Senator Ebbin and Delegate Krizek on the risks of gaming without oversight

Senator Ebbin joins Delegate Paul Krizek in an op-ed to discuss the risks of poor oversight of gaming in Virginia.

Richmond Times-Dispatch: As gaming explodes, lack of oversight puts Virginia at risk
June 3, 2025

Nearly a decade ago, Virginia became the first state to establish a framework that legalized and regulated fantasy sports.

Since then, fantasy sports and other forms of gaming have proliferated amid a marketplace that has continually evolved. Virginia’s once-innovative regulatory model, unfortunately, is now outdated and fails to provide the clarity, fairness and accountability that Virginians deserve.

The solution is simple. Virginia needs to establish and empower a single, self-funding agency to protect consumers and ensure operators comply with legal requirements for responsible play.

Virginia’s current system

Today, Virginia has three entities charged with regulating various forms of legal gaming.

• The Virginia Lottery, an independent agency, regulates lottery games, casinos and sports betting.

• The Office of Charitable and Regulatory Programs, in the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, regulates fantasy sports and charitable gaming such as bingo, slot-like electronic pull tab machines and Texas Hold ‘em poker tournaments.

• The Virginia Racing Commission, an executive agency, oversees horse race wagering, including slot-like historical horse racing games.

A 2022 Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission study reported that neither the Virginia Racing Commission nor the Office of Charitable and Regulatory Programs has adequate staffing to effectively carry out their regulatory oversight responsibilities.

The lack of clarity and consistency in Virginia’s regulatory system is colliding with the reality of a rapidly evolving marketplace, and the risks to Virginians are troubling and real. Resetting the regulatory model will strengthen existing protections against operators engaging in illegal and exploitative financial practices.

Here are two examples that demonstrate how the market has evolved beyond the regulatory capacities of Virginia’s current system:

Read the full article here.