The Virginia Lottery has launched an online microsite that provides key information and public transparency as the agency begins developing appropriate and responsible regulations for expanded gaming.
The microsite, which is located at www.valottery.com/casinosandsportsbetting, includes important information about the rulemaking process and provides estimated timelines for when expanded gaming will become available for Virginia consumers.
For casino gaming, the site includes important information about materials required to be submitted by eligible host cities and their designated gaming partners for the Lottery’s preliminary review. The casino legislation requires the Lottery to conduct a preliminary review of each city’s casino development plans and a preliminary assessment of the financial viability of each city’s chosen casino gaming partner.
These preliminary reviews are required before the city can have its proposal placed before voters in a local referendum during the Nov. 3, 2020 general election. This week, the Lottery notified the mayors and city managers in each of the five eligible host cities that the agency will be prepared to accept and begin reviewing their preliminary certification materials on June 1, 2020.
The casino legislation requires a more comprehensive review of casino projects, including criminal history and financial performance investigations of designated gaming operators, during a much more extensive license application process. That process will not begin until sometime after the Nov. 3 referenda and after draft regulations are completed next April.
Additionally, the Lottery microsite includes information about regulations governing online sports betting. The sports betting legislation requires the Lottery to award between four and 12 licenses for mobile sports wagering in Virginia.
The legislation requires the Lottery Board to adopt initial sports betting regulations no later than Sept. 15, including 30 days of public comment on the proposed rules.
After regulations are adopted, the agency is provided 90 days to review completed applications from potential operators and anticipates the first preliminary sports betting licenses could be awarded late in the year or in early 2021.
The Lottery’s expanded gaming microsite includes links to the casino and sports betting legislation, information about regulatory requirements and deadlines, tools for citizens to participate in the rulemaking process, answers to frequently asked questions, and links to specific forms required to be submitted by casino stakeholders.
The site will be updated as the Lottery progresses toward implementation of these new gaming initiatives, including additional information as it develops on licensing, audit and compliance requirements for operators, equipment manufacturers and distributors, suppliers and employees.
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