Plans To Put Richmond, Virginia, Casino Measure to a Vote Faces Lawsuit

Article by : Erik Gibbs Aug 16, 2023

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Gaming and betting fans in Richmond, Virginia, are again on the verge of facing additional challenges to stall establishing a casino in the city. The plans to bring a casino resort to Southside are now being questioned by a nonprofit group operating charitable gambling at a bingo hall in Richmond.

In July, a judge in Richmond Circuit Court issued an order that would trigger the response on behalf of charity organizations. The order gave the city’s top election official to add a citywide referendum. The proposal was made to request voters to participate in the decision-making process of determining whether a casino would be built in the city.

Back in 2021, Voters stood against the decision to bring a casino to the city. Since then, no significant effort has been made to reintroduce the idea of proposing a referendum until now. However, it was on August 11 when the Richmond Lodge No. 1 of the Good Lions, Inc. filed several official documents requesting the intervention of the entire referendum.

The efforts on behalf of Richmond Lodge No. 1 of the Good Lions are now being targeted on the judge and the request to have him immediately overrule the court’s judgment about the voter referendum.

The charity holds gaming dynamics twice a week at Pop’s Bingo World. This has been sufficient for the organization to stand in the way of Richmond’s gaming fans hoping for a new casino resort to be integrated soon.

The motion states that the only type of gaming which currently takes place within the city borders is run for charitable purposes. This exclusivity, held by the Good Lions and other similar nonprofit organizations, has allowed the organizers to fund charitable activities.

The documentation also pointed to the fact that all the proceeds from gaming activities have been used to support the well-being of specific demographics in the city’s community. Therefore, with the approval of the referendum, these charity organizations would risk losing their primary funding source.

In addition, the Richmond City Council may also have violated the Virginia Constitution. The local state body may have done so by preventing a complete public bidding process from taking place as part of the suggested referendum,

In brief, the city council, according to the allegations made by the Good Lions, has reflected unconstitutional actions that deflect from the interests of the city’s most needed communities.