legalize casino and sports gambling in Virginia.

“Their customers are in some cases just an eight-minute drive away from Alexandria, and they could mostly be interested in protecting their existing interests. But if something is coming down the pike in the General Assembly in Virginia, they want to make sure they’re in on the game.”

Signs that the General Assembly are ready to move on this are apparent, Oliver suggests.

“The General Assembly opened the door just a crack when they gave the operators of Colonial Downs, a horse race track in New Kent County, permission to install 3,000 slot machines.”

Colonial Downs could offer sports betting as soon as 2019 if given permission.  Otherwise, the odds of sports wagering coming to Virginia prior to 2020 are not very good as a casino would likely have to be open first.

Development is currently only in the planning stage.

- Aaron Goldstein, Gambling911.com