- A key Senate committee vote has pushed Virginia's online blackjack bill to 2027, ending any shot at iGaming this year.
- The holdup comes down to a structural disagreement between lawmakers over who should be running gambling oversight.
- Other iGaming bills remain in the mix, but both chambers still have some ground to cover before anything moves forward.
RICHMOND - The Virginia Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee voted 11-3 on Monday to continue HB 271, pushing any chance of legal online casino gaming in the state to the 2027 legislative session at the earliest.
Online blackjack and other casino games have been delayed for the year along with the bill that would have established a new independent Virginia Gaming Commission to regulate all gambling in the state.
The vote followed a separate Resources Subcommittee's unanimous 4-0 vote earlier that Monday to move the bill forward. When taken as a whole, the two decisions virtually eliminated the possibility of playing legal blackjack online in Virginia in 2026.
Why the Bill Stalled
Structure was at the center of the disagreement. Del. Paul Krizek supported the creation of a stand-alone gaming commission, which would consolidate supervisory tasks from many state bodies that currently divide them among horse racing, casinos, and charitable gaming into a single body.
However, rather than creating a new organization from the ground up, Senate leaders favored expanding the current Virginia Lottery. Legalization of online blackjack has nowhere to go until that structural issue is settled.
Other iGaming initiatives, including HB 161, SB 118, and SB 609, are currently being worked on by conference committees.
Both houses have agreed on a 20% tax rate on adjusted gross income, but they are still at odds about funding percentages for responsible gaming and a hold-harmless fund meant to calm current gaming operators' concerns about revenue cannibalization.
Additionally, language was inserted into the law mandating that any legalization of iGaming be approved separately by the 2027 legislature, so even a settlement made this session would not immediately take effect.
The deadline for players wishing to access Virginia blackjack sites has now been extended by at least one year. When lawmakers return to session, there will likely be pressure to find a solution by 2027 because state budget proposals from both houses had already included additional gaming revenue.