West Virginia has a relatively liberal policy towards online and offline gambling. The state has recently legalized online casinos, and its first operators are expected to launch by 2020. All players can also legally enjoy daily fantasy and sports betting. WV also offers legal racinos, several tribe casinos and pari-mutual facilities. As you can imagine, this means there are a lot of options for gambling in West Virginia.
Stay with us and keep reading this guide as we reveal your legal gambling options in the state. We will discuss the land-based casinos in the state, their legality, and the available WV sports betting options. Additionally, we will discuss the current status of daily fantasy, online poker, and lottery gaming. Moreover, we will cover important topics such as the responsible gaming institutions in the state, West Virginia’s gambling history, hotels, landscapes, and much more! For quick answers to questions, jump down to our FAQ section below.
Gambling in West Virginia: Where to Legally Bet
Contents
As we have already mentioned, West Virginia has legalized several gambling activities, including sports betting, daily fantasy, online and offline casinos, and online poker. If you are looking for a convenient gambling venue, however, you can choose among various tribal casinos with sportsbooks and racinos. West Virginia also runs its own state lottery and even allows winners to remain anonymous. Eager to learn more? Stay with us as we discuss each product for gambling in West Virginia in the following paragraphs.
West Virginia Casino Establishments
West Virginia currently offers a total of five land-based casinos, four of which classified as racinos. The pari-mutuel facilities are rather popular among the players and offer several table games, slot machines, horse racing, and sports betting. Interestingly, until 2007, most casinos were allowed to offer solely electronic games. The situation eventually changed when an additional legislature was passed. Nowadays, the only classic casino in the state is located in The Greenbrier Luxury Resort and is exclusively available to its guests.
Please note that in order to visit any of the casinos in West Virginia, you must be at least 21 years old. The minimum age requirement for playing the lottery, bingo and horse racing, however, is 18 years. Most casinos in the state would request your ID card upon entering. Access to minors is strictly forbidden. Please also bear in mind that most casinos in West Virginia often run special promotions that all visitors can benefit from. Players will also have the opportunity to stay at elegant hotels, enjoy numerous shows and exquisite restaurants.
WV Online Gambling: Your Options
Even though all online casinos in West Virginia used to be illegal until recently, the state eventually decided to legalize the activity officially. The decision came out in March 2019, after the Senate approved the bill H 2934. According to the bill, five of the West Virginia casinos will launch their online platforms and will offer table games, slots, and poker. The new law suggests a 15% tax rate on online gambling revenue. The operators are expected to be regulated by the West Virginia Lottery. Estimates indicate that the state’s online casinos could welcome their first players by the end of 2019, or by early 2020. The minimum West Virginia gambling age for all casino sites will be 21. West Virginia is currently the fifth state to legalize online casinos.
WV Sports Betting: Where to Bet on Sports
In August 2018, West Virginia sports betting became legalized making the state the fifth to offer sports betting. Only a few months later, in December 2018, the state decided to allow online sports betting. Currently, West Virginia sports gambling is available at three land-based casinos, which partner with some of the most popular companies such as FanDuel and William Hill.
Gamble on sports at the following WV sports betting locations:
- The Casino Club at The Greenbrier Sports Betting (FanDuel)
- Mountaineer Casino Sportsbook (William Hill)
- Mardi Gras Casino and Resort Sportsbook
- Wheeling Island Casino Sportsbook
- Hollywood Casino Sports Betting
WV is a sports betting haven at the moment. not only can you gamble at any of the state’s land-based bookies, people within WV boarders can also legally bet online. Many of the world’s greatest online sportsbooks have launched in the state and have struck up partnerships with WV casinos.
Some of the most popular WV sports betting apps are:
- FanDuel Sportsbook
- William Hill Sportsbook
- DraftKings Sportsbook
- BetMGM Sportsbook
Daily Fantasy Sports: Legal in the State
West Virginia officially legalized daily fantasy sports back in 2016. The state based its decision on the fact that DFS is a game of skill, and not so much of a chance. Hence, there was no reason to keep daily fantasy sports banned. Currently, players can join many fantasy leagues and create their teams at some of the leading operator, such as DraftKings and FanDuel. The legal age for playing daily fantasy is, once again, 21 years. Players might be asked to provide identification upon registering.
