After recent expansion of the Virginia casino market, North Carolina legislators are considering changing state law to allow for more gaming. As potential customers head to Virginia properties like the new Caesars Danville property, North Carolina is facing renewed competition and lawmakers are moving to stem the loss of potential gamblers heading to the Old Dominion.
The race to add more casinos has already faced opposition and that came this week in Rockingham County, located in the northern part of the state bordering Virginia. On Monday, county officials approved a rezoning for a section of the county that would allow for a new casino. There are still many hurdles to overcome, however, including vocal opposition to the plan.
“There are multiple next steps — including a change in state law — that would have to come before a casino could be built,” WRAL.com notes. “An attorney hired by project opponents in Rockingham County said a lawsuit could be coming to block the project.”
North Carolina Casinos Face More Competition
The rezoning comes as Virginia continues ramping up its own casino offerings. That included approving the new Caesars Virginia in Danville. That property is expected to include a 500-room hotel along with 1,300 slots, 85 live table games, 24 electronic table games, a World Series of Poker poker room, and a sportsbook.
The $650 million resort is expected to be finished in 2024. A temporary venue is already in place and draws gamblers from across the border. North Carolina currently allows casinos only on tribal lands, such as Harrah’s Cherokee and Catawba Two Kings.
The Rockingham rezoning is a first step toward adding a casino in the northern section of the state to more directly compete with North Carolina.
The Danville casino lies just across the border from Rockingham County. Lawmakers appear to be considering allowing commercial gaming companies to enter the state.
“A draft of possible legislation obtained by WRAL last month indicated that state lawmakers want to legalize commercial casinos in several parts of the state, including Rockingham County,” the station noted. “The plan, which has not been formally submitted, has support from some of the legislature’s top Republican leaders, including Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger, who represents Rockingham County and whose son, Kevin Berger, is a county commissioner.”
The meeting, however, drew a crowd of citizens expressing opposition to the plan. The overflow crowd required six extra rooms ro seat all those in attendance, according to news reports.
Despite approving the rezoning, the Rockingham County Board of Commissioners heard from many who voiced opposition to the plan, some of whom held signs reading “keep our community Great! NO CASINO!”. A venue for children with disabilities, Camp Carefree, is also located in the area and opponents made note of that.
“Do what is right,” Madison’s Kelly Demry said during the meeting. “Vote no for our community, but most importantly vote no for our children. If you do not, you will get a no vote for me if you seek reelection.”
The commissioners ultimately voted unanimously to approve the rezoning. However, plenty of debate remains. No casino could move forward without state lawmakers changing the current gaming law.
Online Gaming Could Also Be Coming to NC
Beyond possibly adding commercial casinos, some state leaders may be considering joining the ranks of online gaming states as well. Republican leaders are considering adding up to four commercial casinos in the state, including one in Rockingham County, as well as legalizing additional video lottery terminals (VLTs, slot-like gaming devices) around the state including at locations like bars, restaurants, and more.
WNCT reports that lobbying efforts have begun to convince state lawmakers to become the seventh state allowing iGaming. Scott Ward is the vice president of the Sports Betting Alliance and believes online gaming should be considered as part of additional state gaming law changes in North Carolina.
That should include legalized online sports wagering as well. His group includes some of the sports betting industry’s biggest sports betting and online gaming operators such as BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, and more.
“We think that iGaming fits into a great niche with these other options that are now becoming available in North Carolina,” Ward told WNCT. “The consumer is moving online. They want to have entertainment options online.”
Sports Betting Alliance estimates the state could see revenue of about $300 million annually based on a draft bill that would tax gaming revenue at 22.5%. Some legislators aren’t convinced the time is right to approve iGaming.
“Something done on an app on a phone like that, I think there’s a lot of opportunity for some real problems there,” House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) told the outlet. “I’ve got real concerns with the iGaming right now, I really do.”
