The Virginia sports betting industry went live in January 2021. The Old Dominion immediately became one of the biggest legal sports betting hubs on the East Coast after the launch.

This review takes a look at the Virginia online sports betting market. Be sure to sign up at the state’s online sportsbooks through the links in this review, and claim welcome bonuses at each book.

Virginia Online Sports Betting Key Policy Points

  • Virginia Legal Online Gambling Vertical – Online Sports Betting, Daily Fantasy Sports
  • Virginia Online Gambling Revenue Tax Rate – The tax rate for online sports betting revenue in Virginia is set at 15%.
  • Virginia Available Online Sports Betting License – Any online sports betting operator can apply for a license in Virginia. State law requires at least four licenses, but that can go up to 12.
  • Virginia College Sports Wagering Policy – Betting on college sporting events is allowed in Virginia, except for any game featuring a state team.
  • Virginia Sports Betting Legalization and Launch Date – Online sports betting legalized in 2020. The first online sportsbooks launch in January 2021
  • Virginia Gaming Regulation Agency – The Virginia Lottery oversees and regulates online and retail sports betting.

Virginia legal online sports betting is now more than a year old after sportsbooks were first allowed to launch in January 2021. The Virginia Lottery has been put in charge of this industry. It approves all license applications and then regulates each site. 

The Virginia sports betting law states that the state can approve at least four online sportsbook licenses, but as many as 12 can be available. There is betting on college sports available in Virginia, but only on games that feature teams outside the state. 

Virginia Legal Sportsbooks

Lawmakers in Virginia started to explore legal sports wagering in 2019, but there wasn’t enough support to get a bill passed. So instead of fighting a losing battle, lawmakers decided to pass a bill that would create a study on sports betting and the potential revenue that would come in.

In 2020, Senate Bill 384 and House Bill 896 were both introduced, and the two pieces of legislation were nearly identical. This caused some friction at first but ultimately paved the way for legal sports betting in the state. 

Governor Ralph Northam didn’t like the initial bill that landed on his desk, and he sent it back to the legislature for some final changes. It took the Senate just one day to agree on the changes in April 2020, paving the way for legal sports betting.

The cost for a sports betting license is $250,000 for three years, but there is also a fee to do a background check on the major players for each operator. The Virginia sports betting law also requires official league data for all live sports betting markets. 

Virginia Online Sports Betting

FanDuel Sportsbook was the first online sports betting site to launch in Virginia on January 21, 2021. Just a few days later, DraftKings joined the state on January 24, and then online sportsbooks just continued to launch from that point forward. 

PointsBet Sportsbook is the latest operator to go live in Virginia on December 15, 2021. It later became Fanatics. However, there are still licenses available in the state, and there has been plenty of interest from other operators looking to launch in this market. 

The online sportsbooks in Virginia are all eligible to offer a mobile app, and you can download those mobile apps on both Android and iOS devices. In addition, remote registration is available in Virginia, so there is no reason to visit a casino or other property to complete the registration process. 

The Virginia Lottery receives all license applications from potential operators and then approves each license. There are no restrictions on who can apply for a license, but not all sportsbook operators will be approved. 

Here is a list of the 10 online sportsbooks that are currently licensed in Virginia:

A unique aspect of online legal sports betting in Virginia is the law requiring official league data to offer live betting. That limits some of the betting options available for sports bettors, but most of the big operators already have deals in place with leagues to get this information. 

[amaff_cta state=”va” title=”Best Virginia Online Sportsbooks” limit=”6″] 

Virginia Retail Sports Betting

Retail sportsbooks are legal in Virginia, but this might not be an option until 2023. Virginia is a state that doesn’t currently have any commercial casinos, but those are coming at some point.

When sports betting was legalized, this bill also included approving five new casinos, and there were specific criteria for where these casinos could be built. The five cities that had the option to approve and build a casino were:

  • Bristol
  • Danville
  • Norfolk
  • Portsmouth 
  • Richmond

Four of those cities have approved the building of a casino, but that was not the case in the capital city of Richmond. There will eventually be at least four retail sports betting locations in Virginia, and there could be a fifth at some point as well. 

How Do I Know That Online Sportsbooks In Virginia Are Fair?

If you have any questions about how fair Virginia’s online sports betting sites are, you will want to try these options out for yourself. Virginia has some of the biggest names in the industry available, though, and all of the betting odds and lines will be fair. 

If you do not like the odds or lines that you see from the online legal sports betting sites, you can try out another option. 

Who Regulates Legal Online Sportsbooks In Virginia?

The state put the Virginia Lottery in charge of regulating and overseeing all of the legal online sportsbooks in Virginia. This group will also be in charge of regulating retail sportsbooks. The Virginia Lottery has done a terrific job of getting license applications approved promptly, which has allowed this state to grow over time. 

Why Should I Trust Legal Online Sportsbooks?

The Virginia Lottery will regulate all of the online sportsbooks in the state. These sites have to continue to follow all of the rules and regulations provided by the state, or they would risk losing their license. 

Another reason to trust these legal online sportsbooks is that some of the biggest names in the industry have received a license in the state. Those sportsbooks have a terrific reputation and have proven themselves in other markets. 

How Do I Get Paid If I Win?

Each online sportsbook in Virginia will have its banking department that will handle aloof the payout requests.  You will choose the withdrawal option that works best for you. 

Depending on the withdrawal option, the sportsbook could process these payments within a couple of hours. But they should pay out all options within 48 hours. 

Virginia Sports Betting FAQ

Can I bet on college sports in Virginia?

Betting on college sports is legal in Virginia, but there is a pretty big restriction as well. There is no betting on in-state college teams, and it doesn’t matter where those games are being played.

Who can get a license to run an online gambling app in Virginia?

Any online operator can apply for a license with the Virginia Lottery to offer online sports betting. Since there are no casinos to be tethered, there is no requirement to partner with a casino before applying.

Is FanDuel offering an online sports betting app in Virginia?

Yes, FanDuel Sportsbook is available in Virginia, and this is one of the biggest online sportsbooks in the United States. FanDuel continues to offer Daily Fantasy Sports contests, but it has wasted no time becoming a sports betting leader.

Can I bet using BetMGM in Virginia?

Yes, BetMGM Sportsbook is available in Virginia, and this operator has seen massive growth over the last few years. MGM Resorts International powers BetMGM, and it is one of Virginia’s top online sportsbook options.

Can I bet anonymously at Virginia legal betting sites?

No, you will not be able to bet anonymously at any of the legal gambling sites in the state of Virginia. You will be required to sign up for an account and have your personal information verified before completing that process. After you have an account, you will be required to log in each time before placing a wager.