Slot Machines Indian Casinos Near Me
Introduction to Virginia Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020
Virginia slot machine casino gambling does not exist … yet. Last year, the state legislature and Governor approved three new casinos, but each awaits approval by voters in their local municipalities.
This post continues my weekly State-By-State Slot Machine Casino Gambling Series, an online resource dedicated to guiding slot machine casino gambler to success. Now in its third year, each weekly post reviews slots gambling in a single U.S. state, territory, or federal district.
Play thousands of slot machines spread across two stories of slot mechanical reels, video reels, video keno, in-house progressive jackpots, wide-area and Mystery Jackpots, Wide-Area progressive (multi-casino) jackpots for your gaming enjoyment. These 143 gambling locations include Class III casinos with vegas-style gambling, Class II casinos with no-banker electronic gaming, travel plazas with slot machines, and smoke shops with Indian gaming. Oklahoma Indian gaming is the state's second largest industry. It is also the largest Indian gaming revenue in the country after California.
Keep Reading … Or Watch Instead!
Or … Listen Instead!
Subscribe to my Professor Slots podcast at Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music Amazon Audible Gaana Stitcher Pandora iHeart Radio Tune-In SoundCloud RadioPublic Deezer RSS and everywhere else you find your podcasts!
Relevant Legal Statutes on Gambling in Virginia*
The minimum legal gambling age in Virginia depends upon the gambling activity:
- Land-Based Casinos: 21 (expected)
- Poker Rooms: Not available
- Bingo: 18
- Lottery: 18
- Pari-Mutuel Wagering: 18
On March 22, 2019, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed State Bill 1126 into law. This state law does not authorize casinos in Virginia. However, in effect, it establishes
- A Commission to study casino gaming regulations
- A framework for the Lottery Board to oversee gaming
- How eligible cities conduct a local casino approval referendum
Details of the state bill suggest eligible cities are Danville, Bristol, and Portsmouth. Regarding timing, the city of Bristol has scheduled their referendum for November 2020.
*The purpose of this section is to inform the public of state gambling laws and how the laws might apply to various forms of gaming. It is not legal advice.
Slot Machine Private Ownership in Virginia
It is legal to own a slot machine privately in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Gaming Control Board in Virginia
The framework included in the 2019 passing of Virginia State Bill 1126 includes giving oversight of sports betting regulations to the Virginia Racing Commission. This expansion of its responsibilities is in addition to its current responsibilities overseeing horserace pari-mutuel wagering.
The Virginia Lottery Board will obtain responsibility for casino gambling, but specific gaming regulations are not yet available. Establishing these gaming regulations is currently underway by Virginia’s Joint Legislative and Review Commission.
Casinos in Virginia
There are currently no casinos with slot machines in Virginia.
Commercial Casinos in Virginia
There are currently no commercial casinos in Virginia. However, three eligible cities may have casinos after approval by voters. The Bristol referendum occurs first in November 2020.
These three potential casino locations include the cities of:
- Danville located 144 miles southwest of Richmond near North Carolina
- Bristol located 113 miles northeast of Knoxville near Tennessee
- Portsmouth located 97 miles southeast of Richmond near Chesapeake
Tribal Casinos in Virginia
The Pamunkey Indian Tribe gained federal recognition in 2015 and is pursuing establishing a tribal casino. They intend to have improved educational and employment opportunities to ensure the long-term success of the tribe.
At this time, the tribe is searching for a suitable site for a casino resort located within Virginia. Potential sites for a tribal casino now include Richmond and Norfolk.
Continual and effective opposition of tribal casinos in Virginia comes from the casino operator of MGM National Harbor in nearby Maryland.
Slot Machines Indian Casinos Near Me With Hotels
Other Gambling Establishments
As an alternative to enjoying Virginia slot machine casino gambling, consider exploring casino options in a nearby state. Bordering Virginia is:
- North: Maryland Slots and District of Columbia Slots
- East: The Atlantic Ocean
- South: North Carolina Slots and Tennessee Slots
- West: Kentucky Slots and West Virginia Slots
Each of the links above will take you to my blog for that neighboring U.S. state to Virginia.
Colonial Downs Racetrack offers slot-like historical horse racing (HHR) electronic gaming machines. This horseracing facility is in the eastern part of Virginia located 30 miles east of Richmond.
Our Virginia Slots Facebook Group
Are you interested in sharing and learning with other slots enthusiasts in Virginia? If so, join our Virginia slots community on Facebook. All you’ll need is a Facebook profile to join this closed Facebook Group freely.
There, you’ll be able to privately share your slots experiences as well as chat with players about slots gambling in Virginia. Join us!
Slot Machines Indian Casinos Near Me Buy
Payout Returns in Virginia
As Virginia casinos await voter approvals, the state legislature is working to establish slot machine gaming regulations. Therefore, it is not yet known if Virginia will offer theoretical payout limits or return statistics.
Summary of Virginia Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020
Virginia slot machine casino gambling does exist but is now on the horizon. Commercial casinos are awaiting approval by voters in Bristol, Danville, and Portsmouth.
Annual Progress in Virginia Slot Machine Casino Gambling
In the last year, there has been no change to the slots gaming industry in Virginia. However, potential changes are imminent.
