Lottery Board approves license for Portsmouth casino

The Virginia Lottery Board unanimously approved the casino facility operator’s license for the Rivers Casino Portsmouth Wednesday.

It was the second casino operator’s license issued in the state; the first was awarded in April to Bristol’s Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, which opened a temporary casino in July. Two more proposed casinos are in the pipeline in Danville and Norfolk.

“The lottery’s gaming compliance department and legal counsel assisted in today’s decision by conducting investigations and background checks on the applicants,” Virginia Lottery Executive Director Kelly T. Gee said in a statement. “The lottery works with all casino applicants, their vendors and employees to make sure all aspects of the operation are in strict compliance with Virginia law.”

Rivers Casino Portsmouth plans to open in January 2023 at the intersection of Victory and Cavalier boulevards, off Interstate 264.

Rush Street Gaming, the casino’s owner, plans to hire 1,300 permanent employees.

Rivers Casino Portsmouth started construction in December 2021, with Virginia Beach-based S.B. Ballard Construction Co. and Philadelphia-based Yates Construction as general contractors. Rivers Casino Portsmouth avoided supply chain issues and inflation-related cost increases by securing materials in advance, General Manager Roy Corby told Virginia Business this summer.

In July, the casino opened a 2,317-square-foot office in a coworking space on High Street in Olde Towne to house multiple administrative departments and assist with recruitment.

“The gaming landscape in Virginia continues to evolve and the Lottery Board is committed to ensuring that casinos in the commonwealth are operated responsibly, fairly and with the utmost integrity,” Board Chairman Ferhan Hamid said in a statement. “While not all Virginians will choose to visit these facilities, all of our citizens need to be confident that they are regulated with the very highest standards.”