Rivers Casino Portsmouth
A casino and entertainment complex in Portsmouth, Virginia, and the first permanent full-service casino to open in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Rivers Casino Portsmouth is a casino and entertainment property in Portsmouth, Virginia, in the Hampton Roads region of the United States. The property is owned by Rush Street Gaming and is located beside the Portsmouth campus of Tidewater Community College. It became part of Virginia's first wave of commercial casino development after the Commonwealth authorized casino gaming in a limited number of host cities and required local voter approval. The project emerged from Portsmouth's effort to attract a large-scale casino and mixed-use development. In 2019, the city solicited proposals, and the Portsmouth City Council approved Rush Street Gaming's proposal in November of that year. The proposed development was associated with an investment of approximately $330 million and was planned for a roughly 50-acre site near the college campus. Virginia's 2020 casino legislation identified Portsmouth, Richmond, Norfolk, Danville, and Bristol as eligible host cities, subject to local referendums. Portsmouth voters approved the casino referendum in November 2020, with approximately two-thirds of voters supporting casino gaming. Construction began on December 7, 2021. The Virginia Lottery Board issued the facility operator's license in November 2022, following the earlier licensing of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol. Rivers Casino Portsmouth opened to the public on January 23, 2023. Its opening made it the second operating casino in Virginia, after the temporary Bristol facility, and the first permanent casino facility in the state. The property therefore occupies a distinctive position in Virginia's gaming history as the Commonwealth's first permanent full-service casino. The casino includes a gaming floor of approximately 50,000 square feet. Its gaming offer comprises about 1,448 slot machines, 57 table games, 24 poker tables, and a sportsbook. Non-gaming amenities include a 3,000-seat event center, the Topgolf Swing Suite, and the Sound Bar, a live-entertainment venue with a dance floor and performances by local acts. Dining venues listed for the property include Admiral's Steak & Seafood, Crossings Café, Mian, Slice Pizzeria, Starbucks, and Yard House. The property's original development concept included a hotel, but the hotel was not part of the casino construction that began in 2021. Rush Street Gaming has indicated that it remains committed to developing one, although no timetable has been announced. In its first weeks of operation, the casino also adjusted its smoking policy following feedback from guests and the surrounding community. From January 30, 2023, half of the principal gaming floor was designated nonsmoking, with both slot machines and table games available in the smoking and nonsmoking areas. Restaurants and entertainment amenities were already nonsmoking, while cigars, vaping, and marijuana were prohibited. Rivers Casino Portsmouth has also been subject to state regulatory enforcement. In May 2023, it agreed to a $275,000 settlement with the Virginia Lottery after officials cited alleged violations involving underage or voluntarily excluded persons, slot-machine licensing requirements, and unauthorized games. The settlement was directed to Virginia's General Fund. Despite this early compliance issue, the property remains an active casino, entertainment, dining, and event destination serving Portsmouth and the wider Hampton Roads market.
History
Rivers Casino Portsmouth developed from Virginia's early effort to introduce regulated commercial casinos. Before the legislation that enabled the project, Virginia had not established a permanent casino market. In 2020, state lawmakers authorized casino development in five specific cities: Portsmouth, Richmond, Norfolk, Danville, and Bristol. The law required each eligible city to hold a local referendum, making community approval a condition for proceeding. Portsmouth had already begun exploring casino development. In 2019, the city sought proposals for a casino project, and the Portsmouth City Council approved Rush Street Gaming's proposal in November of that year. The plan called for a casino and mixed-use development on a site of about 50 acres near the Portsmouth campus of Tidewater Community College. The proposal was associated with an investment of approximately $330 million. A hotel was part of the original broader concept, although it was not included in the construction project that ultimately began. The referendum took place in November 2020. Portsmouth voters approved casino gaming by a substantial margin, with 29,169 votes in favor and 14,530 against. The result allowed the city and Rush Street Gaming to advance the project within Virginia's new regulatory framework. Construction commenced on December 7, 2021, as the Commonwealth moved toward opening its first casinos. Virginia's licensing sequence placed Rivers Casino Portsmouth in an important position. The Virginia Lottery Board awarded the first casino facility operator license to Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol in April 2022. In November 2022, the board issued the operator license for Portsmouth Rivers Casino. The Portsmouth property opened on January 23, 2023. It was the second casino operating in Virginia, but the first in a permanent facility, making it the state's first permanent full-service casino. The completed property contains an approximately 50,000-square-foot gaming floor with about 1,448 slot machines, 57 table games, 24 poker tables, and a sportsbook. The casino is supported by a broader entertainment and hospitality offer. Its facilities include a 3,000-seat event center, the Topgolf Swing Suite, and the Sound Bar, which provides a dance floor and live performances by local acts. Dining options include Admiral's Steak & Seafood, Crossings Café, Mian, Slice Pizzeria, Starbucks, and Yard House. The property adjusted its operating policies shortly after opening. On January 30, 2023, it made half of the main gaming floor nonsmoking after receiving significant feedback from guests and the community. Slots and table games were available in both portions of the floor. The restaurants and entertainment areas were already nonsmoking, and the property prohibited cigars, vaping, and marijuana. The casino's first year also included a regulatory matter. In May 2023, Virginia Lottery officials announced that Rivers Casino Portsmouth had agreed to a $275,000 settlement concerning alleged violations reported to the regulator in January and February. The cited subjects included underage and voluntarily excluded persons, licensing requirements for slot machines, and unauthorized games in play. The money was designated for Virginia's General Fund. Rush Street Gaming has continued to state that it is committed to building a hotel associated with the development, but no schedule has been established. The casino remains an active regional gaming and entertainment property serving Portsmouth and the wider Hampton Roads area.
