Virginia’s effort to bring regulated online poker and casino gaming to the state has cleared an important hurdle, but players shouldn’t expect to log in anytime soon.
On Tuesday, the House of Delegates approved HB 161, sponsored by Del. Marcus B. Simon, though it took a second vote to get it through. A day earlier, the Senate passed its own proposal, SB 118, also by the slimmest of margins. In other words, both chambers now back the idea of legal igaming, even if support was anything but overwhelming.
The timing was critical. Lawmakers acted on the legislature’s “crossover” deadline, the final day a bill must pass its chamber of origin before heading to the other side. Missing that window would have effectively ended the effort for the year.
Coming back to the legislation, both versions are quite similar. Both would authorize the Virginia Lottery Board to oversee and license online casino gaming connected to the state’s five land-based casinos. Each casino operator would be permitted to partner with up to three online brands, subject to a $2 million initial platform fee per partner. Approved operators would also pay a $500,000 upfront licensing fee.
Taxation has now been standardized across both versions at 20% of adjusted gross gaming revenue. Simon’s bill originally proposed a 15% rate, but that was raised during the legislative process. Six percent of the tax revenue would be directed to a Casino Gaming Hold Harmless Fund, aimed at protecting brick-and-mortar properties from potential revenue declines.
For online poker players, one provision stands out. Both bills explicitly allow Virginia to join multi-state agreements, including the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA). That would enable operators to combine player pools across six participating US online poker states (Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, Michigan, West Virginia and Pennsylvania).
Without such an agreement, Virginia would operate as a ring-fenced market, something that has historically made standalone online poker launches less attractive for operators.
Both bills also crack down on online sweepstakes gaming that has expanded rapidly in recent years, even as more states move to restrict or ban it.
Timeline Still Unclear
Where the two versions begin to diverge is in implementation.
The House-passed HB 161 includes a reenactment clause requiring lawmakers to approve the bill again during the 2027 session. That step alone could push a potential launch into 2028, even if the governor signs the measure this year.
The Senate-amended SB 118 does not include that requirement. However, it is tied to companion bills, Senate Bills 195 and 558, which would establish a new Virginia Gaming Commission to oversee gambling regulation. Under that structure, igaming would not go live until the commission is formally created and operational.
That framework points to July 1, 2027, as the earliest possible launch date, with regulators required to finalize rules by January 2027.
Even in the most optimistic scenario, online poker and casino gaming are still at least a year away, and potentially closer to two.
Not a Done Deal
Despite the progress, legalization is far from guaranteed.
Lawmakers must still reconcile the two versions into a single bill. The House could accept the Senate’s proposal as written, or vice versa. More likely, a conference committee will step in to negotiate a compromise. If neither side budges, the effort could collapse.
Even if a unified bill clears both chambers, it must still be signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger. She has not publicly committed to supporting online casino and poker expansion.
One clue about her priorities came from Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Katie Frazier, who told lawmakers that the governor wants a single, centralized gaming regulator in place before any expansion moves forward. That concern is being addressed separately through SB 271, which would create a dedicated Virginia Gaming Commission. That measure has advanced comfortably, including a 90-7 vote in the House.
If everything aligns, legislative agreement, regulatory framework, and gubernatorial approval, Virginia would become the 10th state to legalize online poker and the ninth to permit online casino gaming. It also would be the second state this year to legalize igaming, following Maine.
But even then, there are practical considerations. Virginia would almost certainly need to join MSIGA to make online poker viable at scale. Without shared liquidity, major operators may hesitate to launch.
If the state does move forward and joins the compact, expect familiar brands to line up. Operators already active in Virginia’s sports betting market, including BetMGM, BetRivers, Caesars (WSOP), and FanDuel/PokerStars, would likely pursue online casino and poker licenses.
For now, though, Virginia online poker players are watching a legislative process still in motion. Progress has been made, but nothing is guaranteed yet.
