Governor signs the bill for legalisation of sports betting in Virginia
Sports betting in Virginia could become a reality relatively soon. Virginia’s Governor Ralph Northam signed a bill, titled SB 1126, into law that could pave the way for casinos and sports betting in the state.
The bill grants the Virginia Lottery Board the power to authorise different types of gambling meaning the legalisation of sports betting in Virginia is at the discretion of the Virginia Lottery Board. The bill would also limit sports betting to land-based gambling venues and does not contain any provisions for online sports betting.
As per the bill, casino gambling includes “baccarat, blackjack, twenty-one, poker, craps, dice, slot machines, sports betting, roulette wheels, Klondike tables, punchboards, faro layouts, keno layouts, numbers tickets, push cards, jar tickets, pull tabs, online gaming, and any other activity that is authorised by the Board as a wagering game or device under Chapter 41.”
Although the bill has been signed into law, there is a long way to go before any gambling expansion can take place in Virginia.