All indicators point to a full range of West Virginia online gambling options in the near future. West Virginia is on the shortlist of states who’ve already legalized online casinos, sports betting, and poker. West Virginia online casinos and sportsbooks are now live.
What You Need To Know
Poker players in West Virginia received some good news in 2019. The state became the fifth state to legalize online gambling — including poker. A legal and regulated online poker market would soon be. You further acknowledge and agree that other than as set forth herein, the Websites do not screen any Users or Advertisers of the Websites, has no control over their actions and makes no representations or warranties with respect to the character, veracity, age, health or any other attribute of Users of the Websites, including any person who places Advertisements in the Websites. Online Poker in West Virginia West Virginia online poker is on its way! In a time when meeting up for a poker game is becoming increasingly difficult, many poker players would like to be able to turn to their. Online gambling is coming to West Virginia – by the summer of 2020, online poker in West Virginia will be legal. This comes as part of a multi-year fight to legalize online poker in the state. This will, of course.
- Online Casinos Launched in July 2020
- Online Sports Betting Launched in August 2019
- Online Poker Legalized in March 2019 — Expected Launch 2021
The Mountain State joined New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Michigan as one of only five US states to legalize all three verticals, with the West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act becoming law in March 2019.
The legalized online sports betting in 2018. The 2019 Act expanded West Virginia’s legal iGaming offerings to include online casinos and poker.
West Virginia’s gambling industry already includes five land-based casinos, a long tradition of horse racing, and a state lottery. Now, West Virginia is set to offer an abundance of gambling options when its online industry goes live.
Best Online Casinos In West Virginia
DraftKings Casino
DraftKings Casino took first in the race to launch West Virginia’s first legal online casino. The platform went live in West Virginia on July 15, 2020, officially bringing in a new era of legal mobile casino gambling in the state.
DraftKings Casino launched under the internet gaming license of Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races. The list of states offering a DraftKings Casino online platform now includes New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
Visit: DraftKings Casino WV
BetMGM
The BetMGM iGaming platform offers all three verticals of online casino games, sports betting, and poker on the New Jersey version of the site. An online casino from BetMGM West Virginia launched in August 2020, and players can access both online sports betting and casino games from the BetMGM platform.
BetMGM online casino offers more than 500 slots in New Jersey. Those titles include the “Big One” progressive slot network, with jackpots that can reach well into seven-figure territory.
Visit: BetMGM West Virginia
Coming Soon To West Virginia
FanDuel Casino
The New Jersey version of FanDuel Casino (known as Betfair Casino), takes the number one spot as the state’s highest-earning legal online casino.
FanDuel Casino West Virginia will likely emerge as one of the most popular choices for online casino gaming as well. FanDuel Sportsbook already operates in partnership with The Greenbrier, and that partnership could lead to the launch of a West Virginia version of FanDuel Casino.
Mobile Casino Gaming Comes To West Virginia
West Virginia officially legalized online casinos with the passage of House Bill 2934 in March 2019. Known as the West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act, the initiative put West Virginia in a category of five states to offer legal online casino gaming.
West Virginia joins New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Michigan on that list. Much like Michigan, it took some time to finalize regulations before the official launch of online gambling. But, the first online casinos debuted over the summer of 2020.
How Will Licensing Work
The West Virginia Lottery Commission will oversee the state’s interactive gaming (iGaming) industry. The state’s five land-based casinos will own and operate West Virginia’s online casinos, with the option of working with strategic technology partners.
The Interactive Wagering Act allows for the approval of up to five iGaming licenses. Only West Virginia’s retail casinos are eligible to apply for the licenses. Once licensed, casinos are then allowed one technology partner per license.
The interactive gaming license allows for each casino to offer both online casino games and poker. Online sports betting, also legalized through HB 2934, will entail a separate licensing procedure and set of guidelines.
Looking To Other States’ Successes
When online casinos fully launch, West Virginia players can expect these platforms to include virtual versions of popular casino games.
If New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware are any indication, West Virginia’s mobile casino platforms should include numerous variants of slots, as well as blackjack, video poker, roulette, craps, and other casino table games. Live dealer games, which allow for online players to interact with other players and a live dealer, could also be introduced as well.
Online casinos have proven to be a popular and growing gambling option in those other US states so far. New Jersey is by far the biggest market for mobile casinos. The state has realized more than $1.4 billion in revenue from mobile casino platforms since 2013.
Mobile casinos are popular due to the ease of playing right from a desktop or mobile device. As these sites launch in West Virginia, players will have the option of depositing, playing, and withdrawing from anywhere within state borders.
DraftKings launched its online casino in West Virginia in July 2020 in partnership with Hollywood Casino at Charlestown Races. Shortly after BetMGM followed suit, launching its online casino brand in partnership with The Greenbrier. It’s anticipated that other brands, including FanDuel, will follow suit. All three of these brands operate online sportsbooks in the state, as well as online casinos in other states.
Learn more in our comprehensive Guide To Legal Online Casinos In The US.
West Virginia Online Casinos Guide
The passage of the West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act legalized online casinos in the state in May 2019. Mobile casinos started to launch in the Mountain State during the summer of 2020.
The state’s retail casinos will own and operate all online casinos. They will have the option of collaborating with a strategic technology partner for mobile casino platforms. The West Virginia Lottery Commission will award up to five iGaming licenses to state casinos. This gives each of the state’s five land-based casinos an opportunity to launch an online casino platform.
These mobile casino platforms will incorporate geolocation technology. This will allow players 21 and over to play from anywhere in the state.
West Virginia Online Casino Bonuses
Welcome Bonuses
Welcome bonuses function as one-time offers for new players. After registering for a new account at an online gambling platform, a welcome bonus almost always awaits.
These bonuses can come in many forms, including deposit match bonuses, risk-free days, and no-deposit bonuses.
Deposit Match Bonuses
Newcomers to the world of legal online gambling can find several different platforms offering deposit match bonuses. This type of bonus matches a percentage of your first deposit with an equal amount of bonus betting credits.
The terms and conditions of a deposit match bonus can vary significantly across different online gambling sites. DraftKings Casino, for example, extends a 100% deposit match bonus up to $1,500 plus $10 in free credit.
This bonus matches 100% of your first deposit, with a maximum of $1,500 in possible bonus money. It comes with a 10x playthrough requirement, meaning $1 in bonus money is unlocked for every $10 wagered on the site.
Risk-Free Day
A risk-free day promotion offers a refund on losses up to a certain amount, covering a 24-hour time period after making your first play at an online casino.
FanDuel Casino (in New Jersey and Pennsylvania) offers a risk-free day up to $200 for new players. If you incur net losses in your first 24 hours of play, the house will offer a rebate, with a $200 maximum.
For example, if you deposit $200 at FanDuel Casino, and finish your first 24 hours with an ending balance of $100, the casino will award a $100 rebate.
No-Deposit Bonuses
As the easiest bonuses to collect, no-deposit bonuses simply award free betting credits just for signing up at an online casino.
DraftKings Casino offers a $10 no-deposit bonus, with those betting credits appearing on your player balance after account verification.
What Is The Biggest Online Casino In West Virginia By Revenue?
West Virginia’s first two online casinos to go live launched within a few weeks of each other in the summer of 2020. The battle for top-revenue earning online casino in West Virginia includes DraftKings Casino and BetMGM.
Both of these online casino brands could potentially take over the top spot as the most popular online casino in the Mountain State.
DraftKings Casino functions as the top revenue-earner among online casinos under the Resorts Digital Gaming license in New Jersey. A Pennsylvania version of DraftKings Casino debuted in May, and the brand’s expansion into the Keystone State sees the platform holding its own in the competitive Pennsylvania market.
BetMGM offers an online casino platform in New Jersey under the Borgata interactive gaming license. West Virginia marks the second state in which BetMGM launched an online casino, and Pennsylvania is set to become the third at some point.
Both BetMGM and DraftKings enjoy recognition as two of the biggest names in the legal online gambling industry. The battle for market share in West Virginia could be close as these two brands reach maturity in the state.
What Is The Biggest Online Casino In West Virginia By Game Count?
Both DraftKings Casino and BetMGM currently offer freshly-launched products. In the opening weeks of operations for each, the game menus at the two online casinos are only just beginning to take shape.
If New Jersey is any indication, however, the West Virginia versions of both DraftKings Casino and BetMGM will eventually offer a full-service selection of casino games.
BetMGM New Jersey offers around 500 total games, including hundreds of slots. DraftKings Casino New Jersey doesn’t offer quite as many games but still stands as one of the most popular choices for online casino gaming in the state.
Both platforms offer live dealer table games in New Jersey, giving West Virginia players a sign of what’s to come in the Mountain State.
Does West Virginia Offer Live Dealer Games?
The first pair of online casinos to launch in West Virginia don’t include live dealer games on the menu yet. In New Jersey, however, both BetMGM and DraftKings Casino present players with a solid selection of live dealer titles.
Live Dealer Blackjack
Live dealer blackjack games offer some of the most popular selections for players at New Jersey versions of BetMGM and DraftKings Casino. Blackjack variants include American rules blackjack and unlimited blackjack, which allows an unlimited number of players at the same time.
Live Dealer Dream Catcher
Dream Catcher represents the newest live dealer title at both DraftKings Casino and BetMGM in New Jersey. Players spin the big wheel and bet on what number, 1 through 52, will land.
Multipliers on the wheel make the potential jackpots even bigger on Live Dealer Dream Catcher.
Other Live Dealer Games
Roulette, baccarat, Three Card Poker, and various versions of Casino Hold’em are also offered as live dealer games at several New Jersey casinos. West Virginia players can look forward to live dealer games eventually coming to the state’s legal online casinos as well.
What Are Some Of The Progressive Jackpot Games You Can Play In West Virginia?
BetMGM Big One
The biggest progressive slot jackpots in the history of New Jersey’s legal online casino industry come from a network of slots at BetMGM casino. The network, known as the “Big One”, is available to New Jersey players on BetMGM and the other online casinos under the Borgata license.
So far, the Big One is a New Jersey-only progressive slot network, but that could change with the launch of BetMGM online casino in West Virginia. The Big One slots include titles like MGM Grand Millions, Fruit Blaster, Book of Myths, and others.
The grand jackpot for the Big One has reached over $3 million at times.
Mercy of the Gods
The Mercy of the Gods progressive slot appears on the menu at several legal online casinos in the US. Both Pennsylvania and New Jersey players can find Mercy of the Gods at multiple casinos.
West Virginia’s online casinos will likely offer the game at some point as well. The Mega Jackpot offered by Mercy of the Gods goes into six figures at times.
West Virginia Online Sports Betting
Retail and online sports wagering became legal in West Virginia with the passage of the West Virginia Lottery Sports Wagering Act in March 2018.
West Virginia was one of several states that passed sports betting legislation contingent on the reversal of the federal ban on sports wagering. That reversal happened in May 2018, when the Supreme Court of the United States overturned PASPA (Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act).
With PASPA no longer in effect, individual states are free to legalize sports betting at a state level. West Virginia’s sports betting legislation allows for each of the state’s five land-based casinos to apply for licenses to operate both retail and online sportsbooks.
Each retail casino can partner with up to three technology partners and launch up to three different online sportsbook skins per casino. This could give West Virginia bettors as many as 15 different online sportsbooks to choose from when the industry reaches full maturity.
As of September 2020, three mobile sports betting platforms launched in West Virginia, with FanDuel Sportsbook, DraftKings Sportsbook, and Bet MGM the first three to go live.
Nearby Virginia recently legalized online sports betting as well, but West Virginia is first-to-market in launching sportsbooks.
Check out our Guide To Online Sports Betting In The US and our state-specific guide to West Virginia Online Sports Betting.
West Virginia Online Poker
The debut of legal online poker in West Virginia is pending. The West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act, however, outlines a path for state-regulated online poker to eventually launch in the Mountaineer State.
West Virginia joins Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Michigan as the only US states with laws in place to offer legal online poker.
The launch of West Virginia’s legal online poker sites could happen as early as 2021. The brand names that will eventually offer these state-regulated platforms are still a mystery.
Partypoker could be a likely candidate to operate an online poker site in West Virginia. GVC Holdings, the parent company to partypoker, has a partnership in place with the Greenbrier (a West Virginia retail casino) to eventually launch online gambling in the state.
Online Horse Racing In West Virginia
Four of West Virginia’s land-based casinos operate as racinos, a hybrid of casino and horse or greyhound racetrack. With this tradition in place, the Mountain State is not surprisingly one of many U.S. states where online horse race betting is legal.
The three biggest mobile horse racing apps are all available to West Virginia bettors. TVG, BetAmerica, and TwinSpires all serve multiple U.S. states. They all allow for online horse race wagering on domestic and international races.
Many of these apps also stream races right on the app. This makes it easy to deposit, research, bet, and watch the race right from a mobile device or laptop.
See our comprehensive Review Of Online Horse Betting In The US.
West Virginia Fantasy Sports
The legal status of paid fantasy sports varies from state to state. Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) industry leaders like DraftKings and FanDuel operate in about 40 U.S. states. Only around half of those states have legislation in place to define DFS sites as legal.
West Virginia is one of the states without explicit DFS laws in place. FanDuel, DraftKings, and other fantasy sports sites, however, are available in the state.
The closest thing to DFS legislation came in the form of a 2016 opinion from West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey. Morrisey’s opinion stated that paid fantasy sports are a game of skill and are legal according to state law.
Where Can You Gamble Online In West Virginia
Desktop
The easiest way to play on an online gambling site in West Virginia is on a desktop computer, directly through a mobile gambling platform’s official website.
No download is required to place a bet at online sportsbooks like DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook, and BetMGM. All of these sites allow players to deposit, browse for lines, place bets, and withdraw right from the official site.
This same is true now that online casinos have started to launch. Online poker rooms will also have the option to play on a desktop.
Apple iOS Mobile Devices
West Virginia’s legal online sportsbooks are all available as mobile apps for iPhone. This gives iOS device users the opportunity to bet with ease right from their phone.
Players can search the App Store and download the app for free. With the app downloaded, players can place bets on West Virginia’s legal online sportsbooks from anywhere in the state.
Online casinos and poker rooms will also be downloadable as iPhone apps as well. Not all online gambling apps offer an Apple iOS app because of some strict requirements that Apple has for apps in their store. But most online casinos and sportsbooks do offer an app.
Android Mobile Devices
Players can access all of the currently available legal online sportsbooks and online casinos in West Virginia as mobile apps for Android devices. The upcoming online poker platforms in the state will presumably be downloadable as Android apps as well.
Android apps must be downloaded directly from the website of an online gambling platform. The Google Play store doesn’t allow for download of real-money gambling apps.
History Of Online Gambling In West Virginia
Along with New Jersey, West Virginia was one of the original states to challenge PASPA as unconstitutional under the Tenth Amendment. As the Supreme Court of the United States deliberated on the future of the federal ban on sports betting, West Virginia went ahead with the process of drafting sports betting legislation.
Legalization Of Online Casinos
West Virginia’s online gambling expansion continued in March 2019. This is when the West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act became law. This bill legalized online casinos and poker in the state. The law’s passage made West Virginia one of five states with legalized online sports betting, casinos, and poker.
The first online casino, DraftKings Casino, launched in July 2020. The launch of the remaining West Virginia online casinos and poker sites is still pending. These products will be owned and operated by the state’s retail casinos and licensed and regulated by the West Virginia Lottery Commission.
Live Gambling In West Virginia
West Virginia’s history of legal gambling began with the legalization of pari-mutuel horse race betting in 1933. The state’s horse racing roots are apparent in the modern-day live gambling landscape. Four of West Virginia’s land-based casinos operate as racinos, with both horse or greyhound racing and casino games on property.
All four racinos were once horse or greyhound racing only venues The transformation into casino and racing hybrid properties began in 1987. Mountaineer Park became the first racetrack in the US to install slot machines on property. Further, in 1994, formal legislation was introduced to legalize video lottery terminals (slot machines) at all four of the state’s racetracks.
The state legalized table games at these racinos in 2007. With that West Virginia became a full-scale legal casino gambling state.
Live Gambling In West Virginia: An Overview
| FAQ | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is lottery legal in West Virginia? | Yes; the West Virginia Lottery was established in 1986. Instant win games, in-state drawings, and multi-state games like MegaMillions and Powerball are available throughout the state |
| Does West Virginia have casinos? | Yes; West Virginia is home to five land-based casinos |
| Does West Virginia have racetracks? | Yes; West Virginia hosts four racetracks, all of which operate as racinos. Four of the five casinos in the state are also horse racetracks |
| Where else can you gamble in West Virginia? | Online sports betting legal in West Virginia, and state-regulated mobile sportsbooks allow for betting from anywhere within the state. The first online casino launched in July 2020. The remaining online casinos and poker sites are in the works. |
| Minimum gambling age | 21 (18 for horse race betting and lottery) |
| Who regulates gambling? | West Virginia Lottery |
West Virginia Casino Industry
The Mountain State is home to five casinos. This includes four racinos and the luxury hotel The Greenbrier.
The Greenbrier is located in Greenbrier County, in the southeast part of the state. It is close to the Virginia border. Of the four racinos, two are in the northernmost tip of the state (Mountaineer Casino and Wheeling Island Casino).
Hollywood Casino is in the northeast part of West Virginia, while Mardi Gras Casino lies in the west of the state.
West Virginia Casino Locations
| Casino Name | Online Gambling Partner | Location |
|---|---|---|
| The Casino Club at the Greenbrier | BetMGM; FanDuel Sportsbooks | White Sulphur Springs |
| Hollywood Casino at Charlestown Races | DraftKings Casino; DraftKings Sportsbook | Charles Town |
| Mardi Gras Casino and Resort | Nitro | |
| Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort | William Hill | New Cumberland |
| Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack | Wheeling |
Introduction Of Slots In West Virginia
The four racinos all operated for decades as standalone racetracks before the addition of casino games. Built in 1913, the Greenbrier has been considered the state’s premier luxury hotel for more than a century.
The conversion of these properties into casinos began with the approval of the Racetrack Video Lottery Act in 1994. The language of the bill referred to slot machines as video lottery terminals. This authorized state racetracks to install slots on property.
Introduction Of Tables Games And Poker
In 2007, the expansion into full-scale casino gambling in West Virginia became complete. Voters in the counties that hosted the four racetracks had the opportunity to vote on the legalization of table games on an individual county basis.
Voters approved the proposed gambling expansion at all four racetracks, which allowed for table games and poker.
Greenbrier County voters approved a measure in 2008 that allowed the Greenbrier to install a casino on property. The Casino Club at The Greenbrier opened in July 2010, with the provision that only hotel guests can gamble in the casino.
Ownership And Regulation Of West Virginia Casinos
The Justice Family Group owns and operates The Greenbrier. The family group includes West Virginia Governor Jim Justice.
Delaware North owns both the Mardi Gras and Wheeling Island properties. Gaming and Leisure Properties owns Hollywood Casino, which is operated by Penn National Gaming. Mountaineer Casino is owned by Vici Properties and operated by Century Casinos.
The West Virginia Lottery Commission oversees the state’s casino industry. Slot machines, defined as “video lottery terminals,” are also available to play at many bars, restaurants, and fraternal organizations.
The state defines table games at West Virginia’s casinos as “lottery table games.” They also fall under the jurisdiction of the West Virginia Lottery Commission.
Other Gambling In West Virginia
West Virginia Lottery
West Virginia’s state lottery industry is unique in the fact that the West Virginia Lottery Commission regulates the state’s entire casino industry.
The West Virginia Lottery began in 1984. The state established the lottery to direct sales proceeds to state causes like education, senior citizens, tourism, and state parks. Since its inception, the state lottery has produced more than $10 billion for those causes.
As of 2020, the state lottery offers numerous instant win games and in-state drawing games. West Virginia also participates in national lotteries like Powerball and MegaMillions.
West Virginia is a charter member of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). It was one of the seven states that launched the first multi-state lottery in the U.S. Lotto America ran from 1988-1992 before a name change to Powerball in 1992.
Legal casino gambling in West Virginia falls into the lottery category. The state legalized slot machines in 1994 as video lottery games. Similarly, the state legalized casino table games in 2007 as lottery table games.
As such, all of West Virginia’s casino revenue is categorized as lottery proceeds. Casino revenues have ranged between $1.1 and $1.54 billion annually since 2010.
Horse Racing
Horse racing in West Virginia goes back more than 150 years. The property that’s now known as Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack opened as a thoroughbred and harness racing venue in 1866.
Pari-mutuel horse race betting was the first form of legalized gambling in West Virginia, established in 1933. Four racetracks still operate in modern-day West Virginia, all of which are racinos that offer horse or greyhound racing and casino gaming.
Off-track betting, as well as legal online horse race betting, are also available in the state.
Why You Should Choose Legal Online Casinos Over Illegal Casinos
The launch of state-regulated online casinos brings legal mobile gaming to West Virginia players. The state’s online platforms will operate in partnership with West Virginia’s land-based casinos, and the industry falls under the regulation of the West Virginia Lottery.
With this structure in place, legal online casinos present a far better option for mobile gaming when compared to offshore gambling sites or any other kind of illegal casino.
Pokerstars Wv
Regulated By The West Virginia Lottery
The West Virginia Lottery regulates the legal casino industry in the Mountain State. All slot machines and table games in the state are technically classified as lottery games, and that includes all of the games offered by West Virginia’s legal online casinos.
As such, the state’s online casino operators are required to report to the West Virginia Lottery, a government agency established in 1984.
Offshore Sites Don’t Have To Answer To Any Gaming Agency
Offshore/illegal online casinos, on the other hand, operate with no requirement to provide financial transparency, fair games, or protection of player funds.
When you deposit at a legal online casino, you can do so with the assurance that you’ll be able to withdraw at any time. Depositing at an offshore site could mean saying goodbye to that money for good, as those platforms have no legal obligation to allow you to cash out.
Responsible Gambling Tools Available At West Virginia’s Online Casinos
The inclusion of responsible gaming tools marks one of the sure signs that you’re playing at a legal online casino.
A legitimate online gambling platform offers gameplay settings like deposit limits, betting limits, and self-exclusion. State-regulated online casinos will also display links and other ways to contact resources like 1-800-GAMBLER, and the Problem Gamblers Help Network of West Virginia.
DraftKings Casino West Virginia, for example, extends numerous resources designed to ensure responsible gaming. These materials can be accessed by scrolling down to the bottom of the main lobby and clicking on the “Responsible Gaming” link, or by clicking on the “RG” button at the top right of the main lobby.
Problem Gamblers Help Network Of West Virginia
Both the 1-800-GAMBLER phone line and the direct link displayed on the Responsible Gaming page offer access to the Problem Gamblers Help Network Of West Virginia.
The 1-800-GAMBLER helpline and the website both offer 24/7 chat services with experts in the area of problem gambling. Another link on the Responsible Gaming page navigates to the National Council on Problem Gambling website, which functions as a national problem gambling help center.
Gaming Limits Settings
DraftKings Casino West Virginia allows players to set limits on deposits, amount wagered in a given session, and time spent playing. Links to all of these features can be found in the Responsible Gaming section of the DraftKings Casino platform.
Self-imposed limits on money wagered and playing time go into effect immediately after initiating those changes at DraftKings Casino.
Self-Exclusion
DraftKings Casino extends the opportunity to permanently self-exclude from playing on the platform. Reaching out to DraftKings Casino support with an email subject line of “Permanent Self-Exclusion” will permanently close your casino account.
Other Resources On West Virginia Gambling
West Virginia Online Casinos FAQ
Yes. West Virginia is home to five casinos. Four of these operate as racinos (casino and horse or greyhound racing venues) in addition to the Casino Club at Greenbrier.
These properties offer slot machines, table games, and poker. Slot machines (legally known as video lottery terminals in West Virginia) are also available at numerous bars, restaurants, and fraternal organizations throughout the state.
What’s the minimum gambling age in West Virginia?
West Virginia Online Poker Game
21 (18 for lottery and horse racing). To gamble at a West Virginia casino, place a bet at an online sportsbook, or play slot machines at non-casino venues, the minimum age in 21. For horse race betting and lottery, the minimum age is 18.
Slots and casino table games in West Virginia are defined as lottery games but fall under a different category than the instant win and drawing games offered by the West Virginia Lottery.
No. The West Virginia Lottery Commission, a government agency, regulates all casino games in the state. The Commission and the casinos have a vested interest in ensuring casinos offer fair games.
By law, slot machines in West Virginia must payout at least 80 percent of intake. Table games play under the rules advertised at casinos.
Yes. The state legalized online sports betting in 2018 and online casinos games and poker in 2019. Online sportsbooks went live in West Virginia in 2019. The first West Virginia online casino launched in summer 2020. Online poker is expected to launch in 2021.
West Virginia is one of five states to legalize all three verticals of online sports betting, casino games, and poker.
Can only state residents play on West Virginia’s online gambling sites?
No. Anyone within state borders, age 21 and over, can gamble online on West Virginia’s state-regulated online gambling sites.
These sites use geolocation software to determine a user’s location. No proof of residency is required.
Is 21 the minimum age for online gambling in West Virginia?
Yes. The minimum gambling age of 21 applies to both land-based casino gambling. It also applies to West Virginia online gambling.
Players who register for an account on a West Virginia online gambling site must provide proof of age, and be 21 or older, to play on the site.
Who regulates the online gambling platforms in West Virginia?
The West Virginia Lottery Commission. Slot machines are defined as “video lottery games” and table games as “lottery table games” in West Virginia. As such, the West Virginia Lottery Commission oversees all aspects of the state’s casino industry.
The West Virginia Lottery Commission also regulates sports betting, both online and live wagering.
Yes. All state-regulated, legal online gambling platforms are owned and operated by the state’s retail casinos. Those casinos are overseen by the West Virginia Lottery Commission, a government regulatory agency.
Gambling on a state-approved, legal online gambling platform comes with the same level of safety as gambling at a land-based casino in West Virginia.
Who operates West Virginia’s online gambling platforms?
West Virginia’s legal retail casinos. All legal online gambling sites in West Virginia are owned by the state’s land-based casinos, which also have the option to utilize strategic partnerships with technology companies in operation of the sites.
For example, Hollywood Casino owns DraftKings Sportsbook WV with DraftKings Sportsbook as a designated technology partner.
Is DraftKings online casino legal in West Virginia?
Yes. DraftKings Casino launched in West Virginia is July 2020, making it the first legal mobile casino to go live in the state. DraftKings Casino operates as a licensed partner of Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races.
The DraftKings Casino platform available to West Virginia players is only available within state borders. The platform’s geolocation check locks out players trying to access the casino from outside the state.
Is FanDuel online casino legal in West Virginia?
Not yet, but it could launch in West Virginia in the future.
FanDuel has an agreement in place with the Greenbrier, as FanDuel Sportsbook already operates an online sports betting platform under that partnership. The Greenbrier already licenses BetMGM online casino, but by law can license up to three different online casino brands.
How do I deposit at legal online casinos in West Virginia?
ACH/eCheck, PayPal, Play+ Prepaid, credit cards/ debit cards, and casino cage deposits mark the best and most reliable ways to deposit money at a legal online casino.
Of these methods, PayPal and Play+ Prepaid offer the highest acceptance rate. ACH/eCheck and credit/debit card deposits are sometimes rejected by the bank, even though the attempted deposit is being made at a legal online casino.
How do I get paid at West Virginia’s online casinos if I win?
ACH/eCheck, PayPal, and Play+ Prepaid cards offer the best and most convenient ways to cash out from one of West Virginia’s online casinos.
Other methods include wire transfer, casino cage pick up, and check by mail.