- With SB 118 and HB 161 both in play, legal online craps could be coming to Virginia sooner than expected.
- Real-money craps and other table games could land in Virginia through major platforms tied to the state's five casino operators.
- A reenactment clause in both bills makes 2028 the earliest legal craps in Virginia could go live.
RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia's gambling landscape took a significant step forward this week — both legislative chambers approved their own versions of an online casino bill, paving the way for real-money craps to potentially reach players statewide.
The House passed SB 118 by a vote of 70-29, but the Senate barely passed HB 161 by a vote of 21-17. Before the session ends on March 14, a six-person conference committee has been established to fill the void left by each chamber rejecting the other's version of the bill.
What Legal Craps In Virginia Could Actually Look Like
If these laws are approved, Virginians would have access to real-money digital legal craps and other table games via regulated platforms connected to the five physical casino operators in the state: Hard Rock, Caesars, Cordish, Rush Street, and Boyd.
Major brands like FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM may all possibly offer craps and other games to gamblers if each casino partners with up to three third-party platforms. Shared accounts between online casinos and sports betting would be allowed, although players would need to be at least 21 years old.
In addition to requiring operators to pay a $2 million platform charge and a $500,000 initial licensing cost, both measures impose a 20% tax on adjusted gross revenue.
The distribution of a separate 6% economic development fee between casino operators and the state lottery is one of the main areas where the two ideas diverge. The distribution of tax money between the general fund and school spending is another point of contention between the two factions.
The reenactment clause in both laws is the primary factor influencing any timeline for legal craps in Virginia. Due to a reenactment clause in both proposals, any law passed this year would still require approval from the General Assembly in 2027, setting 2028 as the earliest date that legal craps and other internet casino games may be introduced in Virginia.
The two chambers are still negotiating, and any final agreement must be approved by both houses of the legislature by March 14 in order to be presented to the governor.