West Virginia Online Casinos

Is Online Gambling Legal in West Virginia?

Online gambling in West Virginia is newly-regulated, meaning that all new online casinos that want to operate within the state must go through the West Virginia Lottery. A certificate has to be obtained in order to operate or to promote any casino activity within the state.

Sports wagering became legal in the state in 2018, but only in 2020 did we find that casinos were making their debut in the online world. The first operator on the scene was DraftKings Casino, which accepted wagers as part of a partnership with an existing land-based casino. West Virginia is now the fifth state to offer online gambling options to players, after New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Nevada.

Online gambling is one of West Virginia’s biggest money-makers right now. They became the fifth US state to legalize online betting in February 2019. By July 2020, online casinos were live and operating, signing up customers from the state. 

West Virginia created a unique online gambling landscape, allowing all five WV land-based casinos to cut a slice of the pie. Each location can apply for an online license, allowing them to operate a maximum of three casino skins each. 

This totals 15 online casinos maximum unless further land-based locations are launched. Sports betting is a separate matter, with any operators allowed to apply for a license to register WV players so long as they pay all license fees, taxes, and operate within the remit of the law. On the flip side, the lottery isn’t yet available online, while daily fantasy sports and online horse race betting are legally and operating online from multiple sources.

Best West Virginia Online Casino Apps and Sites

West Virginia is probably best known for its capital city, Charleston. But Mountain State is quickly gaining a reputation for its bustling gambling scene, with an increasingly growing selection of online betting platforms available for download.

 Alongside a lottery, commercial casinos, and racetracks, WV is open to retail, mobile sports betting, and a quickly expanding online casino scene. All these things combined make it one of the most exciting gambling states in the US.

In this review, we’ll guide you through the process of betting in West Virginia, keeping you on the right side of the law and helping you take advantage of the best bonuses and deposit match offers around. 

BetMGM West Virginia Casino

BetMGM are the big boys in the industry; you can find them in all 4 legal states, and most probably will be showing in upcoming states passing the bill. The casino is famous for its wide variety of games; you can find all popular games, such as online slots, poker, blackjack, roulette, baccarat, scratch cards, and even more. 

When you first signup with the casino, you will find a lovely bonus consisting of a 100% deposit bonus of up to $1000.

FanDuel West Virginia Casino

You might have heard of these guys before as a sports betting site... and you're right. Still, they also host a great selection of casino games, including blackjack, baccarat, poker, roulette, slots, and various video poker games. 

New players will be greeted with a $5 welcome bonus credited in the form of a $5 free DFS entry when you first visit their site.

Caesars West Virginia Casino

Owned by Caesars Interactive Entertainment, this titans are famous not only for their legendary name but really respected for their bonuses. They have a $5000 Risk-Free Bonus Code: CCTO (check their terms) and an amazing welcome bonuses consisting of a 100% deposit match bonus up to $1000. 

These guys probably have one of the best customer services consisting of a dedicated live chat that will help you with any query.

West Virginia Online Casino Status in April 2024

🖥 WV Online Gambling Live Since:	March 2019
⚖ WV Gambling Regulator:	State Lottery of West Virginia
🃏 Available WV Online Poker:	888 Poker
🎉 WV Online Casino Bonus:	Welcome Bonuses, Match Deposit, Free Spins, Cashback, Free Play
🎲 West Virginia Online Casinos:	BetMGM, Fanduel, Caesars Casino, Golden Nugget, BetRivers
🎰 Online Casino Games in WV:	Online Slots, Online Poker, Live Dealer, Online Blackjack, Lotto, Roulette
💸 Online Casino Payment Methods in WV:	Mastercard, PayNearME, Paypal, Play+, Skrill, Visa, Online Banking
🔞 Minimum Gambling Age in WV:	21 and older

Which Online Casino Games Can I Find in WV?

There really isn’t much you can access in West Virginia. Virtually every casino game is available online and via multiple vertices. There's a way to access it all: slot machines, online slots, jackpot games, bingo, lottery, keno, poker, and more. In this section, we run through things, game by game, and explain the best way to gamble in West Virginia.

