Legal Virginia Betting Sites

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Virginia Online Sports Betting Apps

The first Virginia betting apps opened in January 2021. FanDuel Sportsbook was the first to launch in Virginia. DraftKings, BetMGM, BetRivers, and others followed suit shortly thereafter.

Virginia law requires the state to issue between 4 and 12 online sports betting licenses. However, that number is deceiving because Virginia sports betting apps launched in conjunction with future retail casinos and professional sports leagues do not count toward the 12-license cap. As a result, Virginia can support as many as 17 online sports betting apps, and possibly a couple more.

The Virginia Lottery Board is responsible for regulating sports betting, issuing licenses, and giving the final approval for online sportsbooks to go live.

Virginia differs from most states with legal sports betting in that it does not require sportsbooks to partner with local casinos or race tracks. Under state law, the Lottery Board may approve a limited number of standalone online sportsbooks as well.

Casinos, professional sports franchises, the operators of major league facilities, and two NASCAR race tracks may also apply for Virginia online sports betting licenses.

Virginia Sportsbook Promo Codes

The following table lists all Virginia betting bonuses, offers, and promo codes.

Virginia Sports Betting Bonuses

Licensed Virginia betting sites and online sportsbooks offer welcome bonuses to encourage new users to sign up, deposit, and place wagers. The best Virginia sports betting bonuses tend to take one of several forms:

• Bonus bets: Bonus bets allow users to place a bet with their own money; if the wager loses, the sportsbook refunds it with an equal amount in bonus funds or bet credits.
• First deposit match offers: First deposit promotions give customers bonus money in return for funding their accounts
• First bet match: Similar to a deposit match, except the bet is matched to a bettor’s first wager, and not their first deposit. They also tend to be easier to clear, as any matched bet winnings automatically convert to cash.

State law does not directly address Virginia betting bonuses, but certain provisions in the law preclude operators from offering misleading promotions. For example, Virginia’s sports betting law allows the Lottery Director to deny operators’ license renewals if they “lack good character, honesty, or integrity.”

Additionally, Virginia’s sports betting rules require operators to advertise responsibly. VA Code §58.1-4034 (E) states:

In advertising its sports betting operations, a permit holder shall ensure that its advertisements:

1. Do not target person under the age of 21;

2. Disclose the identity of the permit holder;

3. Provide information about or links to resources related to gambling addiction; and

4. Are not misleading to a reasonable person

How to Bet Online in Virginia

Registering at Virginia online sportsbooks is not that unlike registering for any commerce site, although it does require a couple of extra steps.

Here’s how the process works on one of the most popular online sportsbooks in Virginia, BetMGM:

1. Navigate to sports.va.betmgm.com from any desktop or mobile device.
2. Alternatively, open the Google Play Store or App Store and search for the BetMGM Sportsbook app.
3. Click “Register,” located in the top-right hand portion of the screen.
4. Enter your email address to get started. BetMGM also allows bettors to register via PayPal or Yahoo! Sports.
5. Create a password.
6. Enter your full name and the last four digits of your SSN. The latter is necessary for identity verification, and BetMGM will not use it for any other purpose.
7. Enter your date of birth.
8. Enter your mobile number.
9. Search or manually enter your full address.
10. Enter the bonus code BUSABONUS to receive a bonus bet up to $1,000 and check the necessary boxes.

At this point, BetMGM Virginia will conduct an identity verification check and establish your account. From there, you can check out the lines, see the latest promotions, or select “Deposit” to initiate your first real-money transaction.

The process of registering for other Virginia sportsbooks may differ slightly, but the basic requirements and process are the same.

Bettors should be aware that they must be physically located within state lines to place wagers on any Virginia mobile sports betting app. However, customers do not need to be state residents – visitors are welcome, too.

To facilitate the geolocation process, turn on location services and allow sports betting apps to know your location. From desktop, make sure your device is WiFi-enabled. Hardwired users can purchase a simple WiFi adapter and download a GeoComply plugin to ensure BetMGM can detect their location.

Virginia Sportsbook Locations

Virginia law allows retail sportsbooks at casinos, race tracks, and professional sports venues. Two sportsbooks have opened to date, and construction is underway on more.

Hard Rock Sportsbook at Hard Rock Casino Bristol

Bristol, the largest city to approve a casino, selected Hard Rock International to build a $400 million casino and resort. Hard Rock opened a temporary casino and sportsbook in July 2022 ahead of a full opening in Summer 2024.

