It’s Not Too Late To Stop Casinos!

With an unprecedented number of bills this year threatening life, religious liberty and parental authority, we’ve had less time to inform you about what’s happening with casino legislation, which we’ve also been fighting against.  Now in the remaining few days of the 2020 Session, the magnitude of such a massive expansion of gambling in Virginia is really starting to make legislators in both parties think hard as they prepare for a final vote.

Please click HERE to urge your Senator and Delegate to OPPOSE casinos all across Virginia!

HB 4 (R–Knight) and SB 36 (D-Lucas) would allow wealthy corporations to set up casinos in a limited number of economically distressed localities (including Bristol, Danville, Portsmouth, Richmond, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach) approved through a local referendum. Slight differences in the bills necessitated sending them to a conference committee to try to work out a resolution.  If the conference committee is able to resolve the differences and come to an agreement, the bills will go back to each chamber for a final vote. 

Since our founding in 1985, The Family Foundation has stood up against the gambling expansion in Virginia, recognizing its many harms to individuals, families, and communities.  You can read all about these reasons on our blog HERE, HERE and  HERE. You can also read my recent Op-Ed in the Richmond Times Dispatch – Don't sacrifice Virginia's well-being for the sake of expanded gambling.

One reason some legislators may be rethinking the casino legislation is a recognition that it is nothing more than crony capitalism, a mere façade designed to grant casinos only in certain chosen localities for the financial benefit of certain favored parties.  Also giving legislators pause is the reality that casinos could become a permanent fixture in their cities, but with the predictable certainty that the casino industry will soon be back at the General Assembly asking them to help save, revive, and expand their unsustainable operations – just like the horse racing industry did with pari-mutuel wagering, then off-track betting parlors across the state, then “historical horse racing” slot machines across the state, and then more slot machines in more places.

With only one or two days left to influence your legislators on this issue, NOW is the time to urge your Delegate and Senator to oppose expanded gambling and to keep Virginia one of the best places to live and raise a family.

Click HERE to urge your Senator and Delegate to OPPOSE Casino Gambling in Virginia!