Virginia sports betting continues to advance

Faster than expected, Virginia lawmakers continue to push a sports betting bill which has now passed a Senate committee before reaching the floor.

US.- As the current session ends on March 7, lawmakers are trying to get everything solved before that date. That’s why Virginia has taken another step towards sports betting legalisation earlier this week.

Rep Mark Sickles’ HB 896 passed a second Senate committee and will reach the High Chamber’s floor. The bill sailed through the Finance and Appropriations Committee after already clearing the General Laws and Technology Committee last week.

Should the Virginia Senate floor vote in favour of sports betting legislation, it would go back to the House. Once both chambers approve it, it will only need the Governor’s signature before going live.

Both chambers are expected to pass the bill and the House had already done it in a previous version.

A casino bill also passed

The Legislature is soon to get Virginia its own casino legislation. However, two different versions were fighting its way through.

Ultimately, the original version, coming from the House, succeeded. The Virginia casino bill sets taxes lower than the one coming from the Senate, which failed to pass.

The House General Laws Committee voted 12-6 to report out Senate Bill 36. That way, casino legislation passed in Virginia as sports betting fights to do so as well.

“It’s got five locations, which are Bristol, Danville, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Richmond,” Del. Barry Knight said on the bill. “These are economically depressed areas that could use the jobs in the state of Virginia.”