The Hard Rock Bristol sportsbook features staffed betting windows, self-serve wagering kiosks, and large HD TVs. Hard Rock’s proximity to the Tennessee border also makes it ideal for Tennessee bettors who have no retail casino options to place in-person sports wagers.

BetRivers Sportsbook at Rivers Casino Portsmouth

The Rivers Casino Portsmouth sportsbook opened in January 2023 as Virginia’s first permanent sportsbook. It features a massive seating area, a 65-foot-wide LED video wall, additional LED TVs, a digital odds board, teller windows, and self-serve kiosks, all overlooked by a Topgolf suite.

Caesars Sportsbook at Caesars Virginia

Danville, Virginia selected Caesars Entertainment to build a $500 million casino resort featuring a 500-room hotel, more than 1,300 slots, nearly 90 table games, a WSOP poker room, and a Cesars Sportsbook.

Caesars opened a temporary casino in May 2023, featuring a handful of self-serve sports betting kiosks. According to Caesars, the full casino and sportsbook will open sometime in 2024.

The permanent casino will inhabit the old Dan River Mills industrial complex, which has been dormant for well over a decade. Construction of the new facilities began in 2022 and will feature an industrial theme – smokestacks included – to honor the area’s history. Caesars unveiled its casino renderings in September 2021.

Norfolk VA Sportsbook

Norfolk partnered with the Pamunkey Indian Tribe to develop a $500 million casino and hotel along the Elizabeth River. Called Headwaters Resort Casino, the property will feature a 300-foom hotel, 3,000 slots and 150 table games, a retail sportsbook, and an event center.

Of the new Virginia casinos, Headwaters could easily be the most popular. Not only does Norfolk have a population hovering around 250k, but it’s within striking distance of Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, with a collective population of approximately 700k.

The Pamunkey Indian Tribe initially aimed to launch a temporary facility in March 2023, but challenges involving city approvals, the Norfolk Tides stadium, and Amtrak derailed those plans. However, the Pamunkey Tribe is still moving forward with the project and could open the permanent casino by early 2025.

Virginia Sports Betting Law

The Virginia gambling landscape changed dramatically in early 2020 with the passage of two gaming bills authorizing mobile sportsbooks, retail sportsbooks, and the construction of up to five casinos.

SB 384 permits up to twelve standalone mobile sportsbooks and allows casinos, professional sports venues, and the state’s two NASCAR race tracks to launch online betting platforms. Professional sports venues and five yet-to-be-built casinos may also apply for licenses to offer retail sports betting on their premises.

The Virginia Lottery regulates the Commonwealth’s online sports betting industry.

However, unlike other lottery-run sports betting operations, Virginia is a relatively open market. Additionally, a reasonable tax rate allows operators to offer generous promotions, competitive betting lines, and appealing sign-up packages.

Virginia sportsbooks are subject to a 15% tax on adjusted gross revenue and a licensing fee of $250,000 plus $50,000 for every principal who controls a 5% or greater stake in the organization.

However, the effective tax rate is materially lower, as sportsbook operators are permitted to deduct expenses related to bettor acquisitions for the first 12 months of operation. State law previously allowed operators to deduct promotional expenses indefinitely, but lawmakers approved additional language through the state budget in 2022 to limit sportsbooks to one year of deductions.

Legal sports betting in Virginia raised more than $20 million in tax revenue in its first year off more than $3.2 billion in total wagering handle, and both numbers have grown every year since.

Key things to know about sports betting in Virginia:

• Online sports betting in Virginia began on Thursday, January 21^st, 2021
• The minimum age to participate is 21
• Sportsbooks in Virginia may accept wagers on professional and college sports, the Olympics, and esports
• Virginia sportsbooks may not accept wagers on games involving in-state college teams, prop bets on individual college athletes, wagers on any type of injury, or wagers on officiating calls
• Virginia sports bettors may register and deposit from anywhere but must be located within state lines to place wagers

Later, Virginia passed additional legislation with an unusually narrow scope: banning the phrase “Virginia is for Bettors” in marketing. State Senator Tommy Norment introduced the bill after hearing an ad on the radio using the phrase and becoming annoyed.

“Frankly, it annoyed me,” he told a Senate subcommittee. “We’ve spent a lifetime trying to market ‘Virginia is for Lovers.’ I just felt it was trespassing on it.” The bill instituted a $50,000 fine for using the now-prohibited phrase in advertising.

Virginia Daily Fantasy Sports

Virginia legalized daily fantasy sports contests in 2016 with legislation implementing a licensing process and consumer protection regulations. Players 18 or older can play real money contests with licensed operators that are bound by state law to treat customers well and host fair games.

