Virginia Lottery Board; regulation of electronic gaming devices, penalty. (HB1589)

Introduced By

Del. Lamont Bagby (D-Richmond)

Description

Virginia Lottery Board; repeal prohibition against sale of lottery tickets over the Internet; regulation of the manufacturing, distributing, hosting, and playing of electronic gaming devices; penalties. Renames the Virginia Lottery as the Virginia Lottery and Gaming Department and the Virginia Lottery Board as the Virginia Lottery and Gaming Oversight Board. The bill authorizes the manufacture, distribution, hosting, and playing of electronic gaming devices in the Commonwealth, to be regulated by the Virginia Lottery and Gaming Oversight Board. The bill specifies the licensing requirements for the manufacture, distribution, and hosting of electronic gaming devices and imposes criminal and civil penalties for violations of the law and regulations related to electronic gaming devices. The bill prohibits any host location licensee from offering more than five electronic gaming devices to the public for play at such host location's establishment and allows for a maximum of 15,000 electronic gaming devices in the Commonwealth. The bill imposes a 35 percent tax on all gross profits from the play of electronic gaming devices and provides for disbursement of the tax proceeds. The bill also establishes the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund, administered by the Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, to provide counseling and other support services for compulsive and problem gamblers, develop problem gambling treatment and prevention programs, and provide grants to support organizations that provide assistance to compulsive and problem gamblers. The bill authorizes the Lottery to sell tickets over the Internet. Under current law, it is prohibited from doing so. Read the Bill »

Outcome

History