WV Online Gambling News
WV Online Gambling News
West Virginia is a powerhouse for online gambling with several legal betting apps now live. Gambling in West Virginia includes the biggest brands in the game like BetMGM and Caesars. Online sports betting has also taken off with multiple trusted brands to choose from.
Here at Play WV, you will find the latest news and details on all the best West Virginia online gambling apps, including online casino welcome offers and online sportsbook sign-up bonuses.
Best online gambling sites in WV
Latest WV casino updates
Updated: April 4, 2024
West Virginia online casinos took in $367.6 million in bets in February, a year-over-year increase of more than $145 million and their best four-week period in state history. Operators paid out $355 million, resulting in revenue of more than $12 million.
Back in March, a bill that would allow racetracks to open satellite casinos passed the West Virginia Senate. The legislation, SB 62, will allow these racetracks to open up mini-casinos within their properties as long as they remain within the confines of the host’s county. These facilities can legally house 300 to 700 slot machines and 20 to 30 table games (if any).
WV Gambling News
Online Sports Betting
Online sports betting is off and running in West Virginia. Multiple active sportsbooks in West Virginia are able to take wagers from anyone in the state.
Major operators with state-of-the-art sportsbooks dot the virtual landscape in the Mountain State.
Players can take part in every betting type imaginable, from pregame standbys like point spreads to hyper-granular live bets on the outcomes of single plays.
The active online sportsbooks in West Virginia include:
- DraftKings Sportsbook
- FanDuel Sportsbook
- BetMGM Sportsbook
- Caesars Sportsbook
- PointsBet Sportsbook
- betly Sportsbook
Online Casinos
West Virginia online casinos became legal in March 2019.
By virtue of the West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act, each of the state’s five casinos can pursue licensure to launch their online casinos.
The first online casino in the state, DraftKings Casino, launched on July 15, 2020. It was soon joined by BetMGM Casino. BetRivers Casino was the third to launch in April 2021, then FanDuel Casino in May. A few months following, Caesars Casino joined the thriving online gambling market.
Customers can expect to see more online casinos to launch soon. Expected online casinos in WV include WynnBet Casino.
Online Lottery
The West Virginia Lottery does not offer lottery tickets for purchase online. Players must purchase all tickets in person at a qualified retail location.
That said, some of these locations do have video lottery terminals and other points of service by which a player can play various games online. However, ultimately, these games (which includes slot and table games at the state’s casinos) must be transacted in person at the designated location.
At this point, an expansion of the existing offerings is unlikely.
Retail Sportsbooks
Retail sports betting in West Virginia is available at the state’s five casinos. Locations with retail sportsbooks include:
- The Casino Club at The Greenbrier Resort
- Hollywood Casino Charles Town
- The Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort
- Mardi Gras Casino
- Wheeling Island Casino
Please note that the Casino Club at The Greenbrier Resort is a private venue and is not open to the public. Only members of the club and guests at the hotel can enter the casino and sportsbook. Also, please be sure to check the hours and dress code if you’re planning to visit.
Daily Fantasy Sports
West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is a notable proponent of the legality of gambling endeavors.
He has been vocal about the federal government’s role in gambling enforcement and has shown no interest in standing between West Virginia inhabitants and games of chance.
So, it should come as no surprise that Morrisey has no problem with daily fantasy sports (DFS). In a 2016 statement, he stated unequivocally that DFS contests did not violate state law.
As a result, DFS has enjoyed a de facto legality in the Mountain State ever since. Given the state’s successful foray into sports betting, there’s no reason to assume that status will change anytime soon.
Online Poker
Like online casinos, online poker in West Virginia became legal in March 2019.
All five of West Virginia’s casinos will have the ability to offer an online poker site for anyone inside the state lines.
There is no word about whether or not online poker in West Virginia will pool its liquidity with other states when it launches. Although the Multi-State Compact greatly increases the depth of the player pool, it may face federal legal challenges in the years ahead.
In the meantime, poker players in West Virginia who are hungry for online action can try sweepstakes site Global Poker.
A unique dual-currency system allows the site to offer online poker action, prizes redeemable for real money, and the ability to play against players across the country.
WV gambling FAQ
Yes! Multiple online sportsbooks and three online casinos are active in West Virginia right now. The West Virginia Lottery oversees all activities that these sportsbooks and casinos undertake, and there are plenty of regulatory controls in place.
Anyone located in West Virginia who is 21 years or older is allowed to bet on sports in West Virginia.
