Virginia Governor Urges New Gaming Regulatory Body for his State
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin sees the need for a new regulatory agency to oversee the growing online gambling industry in the commonwealth.
Governor: Virginia should have an agency dedicated to online gambling.
Key Facts:
- Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin called for a new regulatory commission to oversee the burgeoning gaming industry
- Propoised new committee on gambling would regulate sportsbooks
- Move for a new gaming commission could help facilitate legalization of online casinos in the commonwealth
Speaking in his annual State of the Commonwealth address, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin urged lawmakers to create a new regulatory agency to oversee the emerging online gambling market.
Currently, Virginia has legal online sports betting, but that activity is regulated by the Virginia Lottery division. The Lottery agency was created many decades ago and for a different purpose, in an era when gambling was an in-person activity conducted at lottery retailers.
Most states with legal forms of online gambling have a separate agency for regulation of the activity. For example, New Jersey, New York, and Ohio all have a regulatory gaming commission that is separate from lottery oversight.
Online sports betting involves several licensed sports betting companies, vendors, and associated entities that require unique regulatory authority, the Governor hinted at in his address.
“We must take action to enable the creation of the Virginia Gaming Commission to consolidate the regulatory oversight of our vast gaming ecosystem under one entity,” Youngkin said in the state capitol.
Virginia launched online sportsbooks in 2021. Innovations in the market and challenges for protecting consumers has led Younkin to call for a new regulatory body to achieve state goals. That means an agency with employees well-versed in sports betting.
“Let’s get a great gaming commission formulated with real professionals who know how to regulate and take care of this growing industry in Virginia.” the Governor said.
Virginia has toyed with the idea of legal online casinos as well, though efforts have fallen short. If Virginia online casinos become a reality, a robust regulatory gaming commission with expertise in iGaming would be helpful.
Skill Games Issue Should be Shelved, Governor Says
Youngkin also discussed the possibility of legalizing skills-based gaming. But, in deference to his goal for a new gaming committee regulatory agency, he wants the state to hold off on that subject for now.
“I think if we pre-empt that work with one-off bills in order to address a particular sector of the gaming industry we are undermining our ability to get a great gaming committee established.” Youngkin said.
Many observers see Youngkin’s support for a dedicated online gaming agency as a great sign that Virginia could legalize online casinos in the future. Such an agency could establish the rules and processes for licensure for not only sports betting, skills games, and social betting platforms, but also as a blueprint for eventual online casinos in Virginia.
