Kelly Gee has taken the reins of the Virginia Lottery permanently after Governor Glenn Youngkin appointed her as Executive Director.
Gee secured the role last week after being ushered in as acting director back in January following the departure of Kevin Hall, following the expiration of Governor Ralph Northam’s term in office.
As reported by Virginia Business, Gee first joined the lottery in 2018, serving as Manager of Government Relations, where she maintained contact with legislators over regulatory updates.
Announcing Gee’s permanent appointment amongst a wave of administrative hires across Virginia’s public bodies, Gov Youngkin commented: “It is my honour to welcome our newest public servants and board members to the administration as we continue our efforts to make Virginia the best place to live, work, and raise a family.
I am excited for our team to grow in expertise and aptitude as we conquer the most pressing challenges in Virginia that these coalitions of qualified individuals will serve to address.”
Gee will be tasked with navigating the legislative journey towards opening the state’s first land-based casino.
In April, the lottery’s board of directors unanimously voted 7-0 in favour of issuing a licence to Hard Rock Bristol to open a land-based casino.
Gee noted at the time of the vote: “The Virginia Lottery has worked diligently for two years to build the appropriate regulatory structure for casino gaming.
“I am proud of the tireless work by our Gaming Compliance Department and our legal counsel for conducting the necessary investigative work to assist the board in its decision. There are still many steps to the finish line, but there is no doubt that this is an exciting time.”
Meanwhile, Virginia Lottery is fresh off the launch of its new gaming app, labelled by Gee as an ‘experience’ as the corporation aims to provide another boost to its online revenue streams.
