The Virginia Lottery Board approved proposed permanent casino regulations at its quarterly meeting Wednesday. The unanimous approval could mean a year-long delay to Hard Rock’s original timeline for the casino in Bristol.

After the Wednesday vote, proposed casinos in Bristol, Norfolk, Danville and Portsmouth may apply for official casino licensing.

Lottery officials said 22 licensing investigators have been retained to comb through applications.

The approval initiated the regulations to now be reviewed and approved by the Virginia Governor.

The public then has a 60-day comment period to raise any concerns with regulators about the proposal. The board estimated Wednesday that final regulatory approval was estimated for May 2022.