Virginia’s first casino, a temporary gaming entity within the city of Bristol, saw patrons wager a total of $37.51m during its first week of operations during the July 5 to July 14, 2022, time frame.
Bristol Casino – Future Home of Hard Rock, which was one of four establishments vying to debut first within the state, also paid out a total of $33.77m to patrons after officially opening on July 8 following a pair of soft opening events on July 5 and 7.
Slots was the dominant division with players wagering $34.57m and winning $31.22m, with table games’ winnings closing at $2.54m after $2.93m was wagered, according to figures released by the Virginia Lottery Board.
Adjusted gaming revenue at the venue, which features 870 slots, 21 tables, and a sportsbook, came in at $3.74m, made up of $3.34m and $396,085 from slots and table games, respectively.
Tax, which stands at 18 per cent, closed at $673,928, with slots contributing $602,633 versus the $71,295 generated from tables.
Hard Rock donated the gaming proceeds from the two soft openings to the United Charities of Bristol, with it said that the group has identified 46 Virginia based companies and 45 small, minority and women-owned businesses for potential business.
Currently there are three other land-based casino developments proceeding in Virginia, those being across Portsmouth, Norfolk, and Danville, the operating partners of which are Rush Street Gaming, Pamunkey Indian Tribe, and Caesars, respectively.
Monthly meetings regarding items such as licensing, floor plans and overall construction progress are ongoing with all three, with dealer school training to begin at the former during the week of August 9.
The Pamunkey Indian Tribe, which is developing the $500m HeadWaters Resort & Casino, anticipates opening a temporary building as early as March of 2023, with Caesars Danville expected to open during 2024.
Earlier this year, a Circuit Court judge in the Virginian capital of Richmond gave the city’s revived casino proposal a huge shot in the arm, after granting permission for a second referendum to be held.
