West Virginia Sports Betting Regulations

• In the state of West Virginia, players will see that there is nothing banning online sports betting under Chapter 61, Article 10. Players who wish to wager on sports by way of the internet will see that the laws are fairly accommodating. You will not have to worry about anything other than paying your taxes, joining a safe gambling site, and making sure that you do not violate any unrelated laws indirectly.
• The West Virginia Lottery Sports Wagering Act gives the state lottery regulatory and licensure responsibilities. The state allowed existing casino and racetrack licensees — there are five of them — to apply for licenses along with a $100,000 application fee, requiring renewal every five years at the same rate.
• Mississippi and West Virginia have each approved new sports betting regulations, putting both states on track to launch legal wagering ahead of the upcoming NFL season.
• West Virginia legalized in-person and mobile sports betting in 2018 as the Supreme Court was still hearing Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association to determine the constitutionality of the federal sports betting prohibition.

• West Virginia Sports Betting Regulations Usa
• Colorado Sports Betting Regulations
• West Virginia Sports Betting Regulations Rules

The legal gambling age in West Virginia is 21 years of age. This includes the minimum legal age for betting on sports online. Anyone who attempts to place bets prior to their 21st birthday is doing so in direct violation of the law.

West Virginia is one of the smaller states in the country, ranking in at 41^st in terms of size. The state is known for its mountains, hence the nickname “The Mountain State”. It’s a smaller state in terms of population as well. The state doesn’t have any professional sports teams, but it does have a Division 1 college program in the West Virginia University Mountaineers. Despite the fact that there aren’t any major professional sports teams, West Virginia residents can still get in on the sports betting action through one of the legal offshore sites listed in this guide. There are some laws dealing with sports betting in the US and they are explained in this guide, which was created specifically for West Virginia residents. There is also information regarding the best sportsbooks available to West Virginian sports fans.

Is Betting on Sports Legal in West Virginia?

There are three federal laws that pertain to sports betting. The first of which is the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, or PASPA. The other two laws are the Federal Wire Act and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, or UIGEA. West Virginia state law doesn’t explicitly mention sports betting in its language, but state regulated sports betting is technically illegal due to PASPA and the Federal Wire Act. These laws are explained in the next section.

The good news here is that none of these federal laws or any of the state’s own gambling laws prohibit anyone in the state from placing bets at legally licensed and regulated online sportsbooks that are located outside of the US. Here is a good site that goes into a lot of detail about legal online sports betting in the US. As they explain, the key in keeping things legal is selectively restricting your betting action to only those offshore destinations that are operating legally within the industry.

Most Reputable Sportsbooks Available to West Virginia Residents

From among all of the sportsbooks that are online, these ones are our top picks for West Virginia residents. These sportsbooks have been vetted by our team of industry professionals and have proven to be legitimate, secure and reliable. These sportsbooks have all the necessary licensing and certifications to operate legally and they are regulated by their governments. They also have top-notch security protocols that keep your personal and financial information protected.

How State and Federal Laws Regulate Sports Betting in West Virginia

PASPA restricts 46 states from having legalized sports betting. This law was passed in 1992 and is still in effect today. The only four states allowed to have sports betting are Nevada, Oregon, Montana and Delaware. The Federal Wire Act pertains to the placing of bets online. It only restricts placing bets with US-based sportsbooks, not the offshore destinations recommended in this guide. The UIGEA deals with the financial side of sports betting, monitoring banks and their transactions related to online gambling. This law also does not make sports betting with offshore betting sites illegal. Since West Virginia state law and US federal laws do not prohibit sports betting, it isn’t illegal to place a bet with one or more of these offshore sportsbooks.

Popular College Sports Teams in West Virginia

FAQs About Betting On Sports

Can I Bet On Teams Outside Of West Virginia?

Yes. These sportsbooks allow you to place bets on any team in any of the major leagues nationwide. You can even place bets on NCAA teams (WVU) and international teams. You aren’t limited to the teams in your state.

What Types Of Bets Can I Place At Online Sportsbooks Accepting West Virginia Residents?

