Chavdar Vasilev is a journalist covering the casino and sports betting market sectors for CasinoBeats. He joined CasinoBeats in May 2025 and reports on industry-shaping stories across the US and beyond, including legislative debates, market...
Read Full BioFive years after Norfolk voters backed a casino referendum, the city’s first gaming venue has finally opened its doors. The Interim Gaming Hall, developed by the Pamunkey Indian Tribe and Boyd Gaming, welcomed its first guests on Friday, November 7, along Park Avenue in the Harbor Park area.
The temporary venue—set up inside a 7,200-square-foot sprung structure—features around 130 slot machines, but no table games. It will operate daily from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. The venue will offer alcoholic drinks and food through a food truck.
“It’s finally here—let the games begin,” said Ron Bailey, vice president and general manager for the project, during the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
In a gesture to the community, the casino will donate the proceeds from its opening day to the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore.
Five Years in the Making
The opening of the Interim Gaming Hall marks the end of a long process. Norfolk residents voted in 2020 to permit a tribal casino along the Elizabeth River. However, design changes, financing challenges, community negotiations, and regulatory hurdles have significantly delayed the project.
Once the Pamunkey Indian Tribe, Norfolk’s chosen developer, partnered with Boyd Gaming in 2024, the process started to move in the right direction.
Virginia law required the casino to open within five years of the referendum, prompting the launch of the interim venue. The permanent resort—expected to open in 2027—will include 1,500 slot machines, 50 table games, a 200-room hotel, and multiple restaurants.
Until then, the Interim Gaming Hall will serve as the project’s first phase, helping to meet state licensing deadlines.
Virginia’s Expanding Casino Map
Norfolk joins Bristol, Danville, Portsmouth, and Petersburg among Virginia’s active or approved casino sites. Meanwhile, Tysons and Roanoke are exploring the possibility of joining the market.
However, for the two to welcome a casino, the state must amend its laws, and residents of the proposed site must approve it.
As the proposals face opposition, a casino generates millions in tax revenue for the host city. Norfolk officials forecast $290 million in annual economic impact and more than $30 million in yearly tax revenue once the permanent resort opens.
Could Online Casinos Be Next?
As Virginia’s retail-casino map takes shape, attention may soon turn to online casino legislation.
State lawmakers are currently exploring the creation of a new gaming regulator, the Virginia Gaming Commission. Along with the discussions, some see iGaming as a natural complement to retail casinos. They also view online casinos as a means to curb illegal gambling. Still, priority lies in establishing the Commission, with lawmakers likely to continue discussing the topic in the 2026 legislative session.
For now, Norfolk’s Interim Gaming Hall marks the city’s long-delayed debut in the gaming sector. It also provides an early glimpse of what could become one of Virginia’s flagship entertainment destinations.