Online Poker
In March 2019, West Virginia took the decision to legalize online poker. According to our information, the first poker sites in the state are expected to launch in 2020. When this happens there will be yet another WV online gambling option. Based on the fact that WV has a rather small population, it is not clear whether it will be able to support an online poker market on its own. Thus, we expect the state to join the multi-state online player pool, which currently includes Nevada, Delaware, and New Jersey.
Gambling on the State Lottery
The West Virginia lottery was established in 1984, after a voter referendum. All residents of the state who are aged over 18, are allowed to play the lottery and buy tickets. Some of the most popular draws in West Virginia include Powerball, Mega Millions, and Lotto America, among others. Please note that the West Virginia lottery has the lowest payoff of any lottery in the States, and returns an average 15% to winners. Most of the lottery profits are used to support the state’s schools and education, senior citizen, and tourism and state parks.
An Overview of the West Virginia Gambling Market
As we have already mentioned, West Virginia has a rather liberal gambling policy. The state has several legally functioning racinos and one exclusive casino. In recent years, West Virginia has also focused on expanding its online gambling industry. In 2016, the state officially legalized daily fantasy and welcomed some of the biggest DFS operators in the US. A year later, in 2017, West Virginia introduced bill H 2751, which aimed to legalize and regulate sports betting at the state’s casinos. The bill initially failed but was once again introduced in 2018, when players were officially allowed to wager on sports. In 2019, the state also legalized online casinos and poker, and the first operators are expected to launch by 2020.
Important West Virginia Gambling Laws
West Virginia gave start to its gambling industry back in 1931, when the state’s regulator the first WV gambling laws established the West Virginia Racing Commission. In 1984, The West Virginia Lottery was officially legalized and had been successfully running ever since. The racing industry in the state is probably the most popular, as players have had access to it ever since 1931. Currently, they are permitted to bet on live horse and dogs. We must note that video lottery is also allowed in the state as well as video poker, slots, and keno. Please bear in mind that there is a 52% tax on the winnings of all video lottery machines.
When it comes to casinos, there are no specific West Virginia gambling laws that apply to resorts. The only exception is made for The Greenbrier, a popular resort located in White Springs. The casino resort offers numerous games and racetracks. The casino, however, is open exclusively for hotel guests and members of the private club. No local residents are allowed. The state’s gaming laws have set the official West Virginia Gambling age at 21+ years of age.
Resources for Responsible Gambling
The West Virginia Gaming and Racing Association promotes responsible gambling and encourages affected players to seek professional help. Various organizations in the state offer help with potential gambling addiction. All interested players can turn to the Problem Gamblers Help Network of West Virginia – a state-funded organization, dedicated to providing free, confidential help to problem gamblers. Alternatively, players can also contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources may also be able to provide relevant information and direct you to the nearest problem West Virginia gambling therapist. Of course, you can also opt for contacting one of the self-help resources such as Gamblers Anonymous, Gam-Anon, and Gam Talk. Please note that there are various gambling West Virginia treatment centers in West Virginia, where you can find individual help with your particular case. Bear in mind, however, that most of them might be paid and not state-funded.
The History of Gambling in the State
As we have already mentioned, gambling was initially introduced in West Virginia in 1931 when horse and greyhound racing were legalized. The first tracks to offer races in the state were Charles Town Races, Mountaineer Race, Tri-State Race Track and Wheeling Racetrack. Each one of them now functions as a part of racinos, regulated by the West Virginia lottery.
Meanwhile, the state lottery was officially established in 1984 and sold traditional tickets for the first ten years. In 1994, West Virginia legalized video lottery, which could be found at the state’s four tracks. Similarly, video poker was officially introduced to West Virginia in 1990. The machines, however, were not regulated or controlled by the state. It was not until 2001 when West Virginia decided to legalize video poker under the Limited Video Lottery Act. The new legalization, however, came with certain requirements. All old video poker machines had to be removed from the state and replaced with new, licensed ones. The initial tax rate was 48% but was eventually raised to 52% in 2007.
Famous Gamblers from the Mountain State
Considering the well-developed and constantly progressing gambling industry in West Virginia, it comes as no surprise that various successful poker players have unleashed their gaming skills at the Mountain State. Wondering who are the most famous gamblers from West Virginia? You can find more about them in the following paragraphs.
