Sports betting became legal in the United States in the summer of 2018 when the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was repealed by the Supreme Court. This decision gave all states the ability to legalize sports wagering.
The Virginia legislature legalized sports betting in April of 2020. This was a moderate speed relative to other states in the nation that have legalized sports betting. The VA market has become very popular since the state legislature made the decision.
The Virginia Lottery was made the governing body over sports betting in the state. Over two dozen sportsbooks applied for licensure, and 12 were given access to the state. VA has become a dominant market in the United States, and all 12 of the providers are reputable in the American legal wagering market.
Sports betting went live in VA in January of 2021. FanDuel Sportsbook was the first site to launch in the state because of a relationship with the Washington Football Team. Other major books like DraftKings, BetMGM, and BetRivers launched in January as well.
There are no casinos in the state at this time, but properties are being built. These sites will host retail sportsbooks when they are built. However, there are no retail betting properties in the state currently. This fact has not been an issue for VA because mobile betting is more popular than retail wagering throughout the nation.
People in VA have been betting in droves on their mobile devices. Virginia online wagering has accelerated at a rapid rate since the market became available in January of 2021.
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[section label=”Steps to Start Betting”]
Steps to Start Legal Virginia Sports Betting
It’s very easy to start legal sports betting in Virginia. You can do everything from your mobile device, which is the best part of the registration process. Many states in the nation require in-person registration, but you will not have this issue in VA. If you are 21 years old and located in the state, you can begin betting in minutes.
- Proceed to the App or Google Play Store and download the sportsbook of your choice.
- There are no limits to the number of sportsbooks that you register for in VA.
- Proceed to the registration section of the book.
- You must be 21 years old and located in VA. The sportsbook will utilize your phone’s GPS software to find your exact location.
- Enter the required information on the sportsbook.
- You will need to enter data like your name, address, social security number, and birth date. This information will give sportsbooks the ability to confirm that you are allowed to bet in the state.
- After you enter the information, make your first deposit on the sportsbook.
- Once you have money in your account, you can begin betting in Virginia.
[section label=”VA Mobile Betting”]
Mobile Betting Apps in Virginia
Nine mobile sportsbooks are operating in Virginia. The state received close to 30 applications, but the VA Lottery could only give 12 licenses. All the providers in VA are well known throughout the American sports betting market.
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BetMGM Sportsbook
BetMGM Sportsbook is turning into a great operator in the United States. The sportsbook was added to an iGaming platform. The site started behind the eight-ball compared to DraftKings and FanDuel, but it’s starting to gain traction throughout the state.
BetMGM has been very aggressive in the DMV (D.C., Maryland, Virginia). The site will not be attached to a retail casino in Virginia, but it has a partnership with a Maryland property. New users will earn a $600 risk-free bet on the sportsbook.
BetRivers Sportsbook
BetRiver Sportsbook has taken off in Virginia because of the iRush Rewards Program. The iRush Rewards program is one of the best programs in gaming. Loyal users can earn massive rewards that can be redeemed for free bets, technology, and travel experiences throughout the country.
DraftKings Sportsbook
DraftKings is a top-tier book in the United States. The platform is phenomenal, and it offers the best bonuses in legal betting. Some people complain that the book is too cluttered. However, you will receive a deposit match of up to $1,000 when you gamble on the platform. The sportsbook went live in VA in January of 2021, and people have been drawn to the site for the massive bonuses.
FanDuel Sportsbook
FanDuel is regarded as the best book in the legal industry. The rewards are not superior to DraftKings, but the platform is first-class. Wagering is simple on FanDuel Sportsbook, and you will be locking in bets in a matter of seconds.
The am at FanDuel had the goal of revolutionizing the gaming industry. They have been doing this since the book went live following the removal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. New users will receive a risk-free bet up to $1,000 after their first deposit.
Unibet Sportsbook
Unibet is an international sports betting brand. However, the site has gained a tremendous amount of traction in Virginia since launching. Unibet Virginia went live in April of 2021. New users can earn a risk-free bet of up to $600.
Unibet is a solid supplemental book in the state. It should not be your first choice for gaming.
William Hill Sportsbook
Caesars has purchased William Hill Sportsbook, and it has helped the platform immensely. William Hill’s knowledge of sports betting combined with Caesars’ excellence in the gaming industry has led to a superior sportsbook.
