Rivers Casino Portsmouth hit with fines totaling $545,000 for series of violations

PORTSMOUTH — Rivers Casino Portsmouth has again agreed to pay a hefty fine following a slew of violations the Virginia Lottery spotted last year and earlier this year.

Rivers Casino Portsmouth was fined $545,000 in two settlements. One was reached in September and resulted in a $40,000 fine, and the other was reached in May at a cost of $505,000.

In September, the Virginia Lottery, which regulates casinos throughout the commonwealth, worked with the Portsmouth casino to review alleged violations of the Casino Gaming Law, according to the settlement agreement. Violations included the presence of underaged individuals on the gaming floor in August — the same offense Rivers Casino Portsmouth was fined for last year for $275,000.

The settlement made in May states that there was again the presence of underaged individuals as well as voluntarily excluded persons in December and January. It also cited a lack of controls over accounting and surveillance operations last July and again in February, and a lack of controls over revenue reporting and table game operations between September and January.

The agreements state no formal findings have determined the merit of the violations, but settlements are reached to avoid a formal hearing.

“We take these matters very seriously and respect the decision of the Virginia Lottery,” said General Manager Roy Corby. “We have reviewed and revised procedures to help prevent recurrence.”

Corby declined to provide additional details on how the violations were mitigated, but the settlement agreements call for corrective action plans.

The $545,000 in fines will be paid to the commonwealth’s general fund as required by state law.

Rivers Casino Portsmouth was the region’s first casino and the first permanent one to set up in Virginia in January 2023. The 250,000-square-foot facility, located on Victory Boulevard near Tidewater Community College, has nearly 1,500 slot machines, two dozen poker tables, nearly a dozen restaurants and other amenities.

Natalie Anderson, 757-732-1133, natalie.anderson@virginiamedia.com