Virginia’s proposed iGaming legislation (SB 118 and HB 161) doesn’t just address responsible gaming — the proposed provisions would become the gold standard of consumer protections for the United States.

The reality is that these legislative bills would put Virginia at the vanguard of responsible gaming by mandating the most robust consumer protections in the nation.

This year, the General Assembly has an opportunity to enact comprehensive legislation — House Bill 161 and Senate Bill 118 — that protects Virginians from predatory platforms, creates jobs and collects new tax revenue from licensed igaming operators.

Many sites do not have strong identity verification and are able to advertise on social media with little oversight. Tech-savvy young people in the United States can gamble on them using false identities and readily available software to mask their locations, often unbeknownst to their parents.

By last year, [Pennsylvania] was collecting $1.05 billion in taxes from digital casinos, compared with $188 million from sportsbook apps. The revenue from casino games is significant: Pennsylvania’s entire state budget is about $50 billion.