Northern Virginia Casino Bill Expected in January, Referendum Faces Long Odds
Legislation to allow residents in Northern Virginia to weigh a commercial casino is expected to be filed when the state’s General Assembly convenes in January.
Virginia Sen. Dave Marsden (D-Fairfax) is again leading the legislative fight to allow Fairfax County voters to consider a casino undertaking in Tysons. 2025 would mark the third year in a row that Marsden introduced legislation to designate Fairfax as a permissible host location for a commercial casino.
Marsden’s 2024 measure — Senate Bill 675 — was shelved in February by the Senate Finance & Appropriations Resources subcommittee. The subcommittee carried over SB675 to the 2025 session, but the bill isn’t expected to field a favorable vote before the November 18 deadline to automatically place the statute on the 2025 legislative agenda.
