Virginia Online Casino Bill Makes Incremental Progress In Senate

Virginia Del. Marcus Simon's bill, which would legalize online casino gaming if it passes both this year and in 2027, took small steps forward in the Senate on Tuesday.

HB 161 first passed out of the Finance and Appropriations Committee by an 11-3 vote with one abstention, moving it to the full Senate floor. There, the bill was included as part of a block of legislation in which the upper chamber dispensed with the constitutional reading.

The Senate then twice suspended rules to move the bill along and was "passed for the day" by a block vote. That means Simon's bill will come up again for further deliberation or a final vote at a time yet to be determined.

The companion bill, SB 118 filed by Sen. Mamie Locke, had its second reading in the House on Tuesday. The lower chamber reached a key point of concurrence in the process last week by inserting language identical to Simon's bill that would require the legislature to pass the bill again in 2027 in order to legalize online casino gaming.

Senate rejects concurrence on Lucas' bill

The Senate also roundly rejected the House substitute bill to SB 609 by a 38-2 vote on Tuesday. That bill, sponsored by Sen. Louise Lucas, proposes to create the Virginia Lottery and Gaming Authority to oversee all gaming in the Old Dominion.

The rejection means the two chambers will likely meet in conference committee to hammer out differences between the two pieces of legislation for an acceptable version on which both houses can vote.