Governor Ralph Northam has signed into law a bill that opens the door for Virginia casino gaming, as well as providing a route to law for sports betting in the state.

Northam has ratified SB1126, filed by Senator Louise Lucas in December 2018, which allows cities to establish casinos, provided they meet a series of conditions.

Cities are eligible to host the venues if they have an unemployment rate of at least 4%, a poverty rate of 20%, and had experienced a population decline of at least 7% between 1990 and 2016.

Tribal casinos, meanwhile, would be permitted in cities with a population of at least 200,000, and in which 24% of all real estate is exempt from local property taxes. To open a casino, each local authority would need to hold a local referendum in order to gain approval from residents.

Each city can offer a single casino license, through which the casino could offer table, dice and slot games, as well as sports betting via land-based means only.

More on the Virginia casino gaming and sports betting bill at iGaming Business.