Abigail Spanberger has stepped into a growing fight over gambling policy in Virginia, rejecting a bill that would have pushed Fairfax County toward a public vote on a proposed casino.

The legislation, Senate Bill 756, focused on Tysons Corner and would have required the county’s Board of Supervisors to schedule a referendum, even though local leaders had already made clear they were not on board. By vetoing it, Spanberger sided with local officials and warned against letting the state override those decisions.

“Local governing boards should lead on proposed casino development, as has happened in every locality that now has a casino,” said Spanberger in a press release. “But in Fairfax County, the Board of Supervisors has explicitly opposed this legislation, and an overwhelming majority of the General Assembly members who represent Fairfax voted against it.”

Her move stops an effort by some state lawmakers to advance the project despite resistance at the county level. We previously reported how the proposal became a flashpoint in Richmond, with supporters arguing a referendum would let voters decide, while opponents said it ignored the standard process used elsewhere in Virginia.

Under current law, local governments typically take the lead by asking a court to authorize a referendum after the state designates them as eligible casino sites. This has been used in multiple cities since lawmakers opened the door to casino development in 2020.

Spanberger argues Fairfax casino issue centers on local control

Spanberger argued the bill would have broken from that pattern by forcing a vote where local leaders do not want one. She also objected to language that would have allowed state lawmakers to dictate the exact location of a casino within the county.

“In no other circumstance has the General Assembly prescribed specifications for a casino’s location,” said Spanberger. “This effectively precludes local input and eliminates local decisions. While this legislation specifically affects only Fairfax County, it would set a precedent to bring casino referendums to other localities where the local governing board may similarly oppose such an effort.”

Several cities have already approved casinos through referendums, while others have rejected them. At the same time, new projects are moving forward, including a recently launched effort in Petersburg where developers have broken ground on a major casino resort expected to bring jobs and tax revenue.

Spanberger used the moment to renew her call for a more unified regulatory system, saying the state still lacks a single independent authority to oversee the expanding industry. For now, the Fairfax proposal remains in limbo.

Featured image: Ezra Deutsch-Feldman via WikiCommons / CC BY-SA 4.0