Online gambling is still quite new to West Virginia, but by far the fastest-growing gaming sector in the United States. The improvements made in internet technology in recent years have made the top online gambling sites a complete gambling experience and, in many ways, superior and more convenient to gambling in a bricks-and-mortar casino or sportsbook.
The History of Online Sports Betting in West Virginia. Regulated sports betting in West Virginia didn’t happen overnight and has largely been following in the footsteps of New Jersey where the future of sports betting in America has been made. Before 2018 there wasn’t a state in the USA aside from Nevada that allowed legal sports gambling. Chapter 61-10-4 of West Virginia law defines the act of “playing or betting” on any popular casino games or future events as a misdemeanor. That’s all the bad news. If one were to be convicted of this crime, the punishment is a fine that ranges from $5 to $100 and up to one year of probation.
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West Virginia Sports Betting Laws And Regulations Following the recent Supreme Court decision to legalize sports betting in the United States, individual states have been hotly debating legalization in their own jurisdictions. In addition to West Virginia, states with legal sports betting include. Feb 01, 2021 Sports gamblers in West Virginia are safe when using either of these online sportsbooks because they have been checked and verified by the West Virginia Lottery. Any online sports betting company. Jan 29, 2021 West Virginia Sports Betting. West Virginia was one of the first states to allow both online and in-person sports betting. Following the Supreme Court’s overturn of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, the state began accepting online wagers in December 2018. Betting in West Virginia is simple – you just need to be at least 21 years of age and be physically located within the state, even when betting online.
Betting on sports online – Fully legal and licensed for West Virginia sports bettors since the last week of December 2018, West Virginia sports betting become potentially available after the U.S. Supreme Court found on the side of the States in spring of 2018 and handed back control of sports betting to all U.S. States for self-determination. West Virginia was prepared having passed laws allowing for sports betting ahead of the Supreme Court decision.
Online Casino Gambling – For the time being, the legalization of online casino gambling is held up in West Virginia and gambling online is due for further consideration soon.
Gambling age in West Virginia
The legal online gambling age in WV is 21 for sports betting and 18 for online horse racing betting.
Is Gambling Online Legal in WV?
For most people when discussing West Virginia’s gambling laws, the first question they want to ask “is online gambling legal in WV?”.
The answer is yes and no.
Different types of online gambling exist in West Virginia and each type has its own set of rules and regulations as set out below.
Online Casino Legalization in WV
As at March 2019, Online Casinos are still not legal in the state of West Virginia.
The good news is however, that the topic is scheduled to be up for debate soon is the State Legislature with bill H 2178. This bill, or a version of it has appeared on the docket for debate in each of the last three legislative sessions, and is approaching final version status.
The topic is on the radar of the state’s lawmakers and given the early success of online WV sports betting, it appears to be heading towards finalization.
WV Online Blackjack
Online bettors in West Virginia have plenty to look forward to in the future with legal online blackjack. A simple game with simple rules, online blackjack appeals to online bettors the world over for its great winning odds against the house, having the lowest house edge of all the Online Casino games (as little as 0.5%).
WV Online Roulette
Online Roulette’s simplicity establishes it as one of the most popular online casino games that has successfully made the transition from the land-based casino world and should be available soon in West Virginia. Once you become more experienced, playing with one of the established Roulette strategies should increase your chances to win.
WV Online Slots
Once online casinos eventually become available for West Virginia’s online players, the majority of available games should be Online Slots. From 3D slots (for a generation of players brought up with video games) through to licensed movie and TV show tie ins, classic video slots and online progressive slots, there really is something for everyone with online slots.
Online Sports Betting
Online Sports Betting Legalization in WV
Legal Sports Betting is a relatively recent introduction to West Virginia, and like the majority of states that now have taken up a legal sports betting industry, 2018 has been the landmark year;
- March 2018 – West Virginia Governor Jim Justice passed sports betting legalization bill SB 415 into law. The bill legalized sports betting (both online and land-based) in West Virginia on the condition that the US Supreme Court found in favor of New Jersey and overturned the PASPA Act.
- May 14 2018 – U.S. Supreme Court finds in favor of New Jersey on legal sports betting and hands each state the right to make their own sports betting choices without Federal impediment.
- August – December 2018 – Five land-based sports successfully launched in West Virginia.
- December 27 2018 – West Virginia’s first launched online sports book is protected by geolocation technology for use in West Virginia only.
- West Virginian law now allows for online WV sportsbooks to offer a wide range of betting types across a diverse range of sports, including NFL, gambling on eSports, MLB, NBA, NCAA football and NCAA Basketball plus many more.
Football Betting
NFL gambling, college football betting and wagering on Canada’s CFL are readily available to West Virginia’s online players. West Virginia is football heartland, so it is great to that West Virginia’s residents and visitors have such a wide range of football leagues and betting types to choose from.
Baseball Betting
Online betting on Major League Baseball (MLB) is readily available in West Virginia. While West Virginia is football heartland, the recent successes of the nearby Washington Nationals franchise is turning many of the state’s residents into big baseball betting fans too.
Basketball Betting
NCAA College Basketball options are enormously popular among the West Virginia sports bettors given the number of nationally ranked college teams like Kentucky, Virginia, Cincinnati and Duke, all on the state’s doorstep. NBA is also widely followed and betting markets are available, however, college basketball is king in West Virginia.
Horse Racing Betting
If you’re above the age of 18, residing in West Virginia and you can’t find the time to get to the track or a simulcast facility to bet on big events like the Kentucky Derby, online racebooks are available in the Mountain State.
Online racebooks provide West Virginians the convenience of betting anywhere-anytime on a PC or mobile device, offering wagering on all the big races across the U.S.A and around-the-world.
West Virginia Sports Betting Regulations
Online Poker
Online Poker betting is still not legal in West Virginia.
It is anticipated that the topic is scheduled to be up for debate soon is the State Legislature with bill H 2178, West Virginia’s pending online casino legislation.
Who Regulates Online Gambling in WV?
The West Virginia Lottery Commission is the sole body that regulates online (and land-based) gambling in the Mountain State.
The day-to-day operation, licensing, and regulation of gaming companies is overseen by the West Virginia Lottery Commission.
How Much Does West Virginia Tax gambling Winnings?
A flat-rate gambling tax of 6.5 per cent on all winnings applies in West Virginia for most regular size gambling winnings.
Larger wins may also incur a much heftier Federal Tax and exact tax rates applicable for larger wins will depend upon your state of residence in the United States. Check with your tax attorney to determine your tax liability if you have a win of $600 or more in West Virginia.
Advantages of Playing at WV’s Legal Online Casinos and Sportsbooks
The advantages of online sportsbooks are already being enjoyed by West Virginians, as to will be the many advantages that West Virginians will find in online casinos (once legalized) include;
- Convenience
- Comfort
- Small Betting Limits
- Value for Money
- Special Promotions
- Vast Game selections
- Free Games
- Mobile Friendly Responsive Websites (Play Anywhere – Anytime)
- 128-bit/256-bit Security
- Flexible Banking Options
- Security
West Virginia Sports Betting Regulations 2020
How to get started
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