Online Slots

Slot machines can be found at all of West Virginia’s commercial casinos. These are large complexes, often featuring racetracks. While things began with just video lottery terminals, by 1999, slot machines were a common site at casinos and licensed establishments. 

Online slots are a much more recent addition, coming onto the scene when online casinos were legalized in 2019. There can only be 15 online casinos in WV, but all of these features a huge selection of online slot games from all the best providers in the business. Log in and spin into pragmatic Play, Play’n GO, Push Gaming, Red Tiger, and more.

Online Poker

Poker has a quirky past in West Virginia, with Ripley’s Believe it or Not recording the world’s largest poker game. It ran for 14 years, and we don’t expect history to repeat itself soon. 

Instead, WV residents and visitors can visit any commercial casinos to play No Limit Texas Hold’em, Limit Texas Hold’em, Pot Limit Omaha, Pot Limit Omaha Hi-Lo, Limit Omaha Hi-Lo, or Seven card stud.

There are four legal live West Virginia poker rooms at the Hollywood Casino Charles Town (13 rooms), the Mardi Gras Casino in Charleston (10 tables), the Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack in Wheeling (nine tables), and the Casino Club at Greenbrier Resort (two tables). 

At present, you can only play online video poker games at legal online casinos. Dedicated online poker sites aren’t legal yet.

Lottery

The West Virginia Lottery surfaced in the 80s, as did the state lottery’s entry to the multi-state lottery association. As a result, players can purchase tickets to a fantastic selection of draws and instant games, including scratch-offs, daily draws, HotLotto, PowerBall, Mega Millions, Keno, and more.

You can participate in lottery games and draws by visiting participating locations and retailers. Unfortunately, the West Virginia Lottery isn’t available online yet. While there’s no current discussion about changing this, it wouldn’t be surprising if the lottery launched an app very shortly. 

Roulette

There are three ways to play roulette in West Virginia. You can visit one of the five casino games and take up a sport around one of the several roulette wheels. 

Croupiers will guide you through betting and explain the different styles and limits, including European, French, and American roulette. You can also play online roulette at the state’s online casino. These RNG games don’t quite feel like the real thing. 

Your final option merges online and physical casinos, allowing you to play several roulette games in an online live environment. We discuss live dealer games more below. 

Online Blackjack

As is usually the case, the availability of table games like blackjack all falls into the same basket. As with roulette, there are virtually no restrictions on players who want to try their luck on a game of 21.

All West Virginia casinos feature several blackjack tables managed by experienced croupiers. The state’s online casinos also feature a range of automated blackjack machines that run on random number generators. 

For a more authentic experience, you can click the live casino section on the website. We discuss live dealer games and all their merits next.

Live Dealer

Live dealer games are fairly new to West Virginia. They’re an exciting combination of online gambling and real live action, allowing users to choose a room via an online casino and instantly enter a live studio. 

The croupier greets all players, interacts, and places their bets. It’s the closest you can get to a real casino, without leaving your home. DraftKings is the leading provider of live dealer and live casino games in WV. 

You can choose from roulette, baccarat, infinite blackjack, and original Wheel of Fortune and Monopoly games. As time passes, the live dealer game library option grows, offering players more and more options.

West Virginia Casino Bonuses

The bonuses on offer will vary depending on what you want to bet on. Generally, the most generous bonuses and promos are found at online casinos and sports betting sites. 

Bonuses on pari-mutuel wagering sites tend to be lower. Luckily, all types of online gambling are legal in West Virginia, so bettors can take their pick. At horse betting sites, common bonuses include offers that allow players to get their first single-horse win wager back, up to $200, or even a match deposit of 100% up to $150. 

Sports bonuses and casino bonuses make it possible to increase your odds with a bet $5, win $150 offer, accept welcome offers like $500 in Free Bets, or even a very first risk-free bet up to $2,500. 

