Virginia widens betting

The Virginia Racing Commission voted Wednesday to allow two account-wagering companies, XpressBet and Television Games Network, to take bets from state residents, opening the state to competition among account-wagering operators for the first time.

Before the vote, the only licensed account-wagering company in the state was CD Phonebet, owned by the state's only racetrack, Colonial Downs, and operated by Philadelphia Park.

TVG will be able to accept bets from Virginia customers immediately, while XpressBet is expected to begin accepting wagers within a week, after an administrative review of its application.