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Adam Roarty is a journalist covering sports betting, regulation, and industry innovation for CasinoBeats. His coverage includes tax increases in the UK, covering breaking stories in the ever-evolving landscape of US betting such as the...
Read Full BioLive! Casino Virginia generated $4.7 million in revenue in just 10 days following the casino’s temporary opening on January 22. The full $1.4 billion hotel and casino is set to open in 2027. Initial figures suggest it will be a high-revenue driver for the state.
The temporary venue features 32 gaming tables and 926 slot machines, which have attracted residents due to its central location. Rob Norton, president of Cordish Gaming, the casino’s operator, said, “I think our location is unmatched in the state and in many ways, across the Eastern Region.”
The facility includes a high-roller room with progressive rewards ranging from $50,000 to $75,000 and higher. The casino also partnered with 15 local businesses to promote the venue through a series of competitions.
Casino Set to Add Substantial State Revenue
The initial numbers from a highly limited offering suggest the full resort could lead the state in revenue. At the current rate, it is set to generate around $14 million per month.
Upon completion in 2027, the full-scale casino and hotel will feature 1,600 slots, 65 live table games, a 22-table poker room, high-limit slot and table areas, and a sportsbook. In addition, as revealed last year in a press release, the venue will include:
- More than 450,000 square feet of gaming, hotel, and dining space
- 75,000 square feet of meeting, convention, and entertainment space, including a 4,000-seat venue for concerts and special events
- An upscale 200-room hotel featuring 20 suites, a resort pool, and a fitness center
- 10 food and entertainment options, including local partners
In its first 10 years, the project is expected to generate $2.8 billion in economic stimulus to the region; $504 million in tax revenues including $240 million to the City of Petersburg; $802 million in economic benefits during construction; $201 million in annual economic benefits each year after opening; and 7,500 new jobs including 6,100 during construction and 1,400 new permanent jobs.
Senate Advances Fairfax & Online Casino Bills
As well as the permanent opening of Live! Casino Virginia, the full $750 million HeadWaters Resort & Casino development, is scheduled to open next year.
Lawmakers in Virginia have also advanced legislation to bring a casino to Fairfax County. The Senate passed Bill 756 on Friday in a 23-14 vote.
The legislation would require that a casino be built within one-quarter of a mile of an existing Metro Silver Line station and be part of a coordinated mixed-use project development of no less than 1.5 million square feet.
There remains strong opposition to the proposal, not least from the No Fairfax Casino Coalition (NFCC). Tysons has been earmarked as a possible location for the casino, but head of the NFCC, Lynne Mulston, argues, “Northern Virginia, and Tysons in particular, would not benefit from a casino. It would be bad for the county — economically, socially, and fiscally.”
The bill will now move to the Assembly, and if it passes there, it will be up to Gov. Abigail Spanberger to sign off on it. Gambling interest groups, including the Sports Betting Alliance (SBA), have been some of Spanberger’s biggest donors. The SBA, which comprises five of the country’s largest gambling companies, donated $500,000 to her gubernatorial campaign.
Lawmakers have also advanced legislation that would legalize online casinos in Virginia. Last week, the Senate General Laws and Technology Committee voted 9–6 in favor of SB118. The bill proposes allowing each of Virginia’s land-based casino operators to launch three online casino platforms. The Senate Finance Committee will now consider the proposal.