Some sites will even credit your account with bonus cash up to $70 just for signing up. Online casinos will often throw in batches of free spins on selected slot games, allowing you to land a bonus round or jackpot win for free. Always read the terms and conditions to find out about the wagering requirements, expiry periods, and minimum deposits required.

First Deposit Casino Bonuses

Regarding first deposit bonus offers in West Virginia, we have found that the few online casinos available provide matching bonuses that typically go as far as offering a match of up to 100%. A good example of this is DraftKings which offer players a 100% deposit match up to $1500. 

Ensure to run through the online casino's terms and conditions to know important details, including factors like the bonus wagering requirements. 

Claiming Your Sign-up Bonus

Claiming bonus offers is typically straightforward to do. As with most online casinos, the crucial bit would be to ensure that you have covered the minimum deposit required and met the offer's wagering requirements. 

With BetMGM, for example, to claim the $1000 deposit match bonus, you would need to wager $15 and have achieved a wagering requirement of 15X. 

All this can be found in the terms and conditions of the site, and you should always note that some games may have different requirements when it comes to claiming. 

Types of West Virginia Casino Sign-Up Bonuses

Deposit Welcome Bonus: If we look at West Virginia sites like BetRivers online casino, they offer a typical example of what a general deposit welcome bonus would look like by having a 100% up to $250 deposit bonus. 

Once you have met the minimum deposit amount, your account will automatically be credited with the bonus offer, and you can enjoy playing with double the deposit amount. 

As with every other site, you'd need to ensure that you have met the wagering requirements needed to claim and withdraw the reward. 

• Free Spins: Since online casinos are gradually making their way in the state, we have not yet found any free spin offers. Typically, you would find sites offering free spins together in a match bonus; however, match bonus offers in West Virginia generally have a deposit bonus matched with an added bonus amount. A good example would be BetMGM Casino which offers players 100% up to $1000 plus $25 upon signing up. Usually, with other sites in other states, you'd find that the $25 sign up bonus would be replaced with free spins casino bonuses.

• Cashback Bonus: We see many cashback bonuses in West Virginia, which appear in many deposit welcome bonuses. Again, with the welcome bonus offered by BetMGM, we see that they have a cashback offer of $25 to reward new players for signing up. 

• No Deposit Bonus: A fantastic example of no deposit bonuses offered in West Virginia would be like the one at DraftKings Casino. Here, they offer players $45 for signing up if they don't make a deposit. Since online casinos are relatively new to the West Virginia market, no-deposit bonuses can be a popular tool used to attract new players to online casinos. 

• Free Bet: Free bets vary depending on your choice of casino, but these bonus offers tend to involve free play vouchers or free spins during slot games for new players. 

Terms & Conditions of the Bonuses

Terms and conditions outlined in online casinos that address sign-up bonuses usually provide detail on: 

• Wagering requirements.

• How the various bonus offers can be claimed.

• Casino games that have been excluded from bonus use.

• Minimum and maximum bet restrictions.

• Slot games that qualify for free spins.

• Payout limits.

Wagering Requirements

After making a deposit and claiming any bonus on offer, each online casino stipulates the number of times a player needs to wager to qualify for withdrawal. 

Categories For The Best Online casinos in WV April

🥇 Best West Virginia Casino	Caesars Casino West Virginia
🥇 Best Deposit Bonus	BetMGM Casino West Virginia
🥇 Best Welcome Bonus	BetMGM Casino West Virginia
🥇 Best VIP and Rewards Program	BetMGM Casino West Virginia
🥇 Best for New Players	BetRivers Casino West Virginia
🥇 Best for Experienced Players	Golden Nugget Casino West Virginia
🥇 Best Online Casino Mobile App	Caesars Casino West Virginia
🥇 Best Online Slots Selection	Golden Nugget Casino West Virginia
🥇 Best Live Dealer	DraftKings Casino West Virginia
🥇 Best Poker and Table Games	Caesars Casino West Virginia
🥇 Best Progressive Jackpots	PoinstBet Casino West Virginia
🥇 New Top Casino in WV	BetMGM Casino West Virginia

