Virginia’s iGaming Bill Fails to Pass Before the Session’s End

Virginia will not be the next state to legalize online casino gaming, at least not yet, since a bill seeking to legalize the vertical failed to secure approval before the end of the 2026 legislative session.

Virginia Failed to Legalize iGaming

House Bill 161 sought to legalize online casino making, securing bipartisan support for making Virginia the next state to allow iGaming. While the US has rapidly deployed sports betting regulation across many states, online casino gaming is still available only in a select few US jurisdictions.

As mentioned, HB 161 had strong backing but had its breakdown toward the end of the legislative session. Although the bill received a final version, it didn’t have enough time to return to either chamber for a vote.

The slowdown could be partially attributed to concerns about the negative impact iGaming could have. Although many supported the measure, some expressed concerns about gambling harm and the potential cannibalization of land-based casinos’ revenue by the online sector.

The Bill’s Failure Pleased the NAAiG

HB 161’s failure to pass comes as a disappointment to iGaming proponents due to the fact that it went further than any other attempt to legalize iGaming in 2026. This means that the launch of an additional iGaming market in 2026 is highly unlikely.

While proponents of online casinos were let down, the National Association Against iGaming (NAAiG) rejoiced. The association emphasized that allowing online casinos would have jeopardized the existing land-based casino industry, depriving communities of crucial funding, and causing potential layoffs.

The NAAiG cited the results of a survey suggesting that the majority of voters in Virginia also oppose iGaming and that 62% of them would be less likely to support a political candidate who is pro-iGaming.

Virginia Skill Games Could Make a Return

In other news, Virginia just sent Senate Bill 611 to Governor Abigail Spanberger’s desk. The measure would allow skill game terminals to return to small businesses across the Commonwealth giving extra credibility to the skill gaming vertical.

Critics, however, expressed concerns with the fact that the bill did not outline minimum payout requirements for skill games like the ones slot machines have to follow.