MGM Resorts Spent Heavily Opposing Skill Games, Northern Virginia Casino

Posted on: January 6, 2025, 12:03h. 

Last updated on: January 6, 2025, 12:25h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

MGM Resorts International spent more than $755K on lobbying efforts opposing a push to allow a commercial casino resort in Northern Virginia. The Las Vegas-based gaming giant also contributed to Virginia lawmakers who opposed legislation to authorize controversial slot-like gaming machines in the commonwealth.

MGM Resorts National Harbor Virginia Casino
An aerial view of MGM National Harbor overlooking the Potomac River in Oxon Hill, Md. MGM Resorts, the parent company to the property, lobbied heavily against gaming expansion in neighboring Virginia. (Image: Visit Alexandria)

MGM operates MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md. The Maryland resort is just across the Potomac River from Washington, DC, and Alexandria Va.

Northern Virginia’s Patch tallied political spending by MGM last year and found that the casino company gave more than $755K to efforts opposing a NoVA casino in Tysons and skill games that had operated inside many small businesses throughout the commonwealth until the Virginia Supreme Court in 2023 deemed the terminals to constitute illegal gambling.

No NoVA Casino 

Virginia state Sen. David Marsden (D-Fairfax) introduced legislation last year that would have designated Tysons as a permissible location for a commercial casino. While the bill didn’t gain many backers in Richmond, several unions in the DC metro area expressed their support for a gaming destination in Northern Virginia.

Marsden’s push, which was in conjunction with regional real estate developer Comstock Companies, did see much opposition. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, numerous homeowners associations, local municipality governments, and more than 100 former members of the US Central Intelligence Agency and other retired intelligence community officials expressed strong hostility to allowing a Las Vegas resort in NoVA.

MGM helped bankroll the grassroots opposition, including the No Tysons Casino Coalition. Campaign finance records show MGM paid almost $500K to a public relations firm to oppose Marsden’s bill. The casino company also spent more than $222K on six lobbyists based in Richmond.

The contributions also worked to oppose Senate Bill 212, which would have authorized certain skill games in businesses holding licenses from the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority. The measure was ultimately defeated by Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), who vetoed the statute after the General Assembly refused to adhere to his changes, including a 35-mile buffer zone from any casino, racetrack, and historical horse racing facility and a ban on the games being located within a half-mile of any church or daycare. 

Critical Asset

MGM Resorts spending more than $750K on opposition to further gaming expansion in Virginia is a sound bet, as its National Harbor casino is among its most important assets in its portfolio.

MGM National Harbor is among the top-grossing casinos outside of Las Vegas. It’s MGM’s second-largest gaming floor outside of China’s Macau at 159K square feet. Only Borgata in Atlantic City is larger at 218K square feet.

MGM National Harbor has 2,500 slots, 160 live dealer table games, and a BetMGM Sportsbook. The hotel has 308 rooms.

In 2022, no casino outside of Las Vegas won more money from gamblers than MGM National Harbor did at roughly $884.5 million. In 2023, MGM National Harbor’s gross gaming revenue (GGR) of approximately $825 million was second to Resorts World New York City at more than $900 million.