West Virginia Gambling Laws – Legal Games and Authorities

On the territory of West Virginia, there are plenty of entertaining options in the gambling industry. Whether you are a resident of the Mountain State or you are just passing by, having some serious fun is promised. Other than the state lottery, you will find a wide range of gambling games and sports betting services, both in land-based and online casino venues. Here are all details about the West Virginia gambling laws.

Today, the gambling laws in West Virginia allow you to choose from many options. In total, there are five brick-and-mortar casino venues that will welcome you with an array of traditional and innovative games. You can spin the reels of your favorite slot machines or join one of the many table games. All casino operators in the state are also authorized to run online gambling platforms, which gives you one more chance to play and land winning combinations.

Sports betting is available in-person and on mobile, while the lottery is another popular choice of West Virginia’s gamblers. Here below, you will find a table that will help you navigate through the main topics related to WV gambling laws.

West Virginia Lottery Commission

The state’s lottery has been around for a few decades now, distributing generous prizes to the residents and providing a form of entertainment. In 1985, 67% of the West Virginia voters approved the Lottery Amendment. Soon after that, the WV government saw the need to establish a gambling regulatory body. This is how the WV Lottery Commission was born. Ever since West Virginia gambling laws have been implemented under its strict supervision. The commission is responsible for monitoring all gambling-related activities. Here are some of its main duties:

In addition, the West Virginia Lottery Commission is the authority that legalizes all land-based casinos and sportsbook retailers. If you ever think of opening a casino venue on the territory of the Mountain State, you will need to get permission from the Commission, which is constituted by seven members.

To monitor the operators through the state, the Governor chooses a lawyer, a public accountant, a marketing expert, a computer specialist, and a law enforcement agent. There are also two public representatives in the Lottery Commission. Having this in mind, you can enjoy a worry-free betting session with no risk of falling into a trap, as long as you are playing at a legal and regulated casino. All WV casinos are authorized by the Commission and comply with the local legislation.

Legal Gambling Options in West Virginia

Thanks to the open-minded US gambling laws in the state, you can freely play different kinds of gambling games. We are talking slot machines, card games, dice games, live dealer tables, scratch cards, and a lot more. The variety of choices also includes in-state instant games and multi-state lottery draws. Of course, there is also sports betting that we will discuss in the following paragraphs. Here is the full list of the legal gambling activities in West Virginia casinos.

As you can see for yourself, in West Virginia, there are no limits. No matter which is your favorite game, you can easily access it in-person or online. For your information, currently, there are 15 online gambling platforms in the state, which is more than a good number. There, you can benefit from many welcome packages and reload bonuses, as well as VIP programs and premium live betting sessions!

Lottery and Video Lottery in West Virginia

As mentioned in the previous paragraphs, the lottery was legalized a long time ago – to be precise, in 1985. For more than 35 years, it has been one of the few available gambling alternatives. Today, it still gets a big dose of attention, thanks to the variety of games and prizes offered on the market. The West Virginia Lottery Commission is the authority that takes care of the selling of tickets and distribution of prizes to winners. There are several games, available in more than 40 other states as well. The most popular titles are:

Not only that, but you can have fun with scratch cards as well. The tickets are based on a variety of themes, trying to cover each customer’s taste. You will find scratch-offs with The Addams Family, monsters, spiders, cars, jackpots, and a lot more. The prizes are quite generous – by spending just $2, you have the potential to win $20,000!

A curious fact is that video lottery is similar to slot machines – one of the top choices in gambling venues. Launched in 1994, the video lottery has become a favorite choice of the residents. Initially, the machines were placed at West Virginia’s four thoroughbred and greyhound racetracks. This restriction led to the appearance of more than 9 000 “grey” slot machines throughout the state. To limit this illegal activity, in 2001, the government allowed a limited number of video lottery machines in certain adult environments.

Sports Betting in West Virginia

Maybe you didn’t know this, but West Virginia was among the first to legalize sports betting. Thanks to the decision of March 2018, placing bets on sports events officially became legal. Once again, there are no restrictions in the state – you can bet on both professional and college leagues. The great flexibility offers more than enough opportunities for the operators and players. Maybe you wonder who operates the sportsbook in the state? Let’s clear the air then.

According to the gambling laws West Virginia, five land-based casinos are licensed to offer sports betting services. Each one of these venues also has the right to run up to three gambling websites, which gives residents of the state plenty of options. The operators, Hollywood Casino, The Greenbrier, and Mountaineer Casino, are partnering with worldwide-famous sports betting brands to satisfy the audience. The result is outstanding – stunning designs, user-oriented platforms, clear terms and conditions, appealing deals, and hundreds of sports events. Some of the mobile sportsbook websites even offer live streaming of the games.

Online Gambling Laws in West Virginia

We finally reach one of the most anticipated parts of this article. We bet that many of you are here to discover the online gambling laws in West Virginia. As we previously mentioned, gambling, in general, is welcomed in the state. The same goes for online betting. As long as the online gambling platform of your choice is licensed, you will have no problems.

After the government authorized online casino games and poker in March 2019, there has been a constant growth of the gambling market. This can only be in your favor! With higher competition, the operators are forced to come up with better and better ideas. To attract the gamblers, the best US online casinos offer rich selections of game titles, including the most popular variants of table games and live dealer games.

Of course, there are thousands of slot machines covering various themes, and offering massive payouts. In many cases, online operators add sports betting, fantasy sports, scratch cards, and much more to their game selection. The most exclusive brands even offer mobile apps to their customers.

WV Gambling Laws – Land-Based Casinos

In West Virginia, there is enough choice for you to have fun. If you are into gambling, you can visit a total of five brick-and-mortar casinos, offering thousands of games and winning opportunities. Now, let’s take a closer look at the traditional casino venues! In the table below, you can compare their best features.

As you can see from the table above, the casino venues differ mostly in the number of table games and slot machines available. Depending on your preferences, you could take a trip to the place with the most appealing game selection for you. In any case, you will have access to live streaming of sports events, and you will be able to enter a poker room, where you can join other players!

Gambling Laws West Virginia – Legal Gambling Age

The West Virginia gambling age is like the standard legal US gambling age. For playing the lottery and video lottery games in the state, you must be 18 years old or over. According to the gambling laws in WV, everyone aged 21 can enter casino parlors or enjoy online betting. This includes having access to slot machines, table games (RNG-powered or live), poker and video poker, sports betting, fantasy sports, scratch cards, etc.

West Virginia Gambling Laws: FAQ

Now that we have carefully covered all of the topics regarding the WV gambling laws let’s do a short review. Below, you will find the most asked questions about gambling in the Mountain State. Take notes, choose your casinos wisely, have fun, and remember to play responsibly!

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