Related Articles from Professor Slots
Other State-By-State Articles from Professor Slots
- Previous: Vermont Slot Machine Casino Gambling
- Next: Washington Slot Machine Casino Gambling
Have fun, be safe, and make good choices!
By Jon H. Friedl, Jr. Ph.D., President
Jon Friedl, LLC
QUESTION: What is the Difference in Gambling at Indian Reservations and Regular Casinos?
ANSWER: In the world of brick-and-mortar gambling, there are traditional casinos and then there are Indian reservation casinos (or Indian Casinos). At first glance, the two might not seem much different, but scratch beneath the surface and you’ll find a whole host of distinctions.
Knowing the difference in gambling at Indian reservations casinos and regular casinos might not make much difference to your bankroll, but it should provide you with a greater understanding of how the industry works. And for those who take their gaming seriously, every scrap of information is valuable on some level.
- Best Casino for Live Dealer Games
- Accepts all Countries and US States
Distinctions between Traditional and Native American Gambling
The items listed below are some of the most notable differences between gambling in Las Vegas and at a Native American casino. The next time you decide to go on a gaming road trip, give both locations a try and see if you can spot additional variations.
Location – The most fundamental difference is related to location. As the name would indicate, Indian reservation casinos are always located on lands set aside by the government for the use of specific Native American tribes. Regular casinos, meanwhile, can exist on any other property.
The total geographical area of reservation land equals 2.3% of the total area of the United States. Some tribes have multiple reservations allotted to them, while around 200 of the nation’s 550+ recognized Indian tribes have no land at all.
Revenue – While Las Vegas and Atlantic City would hate to admit it, the annual revenue from casinos on Indian reservations exceeds the combined totals for gaming in both cities. In 2009, for example, Native American locations pulled in $26.5 billion across 28 states.
Selection of Games – Most reservation casinos offer the same games as their competition. Some states have different laws though, so you might not find certain table games in a particular casino, for example. Or the way the slot machines work might vary. (See our post about Class II and Class III slot machines for more details about that.)
Payback Percentage – This is the biggest difference between gambling at regular casinos and Indian reservations. In many states (Connecticut is a notable exception), Native American -Indian- casinos are not required to report their payback percentages, which means the number could be decidedly unfriendly to the player. However, any Indian reservation casino manager will tell you that their rates are on a par with the competition, and there may be some truth to that. After all, a lower payback percentage on slots and other electronic games means fewer winners. Over time, a casino with a reputation for paying out less will begin to lose business. Whether they offer a 75% or 90% payback, the casino is still going to turn a profit.
Size – When it comes to the overall size of a brick-and-mortar gaming establishment, the folks in Atlantic City, Reno, and Las Vegas have a hard time competing with casinos built on Indian lands. Much of this has to do with location, as regular casinos have to build in cities that are already filled with everything from residential housing to shopping malls. Indian land is more wide open, which makes it easier to allot massive tracts of land for construction.
Today, the second largest casino in the United States is the Foxwoods Resort Casino on the Mashantucket Pequot Indian Reservation in Ledyard, Connecticut. It has over 6,300 slot machines, 380 table games, and the biggest bingo hall on the planet. The largest U.S. casino (WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma) is owned by the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma, although it is not located on an Indian reservation.
Slot Machines Indian Casinos Near Me Now
Legality – While traditional land-based casinos are subject to all state and federal laws, a 1979 Supreme Court decision ruled that states could not regulate activities on Indian reservations or tax their occupants. This was bolstered by a 1987 decision that said casino activities could not be state regulated as long as the type of gambling offered was legal in the state.
The law was further defined by the Indian Gambling Regulatory Act, which requires Indian tribes to consult the state before offering casino gaming. In the case of an impasse, the Secretary of the Interior is called upon to mediate and make an eventual ruling.
The revenue from casinos on Indian reservations is meant to be spent on charitable ventures and tribal government operations. In some cases, however, the profits eventually find their way into the hands of tribal members, although you can count on the state and federal government getting their cut.
Slot Machines Indian Casinos Near Me Location
Cultural Considerations – While traditional casinos offer a wide variety of themes, visitors to gambling locations on reservations should expect a certain Native American flair to the décor. This isn’t always true, of course, but tribal leaders tend to be proud of their heritage and make every effort to provide displays and exhibits to educate their customers. At the very least, some basic decorations in the Native American tradition can usually be spotted in certain locations throughout the establishment.
Other cultural issues sometimes relate to traditional Indian beliefs and superstitions. An interesting example occurred when the Fire Rock Navajo Casino was under construction in New Mexico. Numerous problems led some to believe that the endeavor was being cursed by skin-walkers, magical practitioners adept at turning into animals and generally behaving in a sinister fashion. The construction continued, however, and the CEO of the casino later assured visitors that various blessings had been performed to ward off evil. Despite possible efforts from the forces of evil, the casino is still in operation.
Management – While you might suppose that casinos on Indian reservations are managed by members of the tribe, you would be wrong in many cases. In this way, gambling at Indian reservations isn’t much different than regular casinos, as they want to bring in experts who can squeeze every ounce of profit out of the business. For example, Harrah’s manages one such location in North Carolina, and Donald Trump once tried his hand at managing a reservation casino in California.
Next time someone is wondering about the differences in playing at Indian Casinos and regular casinos you’ll be able to provide an appropriate and informed answer. Armed with this knowledge, serious players can then make a determination about the best place to play.