Bonuses are not plentiful on William Hill, but the sportsbook offers numerous betting markets and wager types. Placing a bet on William Hill is simple. New users will receive a $500 risk-free wager.
WynnBET Sportsbook
WynnBET is gaining traction throughout the United States. The sportsbook launched in VA on March 11, 2021. The site partnered with NASCAR to gain market access in the state. It will be the official online sportsbook for the Martinsville Speedway and Richmond Raceway.
PointsBet Sportsbook
PointsBet is expected to launch in Virginia in the future. The sportsbook will likely enter the state from a stand-alone license. The sportsbook offers points betting, which is a risky, but exciting way to bet on sports. This will be popular when the site launches.
Bet365 Sportsbook
Bet365 will struggle in the Virginia market when it goes live. It’s entering VA because of a deal with the Hard Rock Casino. It will likely open a retail sportsbook in Bristol. This book is relatively new to the American market, so it will take time to gain traction in VA.
Bally Bet
Bally Bet has been a phenomenal addition to online sports betting in the United States. The company has a strong following throughout the United States, which has turned many towards Bally Bet. The site has secured market access in Virginia, but it has not launched.
Barstool Sportsbook
Barstool Sportsbook, which is run by Penn National, has taken tremendous strides thanks to Dave Portnoy and his team, who constantly market the site. Barstool is known for great rewards and an exciting betting experience. The sportsbook is set to launch in the coming months.
Golden Nugget Sportsbook
Golden Nugget Sportsbook is an average platform. It delivers with customer service, but this will be a below-average platform when it launches in VA. The welcome bonus is a risk-free bet of up to $100. In a state with DraftKings and FanDuel, this is not appealing.
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Physical Locations to Bet on Sports in Virginia
There are no retail sportsbooks in Virginia currently. This is because there are no casinos in the state. However, voters in the state approved five casinos with sportsbooks that will be built in the coming years.
Four locations have been set for retail sportsbooks.
WE WILL EMBED A GOOGLE MAP OF THE SPORTSBOOKS IN THIS STATE.
Bristol
A Hard Rock Casino will be built in Bristol, VA.
Danville
A Caesars Casino will be built in Danville, VA. William Hill will operate this sportsbook.
Norfolk
The Pamunkey Indians will run the casino in Norfolk. The tribe has not selected a sports betting operator.
Portsmouth
A Rush Street casino will be built in Portsmouth, VA. BetRivers will run the sportsbook.
Future Virginia Sports Betting Venues & Locations
Virginia sports betting is going to be massive, considering the size of the state. Mobile sports betting is relatively young, so this will continue to grow. Retail sportsbooks will become prominent when the retail casinos are built.
Additionally, professional sports venues, bars, and restaurants could be a future possibility for sportsbooks.
- Minor League Stadiums
- Bars
- Restaurants
- Convenience Stores
- Gas Stations
- Casinos
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Virginia Sports Betting Regulation & Laws
Sports betting became legal in the United States following the removal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. The Supreme Court deemed that this law, which was passed in 1992, was unconstitutional in 2018.
Many Virginia lawmakers supported sports betting being legalized throughout the nation when the PASPA debates were occurring. When the Supreme Court outlawed PASPA, Virginia legislators jumped at the opportunity to pass a wagering bill.
It took years of hard work to implement this goal, but Virginia was able to legalize sports betting. Many states have not had this success in the legislature for legal betting.
In 2019, VA came close to legalizing sports betting, but the legislature came up short. This was upsetting for people in the state because nearby areas were legalizing sports betting.
Virginia legislators tried to ride the betting momentum on the federal level in the state to pass sports betting and casino-related items. Although, all attempts in 2019 were derailed.
The legislature conducted a 2019 study to see how sports betting would affect the state. These analytics were used in 2020, which lawmakers make more progress on bills.
There were sports betting bills drafted in the House and the Senate. The bills made rapid progress in both chambers of the government. Both bills passed, but there were key differences between the two pieces of legislation.
A conference committee was established to iron out the differences between the two bills. The compromised bill was passed and sent to Governor Ralph Northam. Although, it was sent back with changes.
There were additional licensure and background checks required from the new license. The House and Senate approved the bill in a one-day veto session. VA sportsbooks were forced to use official league data in the 2020 legislation.
Sports betting passed in 2020, but many details still needed to be ironed out in the state. In 2021, the final touches were added to sports betting as the market launched.
