Special interests are hoping to strike it rich with online gambling this year.
In the past few years, a handful of casinos have opened across Virginia. And more may be on the way soon. But what about FanDuel or DraftKings? They also want a piece of the action. Senator Bill Stanley is a Republican from Franklin County who says online gaming is a bad bet.
"The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia and this very body in the Senate are being asked to look at that device, that glowing rectangle that already has a chokehold on every young person in this state and say, 'You know what this needs? You know what this smartphone needs,'" Stanley asks. "'Blackjack, slots, roulette 24 hours a day, seven days a week from every bathroom, every bedroom, every school bus in Virginia.’"
Senator Mamie Locke is a Democrat from Hampton who says online gaming is already going on, so it's important to regulate it and collect taxes on it. She estimates that it might raise as much as $14 billion a year.
"iGaming has already generated billions of dollars in markets like Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia and Michigan," Locke says.
Unlike many issues that come before the Senate, this one is not partisan. Six Democrats are in opposition, and five Republicans are in support. A vote is expected later this week.
