A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers came together today to promote legislation that would allow the cities of Portsmouth, Bristol and Danville to put the question of approving casino gambling on the ballot.
Democratic Senator Louise Lucas of Portsmouth says that casinos would bring much needed cash and jobs to their respective regions.
“So we’re hoping that the Governor and the General Assembly, and we’re counting on them to let us control our own destiny to help these regions of the state that are in jeopardy of being left behind. Let us create our own destiny.”
The Family Foundation of Virginia opposes the legislation. The group’s President Victoria Cobb says gambling proponents haven’t weighed the social costs.
“When gambling comes it promises all sorts of revenue to the state and it looks enticing and unfortunately the reality is that the results of broken families and depressed housing markets and social services costs far outweighs anything that they’re going to gain in revenue.”
Governor Ralph Northam has commissioned a study on the effects of casino gambling that won’t be completed until later this year and he has yet to commit to signing a bill that would legalize the industry.