Caesars Virginia Opens in Danville as the Region's First Major Casino Resort

Caesars Virginia opened in Danville, Virginia in 2024, adding the Caesars brand's iconic resort casino experience to Southern Virginia and completing another of the state's five approved casino markets. Danville — a city in Southside Virginia near the North Carolina border — had voted to approve casino gambling in the November 2020 referendum, and Caesars Entertainment was selected as the casino operator for the Danville market.

Danville and Southern Virginia

Danville is a mid-sized city in Southside Virginia that, like many communities in the region, had faced economic challenges following the decline of the tobacco and textile industries that had historically anchored the local economy. Casino development was embraced by Danville officials as a major economic opportunity, with projections of significant construction employment, permanent jobs in hospitality and gaming, and ongoing tax revenue for the city.

Danville's location near the North Carolina border positioned it to serve visitors from both Virginia and the adjoining North Carolina market — a state that had launched online sports betting in March 2024 but did not have licensed land-based casinos.

Caesars Entertainment's Virginia Presence

Caesars Entertainment — one of the largest gaming and hospitality companies in the United States, operating properties including Caesars Palace Las Vegas, Harrah's, and Horseshoe brands — brought its full resort casino expertise to the Danville market. The Caesars brand carries the recognition of the Caesars Rewards loyalty programme, one of the most extensive casino loyalty schemes in the US, which gives Caesars cardholders the ability to earn and redeem points across Caesars' national network of properties.

Virginia's Casino Market Maturation

By the time Caesars Virginia opened in Danville in 2024, Virginia's casino market was taking its full shape. Hard Rock Bristol was approaching or completing its permanent facility, Live! Casino Portsmouth had been operating, and the state's overall casino framework was proving its economic case. Each of the five approved casino markets served a different region of Virginia, creating a geographically distributed network of gaming destinations.