Casinos in Virginia

History of Gambling in Virginia

Virginia spent most of its history with some of the strictest gambling restrictions in the eastern United States. For decades, commercial casinos were prohibited entirely, leaving residents to cross into neighboring West Virginia, Maryland, or North Carolina to visit gaming floors. That changed decisively in 2020, when the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation authorizing up to five casino resorts in specific host cities: Bristol, Portsmouth, Richmond, Danville, and Norfolk.

The 2020 law required each proposed casino to be approved through a local referendum before construction could proceed. Voters in Bristol, Portsmouth, Richmond, and Danville all passed their referendums in November 2020, setting the stage for what became a rapid and ambitious buildout of commercial gaming infrastructure across the state. Norfolk followed a slightly different timeline: the city conducted its own referendum process and has its own approved casino project in progress, though it remains in development as of mid-2026.

The political landscape that made casino legalization possible was shaped by years of budget discussions at the state capitol in Richmond. Lawmakers recognized that Virginians were already spending significant sums at out-of-state casinos, and that a regulated in-state framework could redirect that spending into local economies, fund public education, and generate state tax revenue. The legislation that emerged tied each casino license to a specific city and required substantial community investment commitments from developers.

Between January 2023 and December 2024, three of the four approved casinos opened their doors, with Hard Rock Bristol joining the roster in July 2024 and Caesars Virginia in Danville completing the wave in December 2024. Virginia went from having zero commercial casino floors to operating four full-scale properties in under two years, a pace that reflects both strong developer investment and genuine consumer demand.

Casino Properties

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol opened in July 2024 at 500 Volunteer Pkwy in Bristol, situated near the Virginia-Tennessee border and the famous Bristol Motor Speedway. The property carries the full Hard Rock resort designation, which means guests will find a hotel tower alongside the gaming floor. Bristol is a music heritage city — the so-called Birthplace of Country Music — and Hard Rock has leaned into that identity through its design and entertainment programming. The casino floor offers a broad selection of slot machines, table games including blackjack and poker variants, and a sportsbook. Players can reach the property directly at +1-276-696-3100 or visit hardrockcasinobristol.com for hotel reservations and event schedules.

Rivers Casino Portsmouth opened in January 2023 at 2700 S Military Hwy in Portsmouth, becoming the first commercial casino to open in Virginia under the 2020 legislation. Rush Street Gaming, the Chicago-based operator behind the Rivers brand, built a modern facility designed for a mid-Atlantic audience. The Portsmouth location draws heavily from the Hampton Roads metro area, which includes Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Chesapeake — collectively one of the largest population centers in the state. The property features over 1,300 slot machines, dozens of table games, a dedicated poker room, and multiple dining options. Contact: +1-757-451-4000.

Rivers Casino Richmond also opened in December 2023 at 2000 Meadowville Technology Pkwy in the Chesterfield County area south of downtown Richmond. Like its Portsmouth sibling, it operates under the Rush Street Gaming umbrella. Richmond’s casino occupies a growing commercial corridor and appeals to players from the state capital as well as surrounding suburban communities. The gaming floor is comparably sized to Portsmouth, with a full complement of slots, live table games, and entertainment amenities. For information: +1-804-354-5500. Both Rivers properties share riverscasino.com as their web portal, where players can manage their accounts and loyalty balances across locations.

Caesars Virginia in Danville represents the most significant single investment in the state’s casino rollout. The property opened in December 2024 at 2000 Caesars Virginia Blvd in Danville, a city in Southside Virginia that for decades struggled economically following the decline of its tobacco and textile industries. Caesars Entertainment won the development rights after acquiring the project from its original sponsor, and the finished resort reflects Caesars’ full-scale approach: a hotel, multiple restaurant concepts, a spa, an event center, and a gaming floor stocked with hundreds of slot machines and a wide range of table games. Caesars Virginia functions as an economic anchor for the entire Southside region. Players familiar with the Caesars Rewards loyalty network can link their existing accounts on arrival. Contact: +1-434-779-7000 or caesarsvirginia.com.

Rosie’s Gaming Emporium Vinton operates under a different model from the four resort casinos. Rosie’s locations across Virginia are owned by the Colonial Downs Group and offer Historical Horse Racing machines — electronic terminals that reference anonymized historical race outcomes rather than traditional slot reels. While not classified as traditional slot machines under Virginia law, HHR machines play comparably and are legal under the state’s pari-mutuel wagering statute. The Vinton location at 1135 Vinyard Rd serves the Roanoke Valley market. Multiple Rosie’s locations exist across Virginia at various addresses, though the Vinton property is the one included in this directory. Contact: +1-540-556-2999 or rosiesgaming.com.

Players Club Programs

Each major resort casino in Virginia operates a tier-based loyalty program that rewards regular visitors with free play credits, dining discounts, hotel rate privileges, and access to exclusive events.

Caesars Rewards at Caesars Virginia is part of one of the largest casino loyalty networks in the country. Members earn Reward Credits and Tier Credits on every eligible wager. Tier levels progress from Gold through Platinum, Diamond, Diamond Plus, Diamond Elite, and the invitation-only Seven Stars. Players who already hold status from visits to Caesars properties in other states can use that standing at Caesars Virginia from day one. Sign up at the rewards desk inside the casino or through the Caesars Rewards app.

Rush Rewards covers both Rivers Casino Portsmouth and Rivers Casino Richmond. Points earned at either location roll into a single account, so players who visit both properties accumulate rewards faster. Rush Street Gaming structures its program around gaming activity across all Rush-branded casinos, meaning Richmond and Portsmouth points can also apply toward benefits at Rush properties in other markets. Enrollment is free at the players club desk or online through riverscasino.com.

Hard Rock Unity is the loyalty program at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol. Members earn Unity Points on slots, table play, hotel stays, and dining. Points convert to free play or can be applied toward purchases at Hard Rock retail and restaurants. Unity status from other Hard Rock properties worldwide is recognized at Bristol.

At Rosie’s Gaming Emporium, the Rose Rewards program tracks HHR machine play and offers free play incentives to enrolled members.

Legal Framework and Responsible Gaming

Virginia’s commercial casinos are licensed and regulated by the Virginia Lottery, which was designated as the regulatory authority for casino gaming under the 2020 enabling legislation. The Virginia Lottery’s Casino Gaming Division oversees license issuance, compliance audits, and the integrity of gaming operations at all five approved commercial casino sites. The agency publishes annual reports on tax collections and compliance activity, which are available through its official website.

Casino gaming tax revenue in Virginia is distributed according to formulas that direct funds to the host cities, the state’s general fund, and a Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund. The host city agreements negotiated with each developer also include local hiring commitments and community reinvestment provisions.

Responsible gambling resources are available through the Virginia Council on Problem Gambling and through the national helpline at 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537). All four commercial casino floors are required to post responsible gambling information prominently, offer self-exclusion enrollment at the players club desk, and train staff to recognize problem gambling indicators. Players who wish to voluntarily exclude themselves from gaming activity can register with the Virginia Lottery’s self-exclusion list, which applies across all licensed casino properties in the state.

Virginia does not currently permit online casino gaming or online poker. Players seeking to gamble remotely have no legal in-state option beyond the Virginia Lottery’s own digital draw-based games and sports wagering apps operated under state licenses. Any offshore or unlicensed online casino operating without Virginia Lottery authorization is not subject to state consumer protections, and players use such platforms at their own risk.

For the most current information on each property’s hours, promotions, and table game minimums, visitors should check the individual casino websites listed above or call directly before making the trip.