Va. casinos report $35.4M in April revenue

Gaming revenues from Virginia’s two casinos open in April totaled $35.4 million last month, according to data released Monday from the Virginia Lottery.

Rivers Casino Portsmouth, which received its casino license in November 2022 and opened Jan. 23, reported $21.3 million in adjusted gross revenue (wagers minus winnings) in April. Of that, $13.8 million came from its 1,420 slots, and the remaining $7.5 million came from its 81 table games.

The Virginia Lottery Board approved the casino license for the HR Bristol operator in April 2022, and the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol’s temporary facility opened on July 8, 2022. Its permanent facility is expected to open in July 2024. HR Bristol reaped $14 million in adjusted gross revenue (AGR) in April. The casino reported $11 million in AGR from its 888 slots and $2.7 million from its 29 table games.

Last month, Virginia took in almost $6.37 million in tax revenue from casino gaming activity — $3.8 million from the Portsmouth casino and $2.5 million from the Bristol casino. For Rivers Casino Portsmouth, 6% of its AGR (about $1.28 million) will go to Portsmouth, while 6% of the Hard Rock Bristol’s AGR (about $842,000) will go to the Regional Improvement Commission, which the General Assembly established to distribute Bristol casino tax funds throughout Southwest Virginia.

The Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund will receive $30.7 million from Rivers Casino Portsmouth’s taxes and $20.2 million from Bristol casino taxes for a total of $50.9 million. The Family and Children’s Trust Fund will receive about $12,700 from April taxes, of which about $7,700 comes from the Portsmouth casino. The remaining $4.18 million in taxes will stay in the Gaming Proceeds Fund.

Virginia’s third casino, Caesars Virginia’s temporary casino, opened Monday in Danville. The temporary facility has 740 slot machines, 25 live table games and 28 electronic table games.