Land-based gambling in West Virginia

West Virginia has no resident native Indian population. When the European settlers came, the land was uninhabited. The lack of federally recognized American Indian tribes or tribal lands means that the concept of Indian gaming and tribal casinos is non-existent in West Virginia. The state decided to fill the void with a handful of commercial casinos and racetracks. There are five casino locations in West Virginia, four of which have their racetracks. These are VW’s online casinos:

• The Casino Club at The Greenbrier

• Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races

• Mardi Gras Casino and Resort and Racetrack

• Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack, and Resort

• Wheeling Island Hotel, Casino, and Racetrack

West Virginia’s Lottery oversees most gambling operations in the state, including a range of video lottery machines. These are extremely similar to slot machines but run on a different algorithm. The state limits these machines to a maximum of 9,000, and they can only be found at locations that hold a Class A Alcohol Beverage Control Administration (ABCA) license. 

These are usually greyhound and horse racetracks, as well as bars and restaurants. 

West Virginia Legal Sports Gambling

Sports betting has been up and running since August 2018. In fact, WV was one of the first states to pounce on the legal change brought on by the PASPA decision. 

The law made it possible for each state to decide whether or not to introduce sports betting, and West Virginia was ready with its decision. But online bookmakers who want to take advantage of the relatively new market won’t get away cheaply. The initial licensing fee is $100,000, plus another $100,000, payable every five years as a renewal fee. 

On top of all this, the state will take a 10% tax cut on all revenue. Despite this, several online sportsbooks operate in the state, consistently generating a profit year on year. 

Daily Fantasy Sports Betting in West Virginia

Daily fantasy sports (DFS) are hugely popular, particularly in states where regular sports betting isn’t allowed. Despite the fact that West Virginia allows all forms of betting, including betting on sports, DFS is very popular with locals who enjoy drafting fantasy teams and following athletes' progress. 

The problem is that there’s no formal legislation in place. People have speculated on the resulting legality of DFS in West Virginia for many years. However, since these games have been offered to residents uninterrupted for many years, our perception is that DFS is tacitly allowed. This is probably because fantasy sports feature an element of skill, de-classifying them from being a classic gambling games. 

Horse Betting in West Virginia

West Virginia features four thriving racetracks for both thoroughbred racing and greyhound racing. In fact, West Virginia will be the only remaining US state to still horse live dog racing, as it’s been phased out or outlawed everywhere else. 

Racetracks have been legal and running in WV since the 1930s and have now expanded to encompass fully stocked casinos featuring slots, jackpots, table games, and poker rooms. Visit any of the tracks to watch live races or global simulcast races at:

• Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races

• Mardi Gras Casino and Resort and Racetrack

• Mountaineet Casino, Racetrack and Resort

• Wheeling Island Hotel, Casino and Racetrack

Online horse betting is also legal in West Virginia, and you can choose from several licensed pari-mutuel wagering sites like AmWager, TVG and TwinSpires. 

Expected Online Sportsbooks to Launch in West Virginia

There’s no need for any guesswork. Online sportsbooks have been live in West Virginia since 2018. The only trouble will be staying on top of all the new online bookmakers making their debut in the state. 

Since WV law allows operators to apply for a license, the number of operators isn’t capped (unlike the situation with online casinos). This level of competition is very positive for sports bettors, as they’ll benefit from a range of promotions and great odds on a huge range of sports markets. These are the best sportsbook live in West Virginia right now:

• DraftKings Sportsbook 

• BetMGM Sportsbook

• BetRivers Sportsbook

• FanDuel Sportsbook

• Caesars Sportsbook

• Barstool Sportsbook

• PointsBet Sportsbook

• Betly Sportsbook 

West Virginia LegalSports Gambling

There are plenty of options for placing wagers on sports in West Virginia. This variety goes for sports markets available, as well as betting options. You can customize your bet to be moneyline, spread, totals (over/under), futures, props, or alternative lines. 