Virginia has a 15% tax rate for all sports betting revenue. This is a standard fee throughout the legal industry. However, sportsbooks end up paying less per month because of loopholes in Virginia’s policy.
HB 1847 and SB 1254 were the two bills that clarified the issues with the 2020 legislation. The bills separated the casino licenses from the mobile-only licenses, expanded the wagering market, and hammered out other essential details.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?211+sum+HB1847 – HB 1847
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=212&typ=bil&val=sb1254 – SB 1254
The first sportsbook in Virginia launched in January of 2021. FanDuel debuted sports betting in the state on January 21, 2021, with the Washington Football Team.
DraftKings joined the market three days later as a stand-alone license. BetRivers and BetMGM launched on January 27th. William Hill became available on February 3rd. WynnBET and Unibet launched in March and April.
Virginia has approved landlocked casinos, and these are being constructed. When the casinos open, retail sportsbooks will be opened in the state. Virginia lawmakers approved retail and mobile sports betting in 2020.
You must be 21 years of age to place a sports wager in VA. It’s illegal to bet on college athletic programs in the stats. However, you can wager tournaments that Virginia schools are competing in as long as it involves other teams. All major sports can be bet in the state like the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and NASCAR.
What are the Tax Rates for the Retail and Online Sports Betting Operators in VA?
Virginia has an interesting tax structure in place that differs from many other legal states in America. The tax rate is average amongst the legal industry in America. Operators pay a flat rate of 15% for mobile and retail sports betting.
There is no retail betting in VA at the moment. However, when it launches, the tax rate will not be lower for in-person wagers. Even though operators pay 15%, it’s actually much less when it comes time to pay taxes. Sportsbooks can deduct promotional expenses tied to customer acquisition.
This can make the tax rate as low as 2.2%, but this number will continue to hover around 15% once VA sports betting becomes established.
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Virginia Sports Betting Timeline
– The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act is deemed unconstitutional in 2018.
– Virginia comes close to legalizing sports betting but falls short in 2019.
– The legislature is determined to pass sports betting during the 2020 session because of the failure the year prior.
– In 2020, bills were created in the House and Senate
– A committee is formed to find compromises on the two bills.
– Sports betting was passed in 2020, and the final details were established in January of 2021.
– The first sportsbook in the state was launched in January of 2021.
– FanDuel was launched in partnership with the Washington Football Team.
Lists of Wagers Allowed in West Virginia
– Moneyline: Picking a winner straight up.
– Point spread: An amount that a team must win by or be within.
– Totals: The most common total is the over/under.
– Props: Side wagers on things that may happen. Typically revolve around players.
– Live betting: Real-time wagers with constantly changing odds.
– Futures: A bet on a future outcome.
– Parlays: A traditional wager grouped together. All legs must hit for a successful bet.
– Teasers: Spread or total bets where the bettor can put the odds in their favor.
Virginia Promos, Promo Codes and Promotions
Virginia sports betting is an ideal market for bonuses and bonus codes. Bonuses for Virginia help you win big consistently. The low tax rate for Virginia online betting allows sportsbooks to give you more chances to play with house money. It’s impossible to lose when you are placing free bet credits. The bonuses for betting in Virginia will vary by the sportsbook.
However, the best providers in the United States are all offering betting in Virginia, like FanDuel and DraftKings. You will be able to receive bonuses as new players on every sportsbook in the state. These bonuses may be deposit matches or risk-free bets. If you are looking for the best VA betting bonuses, look for deposit matches.
WE WILL INSERT A TABLE OF TOP BONUSES FOR VIRGINIA PLAYERS HERE
[section label=”Virginia Cities”]
Best Virginia Sports Betting Cities
Virginia sports betting is only available through mobile devices currently. However, there are still many parts of the state that are hot sports betting areas. Here are some places that experience big handles consistently in VA.
Richmond
Richmond is the capital of Virginia, and this is where many bets occur every month. The capital of VA has 226,000 people, and it’s one of the most populated places in the state. The University of Richmond is in the capital, and many college kids bet on sports, helping the handle.
Virginia Beach
If VA has one destination, it’s VA Beach. Some people live in the area full time, but also a variety of visitors. There are bars and restaurants where sports are playing on the television nonstop throughout the year. This induces sports betting in the state.
