# Virginia HB396: Charitable gaming; definitions, Texas Hold'em poker tournaments, minimum age to participate.

Virginia HB396, Charitable gaming; definitions, Texas Hold'em poker tournaments, minimum age to participate., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Paul E. Krizek (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0601)) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB396-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB396
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Charitable gaming; definitions, Texas Hold'em poker tournaments, minimum age to participate.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-12
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0601)
- Sponsor: Paul E. Krizek (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 12 (345 yes, 143 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

Charitable gaming; Texas Hold'em poker tournaments. Increases from 18 years of age to 21 years of age the minimum age an individual must be to participate in Texas Hold'em poker tournaments. The bill provides that no qualified organization may conduct Texas Hold'em poker tournaments (i) at a location outside of the county, city, or town in which its principal office, as registered with the State Corporation Commission, is located or in an adjoining county, city, or town or (ii) at an establishment that has been granted a retail alcoholic beverage control license unless such license is held by the qualified organization. The bill also allows unlimited rebuys during the first two hours of tournament play or until the first break, whichever occurs first, and permits one add-on at the end of the rebuy period before play resumes at the end of the first break.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- More flexible poker tournaments for nonprofits: benefit, low. Qualified nonprofits can run Texas Hold’em tournaments without eliminating players when they run out of chips. A preset number of players must still receive prizes based on how long they stay in the competition.
- More gaming spaces for social clubs: benefit, low. Social organizations can qualify more areas for charitable gaming. An area no longer needs to be designated mainly for members’ social and recreational use. Existing limits remain: only members and their guests can enter, and the area cannot be advertised or open to the public. Guests cannot spend…
- Charitable poker now requires age 21: cost, low. Qualified organizations cannot let anyone under 21 play in their Texas Hold’em tournaments. The minimum age rises from 18 to 21, so people ages 18 through 20 lose access.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Paul E. Krizek (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-13 | Senate | Conference report agreed to by Senate | pass | 25 | 14 |   |
| 2026-03-13 | House | Conference report agreed to by House | pass | 88 | 8 |   |
| 2026-02-27 | Senate | Senate insisted on substitute Block Vote | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-25 | House | Senate substitute rejected by House | fail | 4 | 93 |   |
| 2026-02-23 | Senate | General Laws and Technology Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-23 | Senate | Passed Senate with substitute | pass | 23 | 15 |   |
| 2026-02-20 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-20 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-18 | Senate | Reported from General Laws and Technology with substitute | pass | 10 | 3 | 1 |
| 2026-01-28 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 88 | 8 |   |
| 2026-01-22 | House | Reported from General Laws with substitute | pass | 20 | 1 |   |
| 2026-01-20 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 8 | 1 |   |

## Actions (44)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0601) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 601 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-31: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB396) (House)
- 2026-03-31: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-31: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-31: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-30: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB396ER) (House)
- 2026-03-30: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-13: Conference report agreed to by Senate (25-Y 14-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-13: Conference report agreed to by House (88-Y 8-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-12: Conference Report released
- 2026-03-04: House Conferees: Krizek, Cole, J.G., Morefield (House)
- 2026-03-04: Conferees appointed by House (House)
- 2026-03-04: Senate Conferees: Jones, Carroll Foy, Reeves (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Conferees appointed by Senate (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: House acceded to request (House)
- 2026-02-27: Senate insisted on substitute Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-27: Senate requested conference committee (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: Senate substitute rejected by House (4-Y 93-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-23: Passed Senate with substitute (23-Y 15-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-23: General Laws and Technology Substitute agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-02-23: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate)
- 2026-02-23: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-02-20: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB396) (House)
- 2026-02-20: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-20: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-20: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-19: Committee substitute printed 26108211D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-02-18: Reported from General Laws and Technology with substitute (10-Y 3-N 1-A) (Senate)
- 2026-01-29: Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology (Senate)
- 2026-01-29: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-01-28: Read third time and passed House (88-Y 8-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-01-27: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2026-01-27: committee substitute agreed to (House)
- 2026-01-27: Read second time (House)
- 2026-01-26: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB396) (House)
- 2026-01-26: Read first time (House)
- 2026-01-22: Committee substitute printed 26105786D-H1 (House)
- 2026-01-22: Reported from General Laws with substitute (20-Y 1-N) (House)
- 2026-01-20: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (8-Y 1-N) (House)
- 2026-01-19: Assigned HGL sub: ABC/Gaming (House)
- 2026-01-12: Referred to Committee on General Laws (House)
- 2026-01-12: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100031D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218959.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218958.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213734.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213733.PDF)
- Conference Report, 2026-03-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1208772.HTML)
- Substitute, 2026-02-19: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1169830.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1169829.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-01-22: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1094556.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1094555.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-01-20: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1092081.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091907.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1092080.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091906.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084282.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084281.PDF)

## Related bills

- HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed)
- HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed)
- HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed)
- HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218959.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218958.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213734.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213733.PDF)
- [Conference Report (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1208772.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1169830.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1169829.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1094556.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1094555.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1092081.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091907.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1092080.PDF)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091906.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084282.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084281.PDF)

## Related
- [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026)
- [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026)
- [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026)
- [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026)
- [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026)
- [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB396-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).