All eight live sportsbooks in West Virginia compete to offer bettors the best odds, offers, and promos. Collectively, sports fans in the state can place wager on pretty much every sport imaginable, including:

• Basketball (+ college and NBA)

• Baseball (+ college and MLB)

• Football (+ college and NFL)

• Hockey (+ college and NHL)

• MMA

• Boxing

• Cricket

• Cycling

• Darts

• Golf

• Tennis

• Auto Racing

• Olympics

• Soccer

• Table Tennis

Gambling History in West Virginia

In its heyday, West Virginia was a thriving rail town, bringing in a constant churn of visitors and settlers. Gambling was an extremely popular pastime, and Thurmond was the location for betting and casino gaming. 

The buzz eventually died down when the mining industry dried up. Gambling saw a reemergence some decades later when the state decided to regulate the operation of various gambling activities across the Mountain State. These are the highlights: 

• 1984 - Voters approve a constitutional amendment allowing a state lottery. The first tickets were sold in 1986.

• 1988 - West Virginia becomes a member of the Multi State Lottery Association, and today offers Mega Millions, Powerball and Lucky for Life draws. 

• 1994 - Video lottery terminals (VLTs) are approved at West Virginia’s four thoroughbred and greyhound racetracks.

• 2001 - West Virginia Legislature passed the “Limited Video Lottery Act”, allowing for a limited number of video lottery machines in adult environments.

• 2008 - Racetrack casinos (“racinos”) began offering table games, including blackjack, craps, and roulette.

• 2018 - West Virginia officially legalized online sports betting.

• 2019 - West Virginia officially legalized online casino gaming, and the market officially launched on July 15, 2020.

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Online Casino Regulation in West Virginia

In 2019, online gambling was legalized because of the West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act, which allowed each land-based casino in the state to launch an online casino. 

When it comes to the commissions and organizations that are now in place to regulate online casinos, we see evidence of the following: 

• The West Virginia Lottery Commission regulates casino games, sports betting, poker, and daily fantasy sports. 

• The West Virginia Charitable Organizations Division regulates bingo. 

• The West Virginia Governor who regulates the lottery. 

• The West Virginia Racing Commission regulates horse racing.

West Virginia Casino Apps

Casino apps are already hugely popular in West Virginia. Once online sportsbooks and casinos were legalized in the state, operators wasted no time in launching their websites and mobile apps. Each casino operator is tied to one of the five land-based casino locations, while online sportsbooks operate independently. 

These days, all sports and casino apps come fully optimised for iOS and Android devices as standard. Players in West Virginia can download any of the legally operating apps by visiting the App Store or Google Play Store on their devices. The most popular ones right now are:

• DraftKings Casino app

• BetMGM Casino app

• BetRivers Casino app

• FanDuel Casino app

The list of casino apps will continue to grow as more and more operators enter the market and team up with land-based WV casinos. Hacksaw Gaming is the latest to cut, launching in West Virginia in 2023 with its first US operator license.  

Mobile Gaming in West Virginia

Thanks to HTML5 technology, mobile gaming is now a possibility. All online casinos in West Virginia have launched mobile apps for players to enjoy a full gaming experience with a wide selection of games and full access to deposits and withdrawals. 

West Virginia Online Casino Apps

Players can wager on their mobile devices. You can download the apps on Android and iOS devices. The apps can either be downloaded straight off the online casino's site or from App Store and Play Store. 

In-Browser West Virginia Casinos

If you're more of a browser fan, you can still access the online casinos through your mobile browser for a full gaming experience. 

Safe Casinos in West Virginia

If you are looking to take your gambling experience online and want  some tips and tricks, you can try the following:

• Make sure that the online casino has an easy and secure cashier system in place.

• Check to see that it has a less confusing design and functionality.

• Scout through their gaming options to see if their options are modern.

• Read through their promotional offers to see that they are valuable and transparent.