Jason Koon
Jason Koon
Jason Koon is a professional poker player, born in Weston, West Virginia. His roommate taught him how to play Texas Hold’Em while he was still studying at West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon. Koon realized he could make a lot of money playing poker, and back in 2006 started playing online under the alias JAKoon1985. His first significant success came in 2009 when Jason Koon won $300,000 from the Spring Championship of Online Poker. In 2009, Koon played in his first WSOP, where he cashed twice. Some of his other wins include significant rewards from the World Poker Tour main event, an “FTOPS” event, and Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open, among others. The total amount of his poker winnings exceeds $28 million.
Lee Childs
Born in Charles Town, West Virginia, Lee Childs is another professional poker player, whose winnings reach $1.5 million. Even though he does not have a WSOP bracelet, Childs has won more than $1 million from the tournament and has registered 33 wins. His most significant success came back in 2007, in the WSOP event when he finished seventh and won a total of $705,229. Nowadays, Childs contributes to the Ante Up Magazine and represents Blue Shark Optics. He has also founded Inside the minds – an agency that provides training sessions for poker players. Even though Lee Childs has not been particularly active poker player in recent years, we hope that he would make his comeback in the future.
Key State Facts
West Virginia is famous not only for its gambling industry but also for its many mountains, which attract plenty of tourists each year. However, West Virginia remains the least populous southeastern state. Many residents even live below the poverty level than the national average, and the state has the fifth-worst economy in all US states. Still, recent statistics show a gradual improvement in the economy and employment rate of West Virginia. Eager to learn more? We have stated some of the most essential facts about West Virginia in the table below:
| Population | 1,805,832 |
|---|---|
| Min. Income/month | $1,516.67 |
| Largest Land-based Casino | Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races |
| Gambling Commissioner | The West Virginia Lottery Commission |
| Spoken Languages | English |
| Famous Sports Teams | West Virginia Power, Bluefield Blue Jays |
| West Virginia Tax Authority | West Virginia State Tax Department |
| Link to the State Law | https://www.wv.gov/Pages/default.aspx#home |
| Gambling Winning Tax | Federal 25% tax only |
| State Website Link | https://www.wv.gov/ |
| West Virginia Gamblers | Jason Koon |
West Virginia is famous for its beautiful nature, majestic mountains, and great architecture. It is also the only state in the US to have acquired its sovereignty by proclamation of the President of the United States himself. Mother’s Day was also first observed and celebrated in West Virginia back in 1908.
Gambling in West Virginia – Final Overview
To sum up, West Virginia has a rather liberal gambling policy and legal systems. All residents and visitors of the state can currently choose among five excellent casinos, many sports betting options, an state lottery, and horse racing. West Virginia has also legalized daily fantasy, online casinos, and online poker. The state is planning to launch its first poker and casino sites by the end of 2020. The online sports betting options are also in development after the state’s only betting app ceased to function. While no legal gambling changes are expected in the future, we expect the state to keep perfecting its gambling industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
We hope that our West Virginia gambling guide has been useful and informative for you. Still, we realize that as the state’s gambling industry continues to grow, some topics might become slightly confusing for you. We will gladly resolve your doubts by answering some of the most popular gambling questions in West Virginia.
What Is the Legal Gambling Age in West Virginia?
If you want to enjoy gambling in West Virginia, you must be at least 21 years old. Minimum age to bet on lottery, bingo or horse races, though, is 18. Underage gambling is not tolerated nor by brick and mortar casinos nor by online operators and bookies. Keep in mind that you must pass verifications before to start playing!
When Did West Virginia Pass Gambling Law?
The very first one was back in 1931 when West Virginia established its Racing Commission. In 1984, also lottery was legalized. Things kept on improving when in 2001, the state accepted video poker as legal too. The final fight was won recently, with online betting passing all the tests and becoming regulated in West Virginia as well.
How Many Casinos Does West Virginia Have?
Currently, there are five land-based casinos in the state of West Virginia. Unfortunately, there are no Indian casinos in the territory, but those five options can give you everything you might require. They are also spread around the state, so you can choose a location that fits your taste the best.