- 2023
Permanent casino opens
[1]Rivers Casino Portsmouth opened on January 23 as Virginia's first permanent full-service casino.
- 2022
Facility operator license granted
[1]The Virginia Lottery Board issued the operator license for Portsmouth Rivers Casino.
- 2021
Construction begins
[1]Construction on Rivers Casino Portsmouth started on December 7.
- 2020
Casino referendum passes
[1]Portsmouth voters approved casino gaming, allowing the project to proceed under Virginia's referendum-based casino authorization process.
- 2019
Portsmouth selects Rush Street Gaming proposal
[1]The Portsmouth City Council approved Rush Street Gaming's proposed casino and mixed-use development near Tidewater Community College.
Products and positioning
A regional casino and entertainment destination combining regulated gaming, poker, sports betting, restaurants, live events, and leisure attractions. Its strongest historical positioning is as Virginia's first permanent full-service casino.
Casino gaming · 2023
Slot machines
The casino's principal electronic gaming offer includes approximately 1,448 slot machines distributed across the gaming floor. The machines are available within both the smoking and nonsmoking sections established after the property's January 2023 policy change.
Casino gaming · 2023
Table games
Rivers Casino Portsmouth offers approximately 57 table games. Table gaming is available in both designated smoking and nonsmoking areas of the main gaming floor.
Poker · 2023
Poker room
The property includes 24 poker tables, making poker a distinct part of its gaming mix alongside slots, table games, and sports betting.
Sports betting · 2023
Sportsbook
A sportsbook forms part of the casino's regulated gaming offer and extends the property beyond traditional casino games into sports wagering.
Entertainment venue · 2023
Event Center
The approximately 3,000-seat event center supports concerts, performances, and other large-scale gatherings, broadening the property’s role as an entertainment destination.
Live entertainment · 2023
Sound Bar
Sound Bar is an entertainment venue with a dance floor and live performances by local acts. It complements the larger event center with a more intimate nightlife-oriented format.
Food and beverage · 2023
Dining venues
The property’s dining portfolio includes Admiral's Steak & Seafood, Crossings Café, Mian, Slice Pizzeria, Starbucks, and Yard House. These venues provide steak and seafood, American, Asian, pizza, coffee, and sports-bar offerings.
Controversies
2023
Virginia Lottery compliance settlement
In May 2023, Rivers Casino Portsmouth agreed to a $275,000 settlement with the Virginia Lottery. The regulator cited alleged issues involving underage and voluntarily excluded persons, slot-machine licensing requirements, and unauthorized games. The settlement was allocated to the Commonwealth's General Fund.
Brand decisions
2023
Create a partially nonsmoking gaming floorStrategyBackground
Guests and members of the surrounding community provided significant feedback about smoking at the newly opened casino.
Action taken
Beginning January 30, half of the main gaming floor became nonsmoking, while both smoking and nonsmoking areas retained slots and table games.
Aftermath
Restaurants and entertainment areas continued to operate as nonsmoking spaces, with cigars, vaping, and marijuana prohibited.
2020
Proceed after casino referendum approvalStrategyBackground
Virginia required eligible host cities to approve casino gaming through local referendums.
Action taken
Portsmouth voters approved the referendum, with 29,169 votes in favor and 14,530 opposed.
Aftermath
The referendum cleared the local political requirement for development and construction planning.
2019
Approve casino and mixed-use development proposalStrategyBackground
Portsmouth was seeking proposals for a casino project as Virginia considered a new regulated gaming market.
Action taken
The Portsmouth City Council approved Rush Street Gaming's proposed approximately $330 million casino and mixed-use development on a roughly 50-acre site.
Aftermath
The proposal moved forward to the state authorization process and the required local referendum.
Proposed development investment. $330 million (2019 proposal)
Recent events
- 2023
Rivers Casino Portsmouth opens as Virginia's first permanent casino[1]
Product launch
The casino officially opened on January 23, becoming Virginia's second operating casino and the state's first permanent full-service casino facility.
- 2023
Casino introduces partially nonsmoking gaming floor[1]
Other
Following guest and community feedback, the property designated half of its main gaming floor as nonsmoking while retaining smoking and nonsmoking areas for both slots and table games.
- 2022
Virginia Lottery issues facility operator license[1]
Regulation
The Virginia Lottery Board issued the operator license for Portsmouth Rivers Casino, enabling the property to operate as a regulated casino.
- 2021
Construction begins at Rivers Casino Portsmouth[1]
Other
Construction on the Portsmouth casino project began on December 7, 2021.
- 2020
Portsmouth voters approve casino referendum[1]
Regulation
Local voters endorsed casino gaming in Portsmouth, satisfying the referendum requirement established under Virginia's casino legislation.
- 2019
Portsmouth approves Rush Street Gaming casino proposal[1]
Other
The Portsmouth City Council approved Rush Street Gaming's proposed casino and mixed-use development on a site near Tidewater Community College's Portsmouth campus.
Sources2 sources
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