Virginia Local Casinos Guide For 2026

Q: How many casinos are currently open in Virginia?

Virginia currently has three full-service brick-and-mortar casinos open: Rivers Casino Portsmouth, Hard Rock Bristol, and Caesars Virginia in Danville, with additional developments planned. Live! Casino in Petersburg has recently opened a temporary location while the full-scale casino is being built.

Q: Are there tribal casinos in Virginia?

No. All current Virginia casinos are commercially operated; there are no federally recognized tribal casinos operating in the state.

Q: Are more casinos coming to Virginia?

Yes. Additional casino developments, including a major resort project in Petersburg, have been approved and are in progress.

Q: Do VA casinos have poker rooms?

Poker availability is limited. Select properties may offer live poker, but not all casinos currently operate dedicated poker rooms.

Q: Can you smoke inside Virginia casinos?

Smoking policies vary by property, with many casinos offering designated smoking and non-smoking gaming areas.

Virginia’s casino market is one of the newest in the country, with full-scale brick-and-mortar casinos launching in select cities following voter approval in 2020.

While the state long limited gambling to lottery, horse racing, and charitable gaming, Virginia now offers Las Vegas–style casino gaming at licensed commercial resort properties. These developments have quickly positioned the state as an emerging East Coast gaming destination.

Unlike larger, long-established markets, the state’s local casino footprint is currently limited to a small number of full-service resorts, with additional projects in development. Each approved property operates as a commercial casino offering traditional slot machines, live table games, retail sportsbooks, dining, and hotel accommodations.

Online casinos (real-money online slots and table games) are currently not regulated at the state level. However, online sports betting is fully authorized statewide through licensed mobile operators. Since iGaming is not regulated in-state, most players explore offshore online Virginia casinos that legally accept players from the Commonwealth.

Table of Contents

Current VA Brick and Mortar Casinos

Virginia’s three brick-and-mortar casinos anchor the state’s growing commercial gaming market. Rivers Casino Portsmouth, which opened in 2023, was the first permanent casino to operate in the state. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol followed with its full resort opening in late 2024, bringing expanded gaming, dining, and entertainment to Southwest VA. Caesars in Danville completed its permanent resort in December 2024, adding a hotel and full-scale casino floor.

Together, the three properties highlight te states rapid expansion of land-based gaming, with more local casinos planned for the near future.

Rivers Casino Portsmouth — Portsmouth

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol — Bristol

Caesars Virginia — Danville

Casinos in Development

Virginia’s casino expansion is ongoing, with additional large-scale developments approved in cities such as Petersburg. These projects are expected to further expand gaming access, increase tourism, and generate state tax revenue over the coming years.

As more properties open, the brick-and-mortar casino market is projected to grow into a competitive Mid-Atlantic gaming destination.

Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia — Petersburg

Other Legal Gambling Options

Beyond local brick-and-mortar casinos, residents have access to several additional legal gambling options:

Rosie’s Gaming Emporium

Rosie’s Gaming Emporium is a statewide historical horse racing (HHR) and gaming venue network, offering residents alternative gaming experiences outside traditional casinos. Located in several regions including Hampton Roads, North VA, Richmond, and Southwest VA, Rosie’s facilities feature historical horse racing machines, electronic terminals that allow wagering on previously run horse races presented in an engaging video format.

In addition to HHR machines, most locations include a full-service sportsbook and complimentary dining options, making them popular local entertainment hubs. While not full-scale casinos, Rosie’s provides legal, state-regulated gaming accessible to adults 21 and older in communities across the Commonwealth.

Slots / HHR Machines: 300+ per location
Table Games: ❌
Poker Room: ❌
Sportsbook: ✅
Rooms: ❌

Colonial Downs

Colonial Downs is Virginia’s premier thoroughbred horse racing destination, located in New Kent County between Richmond and Williamsburg. While its traditional pari-mutuel racing operation has a rich history dating back decades, Colonial Downs also partners with Rosie’s Gaming Emporium to support historical horse racing operations. The track hosts a live racing season featuring stakes and graded events that attract horse racing enthusiasts from around the region.

In addition to on-track wagering, simulcast betting and associated hospitality options, Colonial Downs is a key part of the states broader legalized gambling scene for those interested in horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering.

Racing: Thoroughbred pari-mutuel
Slots / HHR Machines: Available at partner Rosie’s locations
Table Games: ❌
Poker Room: ❌
Sportsbook: Available at Rosie’s partner venues
Rooms: ❌

Legal Gambling Age In Virginia

In VA, casino gaming is regulated by the Virginia Lottery*, which oversees licensing, compliance, and enforcement for all commercial casinos and online sportsbooks operating in the state. The legal gambling age is set by state law, with the minimum age for casino gaming and sports betting at 21, while lottery tickets, horse racing, and charitable gaming are permitted at 18.

These age requirements are strictly enforced by licensed, state-regulated operators.

Offshore online casino sites, however, operate outside of the state’s regulatory framework and are not licensed by the Commonwealth. Because they are governed by foreign jurisdictions, many offshore platforms set their own minimum age requirements, often 18+ or 21+, and can legally accept players who meet that threshold.

21 years old — State-regulated commercial casinos (slots, table games), online sports betting
18 years old — Virginia Lottery, Pari-mutuel wagering & horse racing, Charitable gaming, Offshore casinos