A couple of Virginia legislators proposed bills in early 2023 that could lead to a casino in northern Virginia. While those efforts were quickly tabled, a similar proposal could appear during the state’s 2024 legislative session. 

Sen. David Marsden told Patch that he’d like to reintroduce the legislation in 2024, assuming he wins reelection this November. Marsden wants to see increased diversity in revenue generation across the region. 

“We need to start looking towards the future of having a broader economy in the county or broader revenue stream other than property taxes and the things that we usually get money from,” Marsden told Patch. “You’ve got to find ways to replace that as the world changes.”

Six casinos?

Patch also reported that Comstock Companies has interest in building a casino near the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station in Reston, Virginia. The stop is on the Silver Line in Fairfax County. 

Should legislation pass to potentially allow for a new regulated casino, there would still need to be a successful referendum to move forward with any northern Virginia casino development. County officials and voters in the region would need to be on board with casino development for the idea to progress. 

“I think the county is interested in taking a look at it,” Marsden told Patch.

Bristol, Danville, and Portsmouth are all home to operational casinos in Virginia, and Norfolk city officials are working with the Pamunkey Indian Tribe to open a fourth casino in the state. 

Richmond, which held an unsuccessful casino referendum in 2021, will hold another referendum this November. Should that ballot measure pass, Richmond could become home to the fifth casino in Virginia. 

The three current casinos combined to generate $55.1 million in adjusted gaming revenues in August. Rivers Casino in Portsmouth paced the trio by creating $21.5 million in adjusted gaming revenue. The casinos generated $9.9 in monthly tax revenue for the state.

Virginia does not allow for legalized mobile casino gaming.

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