This article first appeared here.

One new poll suggests that a “growing supermajority” of Fairfax County voters would oppose a casino in Tysons.

The poll, commissioned by the lobbying group Freedom Virginia, found that three-quarters of county residents are against the potential project, with roughly 50% being “strongly” against a casino.

A total of 800 people likely to vote in the upcoming general election were polled by the public affairs firm Global Strategy Group, including an oversample of Tysons residents, according to a press release.

“This opposition is underpinned by the belief that casinos increase traffic congestion in neighborhoods where they are placed and that Virginians currently have enough options for gaming, including casino locations,” GSG wrote in a report of the findings.

The poll also found widespread opposition regardless of political preference, with 77% of Democrats, 74% of independents and 73% of Republicans rejecting the idea.

“Fairfax voters are clear: they do not want a casino in the county, and they reject the argument that a casino will boost the local economy or lower their taxes,” Freedom Virginia co-executive director Ryan O’Toole said in a statement.

“Our research clearly shows that what they do want are fair and sustainable sources of revenue that get economic relief to Virginians years faster than a casino would.”

Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-34), who in January introduced a bill to add Fairfax County to the list of localities eligible to host a casino in Virginia, is not convinced.

“This is a poll funded by a secret donor with no poll script, cross tabs or transparency and is a prelude to MGM’s ‘grassroots’ campaign to keep sucking $200 million per year out of Northern Virginia to fund Maryland schools,” Surovell said in a statement, claiming not for the first time that opposition to his bill is being fueled by MGM to squash a possible competitor to its casino in National Harbor.

Freedom Virginia, which advocates for policies it believes will help workers and promote economic security, commissioned the poll to support its argument that expanding gambling isn’t the best approach to address Fairfax County’s revenue challenges, according to communications director Natalie Jones.

“We know that Fairfax County and Virginia currently face a revenue crisis, and we believe we should focus on revenue generation to ensure our tax code is fairer, rather than expanding gaming before a state commission is established,” Jones told FFXnow. “We also opposed both the casino and skill games legislation in 2025.”

A joint subcommittee of state legislators has been studying the possibility of Virginia Gaming Commission to regulate all gambling for the past two years, though bills to actually establish a commission have made little headway. The group’s next meeting is scheduled for next Monday (Oct. 20).

Surovell’s bill, S.B. 982, would have imposed certain requirements that, in essence, would have made Tysons the only area in Fairfax County where a casino could be permitted, limiting potential sites to mixed-use developments located within one-quarter of a mile of an existing station on the Metro Silver Line, among other criteria.

The bill passed the state Senate, despite receiving split support from the seven senators who represent parts of Fairfax County. The bill ultimately stalled in the House of Delegates, however, and was not voted on before the end of the legislative session.

“When Fairfax County residents learn that a Tysons entertainment district creates 5,000 permanent union private sector jobs, creates $300 million of funding per year to support teacher, firefighter and police salaries, and lowers their real estate taxes — which are 30% higher than in Loudoun — they support this option,” Surovell said.

Members of the Virginia General Assembly haven’t begun filing bills for the upcoming 2026 session yet, but developer Comstock Companies, which has proposed developing an entertainment complex in Tysons that would include a casino, indicated that it will continue to advocate for the project, despite legislation stalling two years in a row now.

Opponents have likewise vowed to fight any new push for a casino in Fairfax County.

The General Assembly passing legislation would not guarantee that the project would actually happen. Rather, the legislation is one of the first steps in the process.

If Fairfax County becomes eligible to host a casino, residents would then have to approve the project by passing a ballot measure requested by the Board of Supervisors, according to Virginia law.

However, if voters did not pass the referendum, local lawmakers would be unable to hold another referendum on the topic for three years.