The House passed legislation to legalize the Virginia online casino market Tuesday, just a day after the Senate passed a similar bill.
HB 161 by Del. Marcus Simon passed 67-30, though that was after the first vote was failed, 46-49, drawing audible reactions from the room. Simon voted no the first time around and quickly asked for the bill to be reconsidered, which is an option Virginia legislators have if they voted on the prevailing side of the vote.
SB 118 by Sen. Mamie Locke passed by a similar circumstance on Monday by a 19-17 vote. The first vote of 19-20 was asked to be reconsidered by Sen. Schuyler VanValkenberg. A few hours later, the bill passed with VanValkenberg and two other original no votes not participating in the second vote.
The Virginia Legislature adjourns March 14.
iDEA: still ‘significant work’ needed
It is not time to celebrate about legal online casinos in Virginia just yet.
“This week’s votes are a major step forward for Virginia,” said John Pappas, state advocacy director for online gaming trade group iDevelopment and Economic Association. “We applaud lawmakers for advancing legislation that will expand consumer protections, strengthen the land-based casino industry, and generate significant new revenues for the Commonwealth.
“Notably, this progress comes despite a wave of misleading claims from opponents that mischaracterize how regulated iGaming works and what it actually means for consumers, accountability, and Virginia’s existing gaming industry. There is still significant work ahead to reconcile the House and Senate versions and get this across the finish line, but the momentum and the facts are clearly on the side of a safe, regulated marketplace.”
Opponents relying on governor
The National Association Against iGaming, meanwhile, is now hoping Gov. Abigail Spanberger will not support the legislation given the regulatory framework. There are bills this session to legalize a Virginia Gaming Commission.
“Earlier this session, Governor Abigail Spanberger’s administration expressed serious concern about expanding gaming without first establishing a single entity with clear authority, consistent standards, and strong compliance and enforcement capabilities,” spokesman Oliver Barie said. “Those concerns remain valid and unresolved.
“It is now up to Governor Spanberger to protect Virginians from this massive and ill-advised expansion of gambling.”
Garrett: online casino bill ‘will kill people’
Before the revote, Del. Tom Garrett Jr. rose to deliver a speech opposing HB 161, arguing the bill’s expansion of mobile gambling would cause long term social harm and calling it “easily one of the worst bills of this session, and by golly, that’s saying something.
“I compare this bill to Frankenstein’s monster,” Garrett said. “Frankenstein’s monster killed people … this bill will kill people. Frankenstein’s monster killed people because of revenge. This bill is going to kill people because of greed.
Garrett warned that the legislation would put “a casino on every single phone, in every single pocket,” including in those of young people. He argued the bill specifically targets young men by exploiting dopamine driven behavioral design, saying mobile gambling addiction is far more severe than addiction ties to physical casinos.
“They have studied this so throughly that they understand exactly how to get you to do what they want you to do when you poke your finger on the illuminated screen that is your cell phone,” Garrett said. “Our young men are in the crosshairs and it targets our most vulnerable young men.”
He cited studies showing young men with gambling addictions are significantly more likely to attempt suicide and warned that the damage would not come all at once, “This won’t be one tragedy,” he said. “It will be a thousand small ones, families you never hear about.”
‘Should we tax and regulate rape?’
Garrett did not think that since online casino gambling is already happening in the state, it should be regulated and taxed.
“Well, let me talk about some other things really quickly that already exist in Virginia, Garrett said. “Should we tax and regulate human trafficking? Should we tax and regulate heroin? Do we need money so bad that we should tax and regulate fentanyl? Should we tax and regulate rape, murder, strong-armed robbery?”
“We don’t tax and regulate things that destroy people.”
Garrett also highlighted the scale of political donations tied to gambling interests, rattling off more than $2.5 million in contributions made this year to party leadership, caucuses and even individual lawmakers.
“The amount of money that was spent by the people who are pushing this legislation numbs the mind.”
Fantasy bill passes, too
Also passing the House Tuesday by an 89-8 vote was HB 145, which taxes the industry and fixes a loophole that allowed operators to offer contests against the house.
Operators would now pay a $50,000 registration fee and be taxed at 10%.
DraftKings and PrizePicks both supported a similar measure in the Senate. SB 129 passed the chamber 29-10 last week.
Managing Editor Matthew Waters contributed to this report.