Nearly a dozen daily fantasy sports sites hold Virginia DFS licenses and offer a wide range of contest types, including daily fantasy games and prediction contests. Readers can visit BettingUSA’s Virginia fantasy sports guide below for a full list of licensed DFS operators, answers to common questions, and other information they need to know before playing for real money.

• Virginia Daily Fantasy Sports Apps

Virginia Horse Racing Betting

Virginia legalized parimutuel wagering in 1988 and issued its first racetrack license to Colonial Downs in 1994. In addition, Great Meadow in The Plains hosts two annual steeplechase events, while the Shenandoah County Fairgrounds holds harness racing every Spring and Fall. All three venues offer trackside pari-mutuel wagering.

Other Virginia horse racing betting options include simulcasting at off-track betting facilities and advance deposit wagering through licensed online racebooks. The Virginia Racing Commission has issued licenses to multiple online racebooks, with the most prominent being TwinSpires and DRF Bets.

• Virginia Horse Racing Betting Sites

Virginia Online Gambling

Chapter 8, Article 1 of the Code of Virginia deals with gambling in the Commonwealth and prohibits most forms of gaming, inlcuding online gambling.

VA Code § 18.2-325 defines illegal gambling as follows:

“Illegal gambling” means the making, placing, or receipt of any bet or wager in the Commonwealth of money or other consideration or thing of value, made in exchange for a chance to win a prize, stake, or other consideration or thing of value, dependent upon the result of any game, contest, or any other event the outcome of which is uncertain or a matter of chance, whether such game, contest, or event occurs or is to occur inside or outside the limits of the Commonwealth.

Virginia online casinos and poker sites are prohibited under current state law, but Sweepstakes casino sites offer a similar experience for those wanting to play for real money.

Virginia is one of the few states in the Union that specifically mention internet gambling. § 18.2-326 was amended in 2011 to include the phrase “interstate gambling.” This section explains that anyone who participates in an unlawful gambling game is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor. The punishment for a Class 3 misdemeanor in Virginia is a fine of up to $500 and no jail time.

The penalty for playing at unlicensed Virginia online gambling sites is minor, but Virginia is quite tough on those who operate “illegal gambling enterprises.” According to § 18.2-328, anyone who runs an unlawful gambling game that has been in continuous operation for more than 30 days or has gross revenue exceeding $2,000 in any single day is subject to 1 to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $20,000.

Social games are permitted in Virginia under § 18.2-334. This section makes it legal to participate in a game of chance in a private residence as long as the residence is not commonly used for gambling and the operator takes no profit.

Virginia Online Poker

Online poker in Virginia has not yet been legalized, but it’s not for lack of effort. Two court cases and a piece of legislation that made it through the Senate may have legalized Virginia online poker sites had history turned out a bit differently.

One case involved a man who ran poker halls in Virginia up until 2010. The Portsmouth District Attorney ordered Charles Daniels to close his poker halls down, and the man decided to fight it in court. The case received significant coverage in poker media and eventually went to the Virginia Supreme Court.

The central question around which the case revolved was whether or not poker was a game of skill. With the help of the Poker Player’s Alliance and WSOP winner Greg Raymer, Daniels argued that poker was just as much a contest of skill as any other game. Poker players across the state closely watched the case as the court’s ruling could open the doors for poker in Virginia.

In the end, the Virginia Supreme Court threw out the case because it felt Charles Daniels didn’t have standing.

A separate case between George Pitsilides and the Virginia government looked more promising. He faced three felony charges for running a poker game and decided to fight the charges on the grounds that poker is a game of skill.

George’s case also fizzled in late 2013. Prosecutors agreed to drop the three felony charges and instead charge him with two misdemeanors. He received no jail time and surrendered nearly $280,000 in cash and gambling supplies.

Finally, a bill to classify poker as a game of skill made it further than any other such bill in Virginia. Senate Bill 1400 was introduced in January of 2017 and made it through to a full vote in the Senate, which it passed. The bill then moved over to the house and died there.

This bill itself did not seek to legalize online poker sites, but its objective of classifying poker as a game of skill would do much to advance the likelihood of Virginia online poker becoming legal.

Virginia Online Lottery

The Virginia Lottery was authorized by a public vote in 1987 and then launched in 1989 where it contributes hundreds of millions of dollars towards education every year.

The Virginia Online Lottery launched online and mobile ticket sales in 2020 for customers 18 and older. Players can visit valottery.com or download the official Virginia Lottery mobile app to buy tickets to draw games, play instant win games for real money payouts, check winning numbers, and see current jackpots.

Virginia Sports Betting FAQ