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If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it
Khalid Jones moved to Richmond from New York City’s Upper West Side in April to start his new job as executive director of the Virginia Lottery. Virginia’s River City may move at a slightly slower pace than the city that never sleeps, but Jones found himself instantly at home. Richmond reminds Jones of his youth […]
Virginians bet $635M on sports in March
Virginians wagered $635.59 million on sports in March, 24.2% more than March 2023, according to Virginia Lottery data released Wednesday. March’s handle was a 16.6% increase from the $545 million Virginians bet in February. Virginia bettors won almost $588 million in March and approximately $495 million in February. “Virginia bettors came back full throttle after […]
Cashing in
In 2019, a state study forecast that if the General Assembly allowed five casinos to operate in five economically disadvantaged Virginia cities — Bristol, Danville, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Richmond — that one-third of the revenue generated would stem from out-of-state visitors. In other words, if you build it, casino backers sang out to the commonwealth’s […]
Va. casino gaming revenues total $65M in March
Virginia’s three casinos reported about $65.08 million in gaming revenues for March, according to Virginia Lottery data released April 15. Last month, the Bristol Casino: Future Home of Hard Rock reported about $16.27 million in adjusted gaming revenues (wagers minus winnings), of which about $13 million came from its 911 slots and about $3.26 million […]
Petersburg casino competitors roll out details
More details have rolled in about the five Petersburg casino contenders, all of whom presented their plans during a town hall Sunday at the Petersburg Public Library. Hosted by state Sen. Lashresce Aird, D-Petersburg, the town hall saw officials representing Bally’s, Cordish Cos., Penn Entertainment, Rush Street Gaming and The Warrenton Group reveal more details […]
Youngkin appoints lottery director, tax commissioner and chief transformation officer
Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced three new hires in his administration Friday, including a new lottery director, chief transformation officer and tax commissioner. Khalid Jones, a hedge fund founder, attorney and licensing firm partner, was appointed director of the Virginia Lottery, assuming the role previously held by Kelly Gee, who was named secretary of the commonwealth […]
Bruce Smith teams with Cordish on Petersburg casino plan
Virginia Beach developer and NFL Hall of Famer Bruce Smith is vying for the chance to develop a casino in Petersburg and has joined forces with Cordish Cos., the Baltimore-based entertainment company that has already made inroads in Virginia. There’s just one obstacle facing Smith and other prospective developers, including Bally’s, Penn Entertainment, Rush Street Gaming […]
Virginians wagered $545M on sports in February
Virginians bet $545 million on sports in February, 25.6% more than in February 2023, according to data released Monday by the Virginia Lottery. February’s handle was a 16.5% decrease from the $652.87 million Virginians bet in January. Virginia bettors won approximately $495 million in February and more than $587.5 million in January. About $540 million […]
Virginians bet nearly $653M on sports in January
Virginians bet more than $652.87 million on sports in January, up 27.2% from January 2023, according to data released Friday by the Virginia Lottery. January’s handle is a 3.11% increase from December 2023, when Virginians bet about $633 million on sports. Virginia bettors won more than $578.5 million in January and more than $569.57 million […]
Tourism: Game on
According to the state government, visitor spending across Virginia surpassed $30 billion in 2022, exceeding 2019 expenditures by 4.4%. Nevertheless, business travel still hasn’t returned to pre-pandemic levels, particularly in Northern Virginia. But leisure travel is back and booming. Hotel revenues were up 13% statewide in 2023, compared with 2019, with more rooms sold at […]
Va. casinos report almost $53M in January revenue
January gaming revenues from Virginia’s three casinos totaled $52.86 million, according to Virginia Lottery data released Thursday. Virginia’s first casino, the Bristol Casino: Future Home of Hard Rock temporary facility, opened July 2022. The Virginia Lottery Board approved HR Bristol’s casino license in April 2022. Last month, the Bristol casino generated about $9.9 million from […]
Virginians wager $633M on sports in December
Virginians bet about $633 million on sports in December 2023, up 25.9% from December 2022, according to data released by the Virginia Lottery on Feb. 1. December’s handle is a 0.88% decrease from November 2023, when Virginians bet $638.8 million on sports. Virginia bettors won more than $569.57 million in December 2023 and $595.8 million […]
