Supporters of online gaming are hoping to strike it rich this year with legislation now under consideration in the Virginia General Assembly.
The Senate initially rejected a bill to legalize online gaming, a major priority for companies like DraftKings and FanDuel. But when three of the senators in opposition were out of the chamber, the senator who introduced the bill asked for another vote and it passed.
"I had legit stepped out of the chamber for personal business," says Senator Schuyler VanValkenburg, a Democrat from Henrico. He was one of the three no votes who were not in the chamber when the bill was considered a second time.
"My vote was the same way no matter what, which is a no. I think we have too much gaming in Virginia as it is, and we don't have a gaming commission," VanValkenburg adds. "And I think, for me, both of those things are very problematic. But, you know, votes change all the time in here, and that's the way it is."
One of the three senators in opposition was taking a bathroom break, and Senator Stella Pekarsky left the room briefly to take a telephone call.
"That's the way the Senate works sometimes," Pekarsky says. "I am not in favor of iGaming still and I assume I'm going to have another opportunity to vote against it when it comes over from the House, and we'll see where it all ends up."
Unless some of the senators change their positions, it's a good bet that the online gaming bill will probably not be able to pass the Senate when it has to consider changes from the House. Then again, what are the odds some of the no votes will be out of the room when they take the vote?
