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A proposal that could open the door to a casino in Fairfax County advanced through the Virginia House of Delegates on Wednesday, March 4, but differences between the House and Senate versions must be resolved before the legislation can reach Gov. Abigail Spanberger.
The House initially approved Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell’s SB 756 by a 64-32 vote. After a delegate requested reconsideration, the chamber passed it again 59-37, with one abstention.
The Senate later voted unanimously to reject the House version. Three members from each chamber must now meet in conference to negotiate a final bill, which would return to the General Assembly for approval before going to Spanberger. The governor could sign, amend or veto it.
If enacted, the legislation would add Fairfax County to the list of Virginia localities eligible to host a casino. Norfolk, Petersburg, Bristol, Portsmouth and Danville are already on that list.
Virginia authorized casino gaming in 2020 and originally included Richmond among the eligible localities. Richmond was removed in 2024 and replaced by Petersburg after voters rejected two casino referendums.
Casino would require local referendum
SB 756 would not approve a Fairfax casino outright. Any proposed casino would have to be part of a mixed-use development totaling at least 1.5 million square feet.
Fairfax County would select a preferred operator. After preliminary approval from the Virginia Lottery, the Board of Supervisors would order a public referendum on whether casino gaming should be permitted at the proposed location.
Earlier language that would have effectively restricted possible sites to Tysons was removed as the measure moved through the Senate.
The House version requires agreements between the casino operator and the county to be publicly available. It also calls for the developer to provide construction, funding or land for a nearby public safety facility.
Fairfax County would have until July 1, 2029, to hold a successful referendum.
Del. Paul Krizek proposed additional conditions addressing union agreements for construction and hospitality workers and the distribution of gaming tax revenue. His proposal also would have raised the operator’s licensing fee to $150 million and required support from a majority of voters in the magisterial district containing the casino, in addition to countywide approval.
Most of those provisions were removed by the House Appropriations Committee, which advanced a substitute on Feb. 27 that more closely matched the Senate bill.
Del. Rodney Willett, who represents part of Henrico County, urged delegates to reject Krizek’s version and adopt the committee substitute. The amended legislation passed without further floor discussion.
Surovell welcomed the House vote and noted that the bill received support from a majority of Northern Virginia delegates. He said he looked forward to resolving the chambers’ differences and argued that a casino could diversify Fairfax County revenue while recapturing money Virginia residents spend in Maryland.
Revenue projections remain disputed
Estimates of the potential economic benefit vary significantly.
A General Assembly-commissioned study released in 2019 projected that a Northern Virginia casino could produce an additional $155 million in statewide gaming tax revenue—more than half the combined amount projected for the other five localities examined. It also estimated that Virginia could retain $100 million now spent by residents at Maryland casinos while attracting substantial business from outside the state.
A draft study prepared last year by a Fairfax County consultant offered a more modest forecast. It estimated that a casino-centered development would generate about $29.1 million in annual county tax revenue and $53 million annually for Virginia.
Opposition has grown among Fairfax residents, community organizations and elected officials as the legislation has gained momentum.
The Tysons Stakeholders Alliance said it would continue opposing the measure. Group president Paula Martino expressed disappointment with the result and said opponents of the bill were not given an opportunity to speak on the House floor. She thanked Fairfax County delegates who voted against it.
Three-year push gains ground
The effort to authorize a Fairfax County casino began in January 2023, when Sen. David Marsden and Del. Wren Williams introduced matching bills. Both measures were quickly withdrawn.
Marsden returned with legislation during the 2024 session that would have limited possible casino locations to Tysons, but the proposal stalled in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Surovell took over as the bill’s patron in 2025. He secured Senate passage despite opposition from several other local senators, but the measure died in the House Appropriations Committee.
The latest House vote moves the proposal closer to becoming law, although the conference negotiations and another round of legislative votes remain.
Lawmakers also advanced other gambling measures Wednesday. The House approved a Senate bill authorizing internet gaming by a 70-29 vote, while the Senate voted 21-17 for a companion measure sponsored by Del. Marcus Simon.
A separate Krizek bill that would create a statewide commission to oversee gambling passed the House on Feb. 17. It is awaiting consideration by the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee.