Virginia Sports Betting

west virginia sports betting

All the vital information about Virginia sports betting may be found here. We will discuss whether Virginia sports betting is legal and its history and background. We will also discuss the best sites, retail places, and tribal casinos that can be visited in Virginia to participate in Virginia sports betting. Next, we will review the details of Virginia’s horse racing.

Best Virginia Sportsbook

If you are looking for a Virginia sports betting site, listed below are our expert’s recommended sites:

Caesars Sportsbook Virginia

Caesars has established a firm name for itself as a prominent bookmaker on a global scale. More than eighty years have passed since the corporation’s founding in the United States. Caesars has established itself as one of the major sportsbooks in the United States, propelling it to the industry’s top. Caesars currently possesses one of the most powerful platforms in the sports betting market due to its recent acquisition of William Hill and comprehensive rebranding efforts. On February 3rd, 2021, Caesars Sportsbook began operations in the state of Virginia.

FanDuel Virginia

As of January 21st, 2021, the daily fantasy sports (DFS) competitor FanDuel Sportsbook is officially operational in the state of Virginia. The FanDuel platform consistently scores at the top of the range for best sportsbook apps. As a result, you may anticipate FanDuel to have a great deal of local competition in Virginia.

DraftKings Sportsbook

DraftKings has built one of the most successful sportsbook businesses in the United States by capitalizing on its enormous customer base in the daily fantasy sports industry. On January 24th, 2021, DraftKings became the official second online sportsbook to open for business in the state of Virginia.

BetMGM Virginia

BetMGM is a reputable worldwide sports betting brand that has recently entered the Virginia market. They are in charge of running MGM Resorts International’s sports betting operations. MGM is one of the world’s most successful and well-known gaming and casino companies. Their well-earned reputation will be essential to their success in Virginia. On January 27th, 2021, BetMGM Sportsbook became available to customers in Virginia.

PointsBet Virginia

PointsBet is now wholly accessible to residents of Virginia! PointsBet, one of the most popular platforms for sports betting, allows customers to place bets using either an Android betting app or an iOS betting app on their mobile devices.

BetRivers Virginia

Since its inception in 2018, BetRivers has been a significant participant in the American betting industry. The company’s sportsbook is known as BetRivers. BetRivers has had great success in areas such as Illinois, where it could get its sportsbook up and running quickly. On January 27th, 2021, BetRivers began operations in the state of Virginia. BetRivers provides its consumers with a high-quality betting app, many betting options, and exclusive offers.

Unibet Sportsbook Virginia

Even though Unibet may be more well-known as an online sports betting provider in Europe, the bookmaker’s expansion into the North American market has been hugely successful. Unibet VA is NOT an offshore sportsbook. Thus you do not need to be concerned.

Sports Illustrated Virginia

Since its inception in 1954, the prestigious sports publication known as Sports Illustrated has been available to readers. Following the repeal of the government prohibition on betting on sports in 2018, the business decided to venture into the realm of sports betting. In June of 2021, they reached an agreement with online sports betting giant 888 Holdings, and in September of the same year, they began operations in Colorado.

In June 2022, Virginia became the second state to host SI Sportsbook.

Legal Online Virginia Sports Betting

Is Virginia sports betting legal? Yes, legal sports betting is available in the Old Dominion. It became legalized after the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, or PASPA, was repealed. The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, or PASPA, made Virginia sports betting illegal. As a result, sports betting was outlawed throughout the United States. But in 2018, after many legal disputes, the United States Supreme Court decided that The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, or PASPA, was against the 10th Amendment to the constitution. As a result, it was left to each state to decide how they wished to deal with sports betting and gambling legally.

The Old Dominion then legalized gambling after a study held by the Virginia senate in 2019. It showed that legalizing Virginia sports betting and other types of gambling would contribute to the state’s economy. It was subsequently legalized in April 2020, after Governor Ralph Northam made final changes to Virginia sports betting bills. Popular sportsbooks immediately obtained licenses from the old dominion, with additional modifications and amendments being made to Virginia sports betting laws as time went on.

There are rules for Virginia sports betting. All betters must be at least 21 years old to legally partake in Virginia sports betting. Customers are allowed to bet remotely. However, it is required that they are physically located in the state of Virginia when betting. To prove this, they are to turn on location services on the device they use to bet electronically. Once this is done, the sportsbook operator can see their exact location in the state of Virginia through GPS coordinates or the county in which they are located. All Virginia sports betting is monitored, regulated, and overseen by the Virginia Lottery.

How to Pick a Virginia Sports Betting Site

Virginia sports betting became legal in April 2020, after amendments Governor Ralph Northman made to Virginia sports betting bills became approved. Since then, many sportsbooks have become legally licensed to operate in the Old Dominion. The Virginia Lottery regulates all online sportsbooks.

There are multiple things Virginia bettors should look for when picking a Virginia sportsbook, such as:

Licensing

All online sports betting sites must be licensed and be legally allowed to run. The appropriate body should be regulating the sportsbook. This helps to make sports betting secure for customers.

Customer Support

Every online sportsbook should offer adequate customer support. The more easily accessible and the better the support offered, the more this benefits the customer. Some sites have support available 24 hours a day, on multiple platforms, whether over the telephone, website live chat, or social media.

Website and Mobile Interface

Most customers use their mobile phones to bet, so optimizing the mobile app is a priority. An online sportsbook should run correctly on a mobile browser if there is no mobile app. As a sports bettor, you want sites and apps to run smoothly and not crash or freeze.

For mobile apps, it is beneficial for features like Touch ID to be available. Touch ID allows users to access online sportsbooks quickly and securely.

Variety of Markets

Some sportsbooks offer a selection of betting markets for an array of sporting events, while others may not have many betting markets available. A large selection of betting markets allows players to choose the most suitable.

Competitive Odds

Different sportsbooks offer different pricing and odds. For example, some sports betting sites offer competitive odds that bring a higher value and allow customers to bet more significant amounts without limiting them.

Payment Security

Every VA sportsbook should have secure payment systems and web security set up. Any financial information must be kept safe during transactions to ensure no breaches. In addition, some payment methods are easier and quicker to use than others, so choosing a site with payment methods that suit the customer’s preferences may be beneficial.

History of Betting in Virginia

Virginia sports betting and gambling history is complicated. However, understanding it helps us to understand Virginia sports gambling laws better.

Virginia’s first law against gambling was established as early as 1727. The General Assembly increased the strictness of the gambling rules in Virginia in 1897. Gambling was widely banned and became largely taboo throughout the United States in the early 1900s. However, most states slowly began to ease gaming restrictions and set up regulations allowing responsible gaming.

As for Virginia, in 1973, the local government made decisions about charitable gaming regulations. The lottery then became legal in the year 1987.

In 1988, President Ronald Reagan enacted the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act or IGRA. This made it possible for Native American tribes to run casinos on their property with federal recognition.

In 1989, the Virginia Racing Commission, or VRC for short, was established. Their role was to regulate pari-mutuel betting. Pari-mutuel betting is a system of wagering where all bets are combined into a pool, which is then divided evenly between winners once the bet has been settled. It is often used for horse race betting. Virginia’s horse track opened in 1997. The Virginia Racing Commission (VRC) began supervising off-track betting in 2003.

The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, or PASPA, outlawed sports betting nationwide in the US. All states were affected, except Delaware, Montana, Nevada, and Oregon, which were nevertheless permitted to offer sports betting despite the new law.

In 1995, there was an attempt to create a riverboat gaming commission in Virginia. This commission would have likely heard and made decisions on all appeals regarding some aspects of gaming. However, the attempt to create the riverboat gaming commission was denied. There was another attempt to legalize riverboat gambling in 2013, but this attempt did not succeed.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie opposed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) and made multiple efforts to oppose it. However, shortly after he left office in 2018, the United States Supreme Court decided that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) was unconstitutional and had to be repealed. As a result, many states have eased their gaming regulations, some straight away and some over time.

In March 2019, the Virginia Senate held a study of United States sports betting. The purpose of the study was to estimate the approximate revenue that could be generated by Virginia sports betting. In November, the study showed that Virginia sports betting could result in profitable returns.

In the following months, Governor Ralph Northam made the final changes to bills SB 284 and HB 896. The bills were approved in April 2020. This made Virginia sports betting legal. Later that year, in November, plans began for four sportsbooks to provide Virginia sports betting in casinos. The first legal sportsbook was made on the website of FanDuel, a popular online sportsbook, on January 21st, 2021. Multiple sportsbooks received their license in Virginia that year. For example, Barstool sportsbook, which received its license in August; Golden Nugget Online, which received its license in October, VHL, which received its license in November; and 888 Holdings PLC, which also joined in November, but provisionally.

In November of that year, the Virginia Lottery gave Digital Gaming Commission a temporary license to provide sports betting. It also approved Colonial dawns to offer sports betting together with Pointsbet.

In January 2022, it was decided that more should be done to regulate and supervise Virginia sports betting. Two new bills were introduced – HJR 63 and SJR 24. That was not the only bill introduced that year. The HB 1127 bill was also proposed. It would allow Virginia sports betting on college sports. This bill was voided, although another bill that allows wagering on in-state collegiate teams, SB 576, was passed in February 2022. In April 2022, restrictions were made on gaming marketing materials and assets.

More sportsbooks joined Virginia sports betting in 2022. For example, Hard Rock Sportsbook published its mobile app in March. Later in the year, in July, Hard Rock Sportsbook established its first retail location for Virginia sports betting. That is the first retail Virginia sports betting location and, at the moment, the only one. Five more casinos have, however, been approved. SI Sportsbook began operating in May 2022.

Every player in Virginia must be over 21 years old. The Virginia Lottery monitors all Virginia sports betting. Bets can be placed online using a mobile app or a website. Customers can be anywhere in Virginia to play and can register remotely. Location services must be enabled on users’ devices to confirm that they are genuinely in Virginia at the betting time, as that is a legal requirement.

So far, Virginia sports betting seems to be developing liberally. In the future, customers might want to see more retail casinos open and options to bet on college teams.

Virginia Sports Teams

The Old Dominion is rich in its interest and skill in sports. One of the state’s favorites is Football. The National Football League (or NFL) Washington Football team is nearby. Virginia’s next most popular sports are golf, soccer, basketball, and baseball.

Virginia has few professional teams but has very skilled minor and college teams.

Here are just a few of Virginia’s professional sports teams:

Loudoun United FFFC

Loudoun United FC is a professional soccer team that was established in 2018. It comes from Leesburg in, Virginia. It plays in the USL League and debuted in the USL Championship of 2019. The team is owned by D. C. United and plays in Segra Field in Leesburg, Virginia.

Richmond Kickers

Richmond Kickers is a professional soccer club founded in 1993. 22 Holdings, LLC, and RKYSC own it. The team is based in Richmond, Virginia, and competes as a USL League One member. Its head coach is Darren Sawatzky, and they play in City Stadium.

Here are a couple of the best minor teams that come from the Old Dominion:

Salem Red Sox

Salem Red Sox is a minor league from Salem. It competes at the Single-A level in the Carolina league. It is affiliated with a Major League Baseball team Boston Red Sox. They were established in 2009. Their Ballpark Memorial Park.

Richmond Flying Squirrels

The Richmond Flying Squirrels are a minor league Baseball team that plays in the Southwest Division as part of the Eastern League. Its ballpark is the Diamond. The team is a Double-A affiliate of the Major League Club, San Francisco Giants.

Retail Sports Betting in Virginia

Hard Rock published its mobile Virginia sports betting app and established the first and currently the only retail Virginia sports betting location. It opened inside Virginia’s first casino. The sportsbook and casino are temporary. By 2024, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Bristol will open. This will be a large casino with plenty of indoor and outdoor entertainment, shops, and dining options. The current retail sportsbook has over 15 kiosks and five betting windows. Hard Rock Sportsbook.

Hard Rock Retail Sportsbook may be found in Virginia’s first Bristol casino. This casino is based at 500 Gate City Hwy Bristol, Virginia, 24201-2372.

Five more casinos have been approved and are expected to begin operating in Virginia. Virginia sports betting venues and casinos are allowed to operate in Bristol, Richmond, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Danville. More casinos that are expected to join are:

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol

As mentioned above, this will be a giant casino full of entertainment, eateries, and shops and will replace the temporary Bristol Casino location.

HeadWaters Resort & Casino in Norfolk

This will be a tribal casino that should be ready by 2023. It is to be located by the Elizabeth River and to feature a variety of gaming and entertainment opportunities. More information may be found about it below.

Ceasars Virginia Danville

Caesars Entertainment started building a casino in Danville. The large casino will feature Virginia sports betting as one of the several attractions.

Rivers Casino Porstmouth

The large Rivers Casino Portsmouth will offer many entertainment options, including Virginia sports betting.

Shortly, there will be other establishments in Virginia offering retail sports betting. However, not all of them will be brick-and-mortar establishments. Instead, some will offer their sportsbook through an app or a website such as DraftKings or FanDuel.

Tribal Casinos

Currently, no tribal casinos are operating in Virginia due to previous laws. The Pamunkey tribe has, however, been federally recognized as of 2015. This may lead to a potential opening of a tribal casino. The Pamunkey tribe has been permitted to operate a casino in Richmond and Norfolk. It should be launching a casino in Norfolk shortly. A temporary on-site casino was expected to be ready by March 2023. However, it has been reported that there have been potential problems with launching this casino, so the following steps are unclear.

In 2018, six further tribes became federally recognized. However, the tribes were stopped from launching any tribal casinos due to a section of the Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2017.

Daily Fantasy Sports

Daily Fantasy Sports, also called DFS, is a format of online gaming where players create fantasy teams based on their knowledge of real teams and players. Players then compete against each other. Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) is often seen as a gray area. While some may argue it is a form of Virginia sports betting, it is now commonly recognized as a skill-based game.

Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) are permitted in Virginia. The Old Dominion was the first state to welcome Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) on board in 2016.

Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) sites permitted to run in Virginia are FanDuel and DraftKings.These sites have been around for a few years. However, those are available nationally in many states, Virginia included.

Offshore Sports Betting

Virginia sports betting online has seen significant development in recent years, Virginia sports betting in retail locations is available, and more options are coming up. There should be absolutely no need for offshore betting, which can often pose a risk to its users. Offshore betting sites are not regulated and could pose multiple threats to customers, such as:

Deceitful Marketing Tactics

Some sites might promote a particular sports bet when they charge a much higher rate. This might not be obvious to the player and could lead to losses. This is, therefore, definitely a reason to avoid offshore sports betting altogether.

Poor Security and Data Protection

Data stored on these sites could be easily hacked into, leading to identity theft or the loss of personal information. Many offshore sites do not offer adequate security to protect their customers’ data. This is a threat to all individuals placing bets through these sites.

Unreliable Payment Processing Systems

Many offshore sites accept payment only through credit and debit cards. Unfortunately, these payment methods are usually unsecured and often bear high processing fees. They are, therefore, a payment security threat and a reason to avoid offshore sports betting.

Either Costa Rica or Curacao should authorize the only offshore betting that could be done. These are the two authorities that the United States government recognizes.

Horse Racing & Off-Track Betting

Virginia horse racing history goes back hundreds of years. The first horse racing occurred as early as 1609 when colonists brought horses to Virginia. Only wealthy individuals could import horses, which is why the sport, at the time, became known by the name ‘Sport of Kings’.

The first racetrack in colonies was built at Hempstead Plain, Long Island. The first racetrack built in Virginia was a 1-mile long racetrack in Williamsburg, established in 1739. Horses would complete the track multiple times before the winner was selected.

The first law against gambling in Virginia was passed in 1727. In 1740, it was decided by the General Assembly that this law was to apply to horse race betting as well as other types of gambling. The General Court of Virginia changed this verdict in 1851 when they established that horse racing was a sport rather than a gambling game. The horse race betting limit was placed at $20, but horse race betting was made legal.

In the 18th century, pari-mutuel horse race betting was not in place yet – gamblers and tracks competed against one another. However, pari-mutuel betting was introduced in the year 1871.

In 1897, Gambling laws were made more strict by General Assembly, which closed many race tracks, although they were not completely banned. Nevertheless, a new harness racetrack opened in 1908 in Fairfax County.

In the 1900s, states that had previously outlawed traditional wagering at their racetracks started to introduce pari-mutuel wagering, in which players wager against one another rather than the track. A pool of bets is created for each race in pari-mutuel betting. The number of prizes reflects the odds on the horse and the size of the overall pool. Winners withdraw from the pot.

Residents requested that pari-mutuel betting becomes legalized in the 1950s, but their requests were denied. The Virginia Lottery came into place in 1987. Pari-mutuel horse race betting was legalized in a 1988 referendum. The Virginia Racing Commission, also known as VRC, was founded in 1989. They were in charge of overseeing pari-mutuel betting. Today, horse race betting is available in Virginia at race tracks and off-track betting.

For example, Virginia Horse Racing is available at:

• Colonial Downs Race Track: located at 10515 Colonial Downs Pkwy, New Kent, VA 23124, United States, Colonial Downs is a famous race track. It was formed on September 1st 1997.

• Virginia Horse Racing: located at 38 Garrett St, Warrenton, VA 20186, United States; horse racing is available here.

Off-track betting is, for example, available at Breakers Sports Grille. It is located at 9135 W Broad St, Henrico, VA, United States, Virginia.

Summary

Virginia sports betting is a legal activity. It became legalized in April 2022, after the Supreme Court officially repealed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 or PASPA. The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) repealed allowed states to make their own legal decisions about gambling laws.

Popular sportsbooks immediately obtained licenses, and many are now available in the Old Dominion. For example, FanDuel, and Ceasars Sportsbooks. Hard Rock Casino has also arrived in Virginia. It is available as a mobile app and as a temporary retail location, which is currently Virginia’s first casino. It is to change to a larger casino within the next two years. At the moment, there are no tribal casinos in Virginia. However, that is to change soon, as the Pamunkey tribe was federally recognized as of 2015. It is now allowed to operate a casino in the Old Dominion and has been in the process of establishing one.

Daily Fantasy Sports sites, or DFS sites, are permitted in Virginia. Virginia was the first state to allow Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) legally. Some Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) that Virginia has to offer are FanDuel and DraftKings.

Virginia has a long history with horse racing. It first became famous as early as the 17th century. It became illegal but eventually was legalized as pari-mutuel wagering in the late 20th century. A regulatory body was established to monitor pari-mutuel horse race betting in the Old Dominion.

Offshore betting is always discouraged, as it poses many risks to users. For example, they are often unreliable and pose many security risks. Offshore sports betting should always be authorized by either Costa Rica or Curacao. These are the only two authorities that the US government acknowledges.

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About Joe Kizlauskas

Joe is a seasoned iGaming copywriter and speaker who has been in the business since 2015. He's written more words on all elements of Casinos, Slots, Bingo & Sports Betting than he likes to remember, and he's contributed material to a number of well-known brands. Joe may be seen playing 5 a side, at the gym or playing games on his Playstation when he is not writing.