The recent opening of Caesars Virginia has brought with it a steady flow of North Carolina players, according to a WRAL News local report. The new temporary casino is within a 90-minute drive for North Carolina residents who are looking for gambling options currently unavailable in their home state.
Commercial casinos are illegal in North Carolina. However, state legislators have tossed around the idea of bringing a casino market in but have not yet drafted an official commercial casino bill.
A recent study revealed that the state of North Carolina could lose an estimated $259m in gaming revenue to its neighbor due to its residents crossing the state line to gambling in Virginia’s casinos.
The state of Virginia first welcomed casino gambling in 2020, after a lengthy legal process. Since opening the state to casino gambling, Caesars Virginia is the third casino to take up residence within Virginia’s borders.
The Danville casino has brought in substantial cash flow for the state of Virginia since its May 15 debut. Within its first two weeks of operation, the casino generated close to $12m in gaming revenue.
The city of Danville said it plans to pour funds from its casino tax revenue into “revitalizing the city which has struggled with factories shutting down over the last few decades.”
Danville City Councilor Barry Mayo discussed the city’s improvement plans to WRAL local news.
He commented, "You’ll see so much infrastructure going on, from the rebuilding of our downtown river district to the parks and even to our communities.
"Danville is on the move for making a much better Danville."
Caesars said it expects its permanent casino in Danville to open in 2024.