You can place a variety of bets including point spread bets, future bets, prop bets, total (over/under) bets, parlay bets and more. You can bet on teams from around the world and bet as many times as you want (so long as you have the bankroll to back it).

Are Offshore Sports Betting Sites Legal?

Yes. These sites are all legally sanctioned and do business with millions of bettors. They all accept West Virginia residents. Most importantly, PASPA, the Federal Wire Act, UIGEA and West Virginia state law don’t apply to them because these sportsbooks are outside of their jurisdiction.

Do I Need To Enter My Credit Card Information?

Only if you want to use your credit card to make a deposit into your sportsbook account. You do have to deposit money if you’d like to place a wager, but there are other deposit methods available to you. Some of these other methods include Bitcoin and wire transfers.

What is Bitcoin?

Bitcoin is an online currency that’s become widely popular over the years. It is also the fastest way to receive your money from the sportsbooks when you decide to withdraw your winnings or account balance

What Type Of Customer Service Is Available To West Virginia Residents?

The sportsbooks we’ve included in this guide put customer service as one of their top priorities. Most sportsbooks have live chat features that instantly connect you to a representative who can resolve any issues or questions. There are also plenty of FAQs on the site that can help to answer any questions.

Are There Any Membership Dues At Online Sportsbooks?

No. You won’t be charged any signup fees or monthly/annual membership fees. The only money that’s being spent is the money you use to wager.

Are There Any Bonuses Available?

Yes. These sportsbooks offer a variety of bonuses, which essentially come in the form of ‘free money’, for you to bet with. For example, you usually get your first bonus upon making your first deposit. A percentage of your deposit will be added on as extra. There are other seasonal and promotional bonuses offered year-round. Another bonus is the mobile app version that most sportsbooks offer. The mobile app has all the same features and security standards as the web versions.

West Virginia became the fifth state to legalize sports betting in 2018. It passed the state legislature in March 2018. This was done to plan for a potential win by New Jersey at the US Supreme Court in a challenge of federal prohibition on the expansion of sports betting.

Regulations were written through emergency action by the state lottery in June 2018 after the Supreme Court ruled the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act unconstitutional. The West Virginia Lottery regulates all gambling in the state.

Currently, there are three active West Virginia sportsbooks:

West Virginia Sports Betting Regulations Usa

Online sports betting made a brief appearance in West Virginia but shut down after a few months.

After a five-month hiatus, however, FanDuel Sportsbook brought its popular mobile sports betting app to the state taking its first bet on Aug. 26, 2019. DraftKings Sportsbook followed just two days later with the launch of its own online betting app.

GeoComply will operate geolocation in the state. This ensures that players are able to be found within the state when mobile betting is introduced. All mobile wagers must be made within West Virginia borders.

WV Sports Betting Regulations

Each West Virginia casino that would like to open a sportsbook must pay a $100,000 licensing fee. The sportsbook operator does not have to be the casino owner. It may be operated by a third party. This includes partnerships like the one William Hill has with Penn National Gaming at Hollywood Casino or the one FanDuel has with The Casino Club at Greenbrier.

There is a 10 percent tax on sports betting revenues. This is much smaller than the 49 percent the state taxes slots and video poker or the 35 percent tax rate on table games and poker.

Colorado Sports Betting Regulations

West Virginia expects sports betting to generate $5.5 million in its first year. Regulators began testing betting systems in August 2018 in anticipation of the state launching the product before football season started in September.

West Virginia Sports Betting FAQ

What sports can I bet in West Virginia?

West Virginia Sports Betting Regulations Rules

Football, baseball, basketball, hockey, golf, tennis, auto racing, boxing and more are on the board at West Virginia sportsbooks.

What types of bets can I make at West Virginia casinos?

Straight bets, parlays, teasers, props and futures are available. Bets may be made on moneylines, and on certain sports, point spreads.

Where can I bet on sports in West Virginia?

Hollywood Casino is the only West Virginia with a sportsbook currently. Greenbrier expects to open a sportsbook during the 2018 football season.

Can I bet on sports on a mobile device in West Virginia?

Yes. Currently, FanDuel Sportsbook is available for mobile betting.