No, you are not required to prove residency in WV to play on West Virginia online sportsbooks.
You do have to be inside West Virginia state lines to place a bet.
Online sportsbooks and online casinos are required by law to use geolocation verification software to confirm each player’s physical location at all times. The app simply will not work if you are not inside the state lines of West Virginia.
Almost any type of sporting event is available for wagering in West Virginia.
Unlike some states, West Virginia law does not prohibit wagering on collegiate events, so there should be a plethora of options.
The only restricted group includes sports at the high school level. No state with legal sports betting will permit wagering on events involving those beneath the college level.
Yes. Online casinos and poker are legal in West Virginia. There are now several online casinos offering service in West Virginia. However, although online poker is legal in the Mountain State, no sites have launched yet.
There are five online casinos live in West Virginia. But so far, no online poker sites have launched yet. Other casinos are expected soon. There currently is no information on when online poker will launch.
Any site that offers online casino play or poker in West Virginia is a site that is owned and operated outside the US — as such, playing on it represents an added layer of risk for American players.
The main issue is that American players have no reliable recourse if there’s ever any dispute with one of these sites. Every legal sportsbook in West Virginia answers to the lottery commission, and the commission has the power to exercise severe penalties on any site that behaves inappropriately.
However, an American playing offshore has no such regulatory body watching over his or her play. Even if there’s a group that claims authority, Americans have no idea about the effectiveness, trustworthiness, or impartiality of said regulator.
It’s best just to stay away.
Unless you’re playing a sweepstakes site like Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots or Global Poker, it’s simply not worth the risk.
Resources
If you are planning a trip to West Virginia, or happen to live in a neighboring state and are curious about betting, there’s good news.
It is not necessary to reside in West Virginia to gamble on its online gambling sites. In fact, you can download any of the state’s online sportsbooks to your device wherever you are.
Simply click our link and follow the instructions to get started. Make sure to take note of any relevant or exclusive bonus codes when you do so.
It is also possible to make your first deposit from out of state if you like. Each sportsbook in West Virginia has numerous options for banking, and there are no geographic restrictions for banking transactions.
Similar to our admonition about signing up, please make sure to check Play WV for any deposit bonus codes we may have. Many of our offers cannot be found on other sites, and it would be a shame to miss out on free money or benefits.
Now, once you have downloaded the app and deposited, your physical location begins to matter.
All of West Virginia’s online sportsbooks use geolocation verification software to make sure that every player online is located within the state lines of West Virginia.
This software’s efficacy is surprisingly strong. It is much more likely that a person just inside West Virginia would be denied service than it is for someone across the border to gain access. The software acts as a virtual fence around the state.
However, the entire suite of West Virginia’s online gambling is available the moment you cross the state lines. It may be necessary to wait until your phone’s GPS synchronizes.
For many, the mental images associated with sports betting involve a smoky backroom and a guy with a green visor. So, it’s forgivable if the idea of wagering through your phone seems a bit daunting.
Thankfully, it’s not difficult to get started.
Once on the app or site for your favorite sportsbook, look for a button that says “Register,” “Sign Up,” “Get Started” or something similar. This button should be prominently displayed, and it is likely to be in the upper right portion of your screen.
Clicking on the button will take you to a page with blanks to fill in your personal information. Every sportsbook varies a bit, but generally, they will all ask for the following pieces of data:
- Name
- Email address
- Date of birth
- Phone number
- Home address
- Social Security number (or the last four digits)
The site is also likely to ask that you create a unique username and password so that you can access your account. There may be a couple of security challenge questions, so answer these with responses that you, and only you, will remember.
Finally, the registration page will probably have a box to enter promotional codes. Make sure to double check Play WV for any sign-up bonus codes before you submit your information, or you may miss out on some free money or benefits.
Once you’ve filled everything out, hit the button to submit at the bottom. You should go right to the sportsbook’s lobby, where you can get started betting on your favorite teams.
By and large, the process for downloading a sportsbook app is no different from getting any other program on your device.
The first thing to do is to click on the link for your chosen sportsbook above.
Once there, click on the button for either iOS (Apple) or Android app downloads. It will depend on your type of device.
Apple users will be able to download the apps per the usual process.
Now that the Google Play Store adjusted its rules, Android users can also download betting apps in a convenient manner.
If you prefer to visit the site with your laptop, that’s fine. Most sportsbooks maintain a browser version of their websites for this reason.
If you need help, we have a dedicated page for mobile betting apps, which should answer your questions.