Bristol
Bristol is not a massive sports betting area yet, but it’s growing rapidly. There is a lot of excitement amongst a majority of the 17,000 residents for betting. A Hard Rock Casino will be built in the area within the next five years. This has the gaming industry buzzing because of Hard Rock’s notoriety in gambling.
[section label=”Teams to Bet”]
VA Teams to Bet On
Unfortunately, there are no professional sports teams that compete in VA. People in the area support a variety of teams like the Washington Nationals, Washington Football Team, Baltimore Ravens, and Baltimore Orioles.
The commute from parts of VA to some of these professional sports teams is very short. Sportsbooks will also offer promotions surrounding these franchises. There are college teams in VA, but it’s illegal to wager in-state college teams.
Therefore, VA residents have no hometown teams to wager. There is a chance this changes in the coming years, with the Washington Football Team looking to change venues.
[section label=”VA Betting Revenue Numbers”]
Virginia Sports Betting Revenue Numbers
Virginia sports betting has been doing well in terms of revenue. The state became the 11th jurisdiction in the United States to reach $1 billion in handle in the post PASPA era. In May of 2021, the state grossed $23 million in revenue.
This allowed the legislature to collect a record-high $2,381,116 in tax revenue. These numbers have been standard in Virginia, which allowed them to become the fastest state to reach $1 billion in bets since launching in January of 2021.
The state’s biggest handle ever occurred in March of 2021, thanks to the NCAA Tournament. Here are the handle numbers since January of 2021.
– January 2021: $58,9896,564
– February 2021: $265,778,306
– March 2021: $300,000,000
– April 2021: $236,000,000
– May 2021: $226,000,000
Quick Glance at Virginia Gambling & Industries
There are other gambling industries in Virginia besides sports betting. Here is a glance at the different markets throughout the commonwealth.
Virginia Horse Racing Status
Horse racing is legal and a massive industry in VA. The largest track in the state is at Colonial Downs, which is near VA Beach. If people cannot travel to one of the tracks to wager, they can bet through three legal apps, including Xpress Bet, TVG, and Twin Spires.
DFS/Daily Fantasy Sports in Virginia
DFS is legal in Virginia. To play, you must be 18 years of age and located in the state. Operators must pay a $50,000 license fee to launch in the state. VA was the first state in America to introduce pro-DFS legislation and establish rules around the industry.
VA Online Casino Play
Online casino gaming is not regulated in VA. It’s technically not illegal to utilize offshore books, but you will not have any legal and regulated online casino options.
Virginia Online Lottery
The online lottery is legal in Virginia. Residents of the state who are 18 can play through Virginia’s online lottery. You can play games anywhere with an internet connection, so this is comparable to sports betting in the state.
Virginia Poker Rules
There are no casinos or legal poker rooms in Virginia. Casinos are being built that will include poker, but this style of gaming is currently illegal.
Virginia Esports Scene
The Esports scene is substantial in VA. Betting launched after the beginning of the pandemic, so legislators realized how critical sports wagering was in the state. Esports betting carried VA for a short period when the industry first launched.
How to Become a Sports Betting Affiliate in Virginia
Any sportsbook operator can apply for a sports betting license in VA. The state legislature will allow up to 12 betting operators. A license will cost $250,000 grand, and this cost is good for three years.
Applicants also need to pay for a background check for all critical members of their organization. This could cost up to $50,000 per person.
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FAQ for Virginia Betting
- Is it legal to bet on sports in Virginia?
Yes, it’s legal to bet on sports betting in Virginia.
- Does Virginia offer mobile sports betting or retail only?
VA only offers mobile betting currently, but this will change in the future.
- Can I sign up to bet on sports in VA remotely, or do I have to physically visit the retail sportsbook location?
You can sign up for Virginia sports betting through your mobile device,
- Who regulates Virginia sports betting?
The Virginia Lottery regulates sports betting in the state.
- When were Virginia sports betting legalized?
Virginia sports betting was legalized in 2020, and it launched in 2021.
- When was the first sports bet placed in Virginia?
The first bet in VA was placed in January of 2021.
- Can you bet on “in-state” college games in Virginia?
You cannot bet on in-state college games in Virginia.Arizona Sports Betting & WageringFlorida Sports Betting & WageringResorts World Casino in New York City
- Are wagers for all professional sports leagues and teams accepted in VA?
Yes, all professional sports wagers are accepted in VA.
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