• Always read through the online casino's terms and conditions to compare with reputable online casinos. 

• Check the online casino's license to ensure that the casino is licensed to operate. Try to stick to licensing bodies that are leading regulatory bodies within that state or region, such as the West Virginia Lottery Commission. 

• Always do your research in finding reviews online regarding that specific online casino. Online casino guides and listings can be of great help in these instances. 

Minimum Gambling Age in West Virginia

The minimum gambling age in West Virginia depends on the type of gambling that the player will participate in. Daily Fantasy Sports, Horse Racing, the Lottery, and Bingo have a minimum age requirement of 18. Casino Games, Sports Betting, and Poker have a minimum age requirement of 21. 

Players Geolocation

When it comes to geolocation on who can participate in online gambling in West Virginia, unfortunately, players need to be within the physical borders of the state to place a wager. This is according to the state gambling laws.  Online casinos use the player's IP address details to identify their geolocation data from their devices. 

Blacklisted Casinos in West Virginia

So far, we have not identified any online casino that has been banned or blacklisted in West Virginia. 

Other Security Information

Always play at reputable sites and ensure that you read through each online casino's terms and conditions and privacy policy. 

Sign up at an Online Casino in West Virginia

Registration and signing up to any online casino in West Virginia is simple and straightforward to do. General steps are as follows: 

• After identifying a credible and reputable online casino, head over to the site's section that registers new players. 

• Provide details such as your first and last name, physical address, email address, gender, date of birth, mobile number, and the last four numbers to your Social Security number. 

• Proceed to create a unique username and password for your account. 

• Answer a few security questions. 

• Choose if you would like to either opt-in or receive a two-factor notification

• Provide a promotion or deposit code if you have one, and then proceed to submit afterwards. 

Here are some of the online casinos you can play in West Virginia.

Ranking	Casino	Payout Speed	Win Rate
1	BetMGM Casino	2 days	98.56%
2	Caesars Casino	2 days	97.22%
3	Betrivers Casino	1-5 days	97.33%
4	Fanduel Casino	2 days	96.18%
5	Draftkings Casino	2-3 days	97.03%

Deposit and Withdraw Methods in West Virginia

Once you’ve chosen where to place your wagers, it’s time to make your deposit. Deciding on the best way to fund your account can be confusing, so you should always research before making your choice. All of West Virginia’s gambling sites offer a combination of traditional methods and digital options. Here are the different methods you can expect:

• Credit and debit cards are an easy option since most sites accept Visa, Mastercard and American Express, and you won’t need to register for any new services.

• eWaIIets allow you to create a virtual wallet into which your funds can be transferred. This allows you to hide your bank information from the betting site. Popular eWaIIets include PavPal, Neteller and Skrill.

• Prepaid cards like PIay+ allow you to make online deposits and withdrawals, as well as physical retail transactions and ATM withdrawals.

• Bank transfers are usually on offer too. This is handy and funds will be transferred directly into and out of your bank account, but it usually does take the longest out of all options.

PayNearMe is a deposit-only option that allows you to visit a local 7-Eleven, CVS or Family Dollar to pay in person and use a barcode to transfer funds into your account.

Final Thoughts

West Virginia is the unexpected gambling state you never saw coming. Its reputation as a bible belt state doesn’t necessarily tally with how to open WV to all forms of gambling. 

As a resident or visitor, you face virtually no restrictions on whether you want to gamble at casino games, sports events, or even play the lottery. You can download apps, register on websites or visit gambling locations in person. It’s all on offer in Mountain State. 

The only possible developments that might crop up over the next few years are the launch of the online lottery and an increase in online casino licenses - which are currently capped at 15. Online sportsbooks are constantly increasing, with more operators taking state licenses. There’s very little to criticize about a state that’s embraced gambling more than any of its neighboring states. 

You can also play the best sweepstakes casinos in WV, to try a new social casino experience.

References

• List of casinos in West Virginia (Wikipedia)

• Land-based casinos in West Virginia (WV Tourism)