Virginia Online Casinos
Virginia is one of the more restrictive US states when it comes to gambling laws. Land-based casinos are completely outlawed (including tribal casino establishments), and the same goes for betting on greyhound races. However, Virginia does allow a few forms of land-based gambling. Horse racing, pari-mutuel wagering, and off-track betting at licensed facilities are legal, as well as charitable gambling. Virginia is also the first US state to introduce a state-run lottery that was briefly banned but was legalized again in 1987.
So, where does that leave online gambling? Well, the answer is not quite simple. In this article, we are going to try and explain which forms of online gambling are allowed in the state of Virginia and give you a few tips on how to circumvent the state’s strict gambling laws. Read on!
Top 10 Virginia Online Casinos
Here is a list of our top 10 recommended online casino sites to play at for real money from Virginia.
Bovada
- Mobile Friendly
- Accepts Bitcoin
- Live dealers available
- The deposit plus bonus amount is subject to a 25x playthrough requirement before the deposit, bonus amount and any winnings can be withdrawn.
- Forfeiting this bonus will result in this bonus and any subsequent winnings associated with this bonus to be removed.
- Bonus funds cannot be used for play on Live Dealer games.
- Craps and Live Dealer play do not count toward meeting rollover requirements for withdrawal.
- All games, except Craps and Live Dealer, contribute towards playthrough requirements; however, certain games may have a greater contribution than others.
Ignition Casino
- Accepts Cryptocurrency
- iTech Labs Certified
- Processes cryptocurrency withdrawals very quickly
- The deposit plus Casino bonus amount is subject to a 25X Casino playthrough requirement before the deposit, bonus amount and any winnings can be withdrawn.
Vegas Casino Online
- Mobile Friendly
- Established Since 1999
- Frequent Promotions
• This offer is valid only for first-time depositors at Vegas Casino.
• The offer is limited to one player per household and/or computer.
• The coupon can only be redeemed once by the player to a maximum of $500 in bonus.
• Deposit a minimum $25 to qualify for this bonus.
• The deposit and bonus must be wagered fifty (50) times before a cashout is permitted.
• Only the following games count towards the wagering requirements of the bonus: some Real Video Slots, some Slots, Keno and Scratch Cards.
Cafe Casino
- Transparent banking options
- Crypto friendly
- Live dealers available
- Bonuses issued at the discretion of the Company are subject to one per individual, household, civic address, e-mail address, deposit instrument, bank account, telephone number, computer/device, and/or IP address.
- If you cancel or forfeit the bonus at anytime prior to wagering and rollover requirements being met, all funds generated by the bonus (including the bonus) will be void and be ineligible for reinstatement. Details on the applicable restrictions can be found in the specific terms of the promotion.
- Unless otherwise stated, the minimum amount required to activate a deposit bonus is $20.
- Bonuses are subject to wagering and rollover requirements and must be met by their specified timeline prior to any approved requested withdrawals.
Wild Casino
- Diverse and transparent banking options
- Regular promotions and tournaments
- Dedicated phone support available
- Players can claim the WILD250 bonus code on their first deposit only.
- Players can claim the WILD100 bonus code on their 2nd to 5th deposits only.
- A minimum deposit of $20 is required to qualify for WILD250 and WILD100 bonus codes.
- The maximum bonus amount per deposit is $1,000.
- The correct bonus code needs to be entered to claim the correct match bonus with your deposit. ie WILD250 on your first deposit and WILD100 on subsequent deposits.
- This bonus is only valid on select Slots, Table games and Video Poker games.
- This bonus is not valid in the Live Dealer Casino.
- The deposit plus bonus amount is subject to a 40X rollover requirement before any winnings can be withdrawn.
- Not all games contribute towards bonus rollover; please check our bonus contribution page for further details.
- If the rollover requirements are not met within 30 days of claiming the bonus, any remaining bonus funds winnings will be forfeited.
- Only one bonus can be active at any one time.
- The maximum release amount is 5X the bonus amount up to $5,000.
- Rollover requirements must be met before any additional bonuses can be granted.
- This promotion is non-transferable.
- Standard bonus terms and conditions apply.
- Wild Casino reserves the right to alter or amend the Terms and Conditions of this promotion at any time without notice.
Slots.lv
- Mobile Friendly
- Accepts Bitcoin
- Great Customer Support
Redeemable once per player
Red Dog Casino
- Rewarding promotional offers
- Supports Bitcoin
- Smooth site navigation
225 Slots Bonus + Extra 20% for deposits with crypto. Min dep: $10 Neosurf, $20 BTC, $20 LTC, $20 ETH, $20 BNB, $20 XRP, $20 DOGE, $20 Flexepin, $30 CC, $40 USDT. Valid 5 times. WR: 35x(D+B). Max bet: $10. Max PO: 30xD. Games included: Video Slots, Keno, Scratch Cards, Board Games.
Sloto Cash
- Offers live dealer options for US players
- Great variety of slot machines available
- Great rewards program
All free bonuses require a minimum of 60x wagering before any withdrawal can be made. Wagers placed on Blackjack, Video Poker, Craps, American Roulette, Baccarat, and other table or non-slot games will not count toward this wagering requirement unless explicitly stated otherwise. Playing any excluded game before meeting these wagering requirements may result in the casino voiding all winnings and potentially closing the account. Withdrawal requests submitted before completing the wagering requirements will be denied until these requirements are fully met.
SportsBetting.ag
- Allows US Players
- Live dealers available
- Frequent promotions available
Las Vegas USA
- Mobile Friendly
- Established Since 1999
- Low Minimum Deposit
Wagering requirements: To withdraw you must first wager 40 times your deposit plus bonus in valid games.
Is Online Gambling Legal in Virginia?
Gambling in Virginia is covered in the Code of Virginia under sections 18.2-325 and 59.1-364. While the Code clearly states which forms of gambling are legal or illegal, there are no clear mentions of gambling over the internet. However, the definition of what’s considered illegal gambling is fairly broad, meaning that the prosecutors can impose the law on people who decide to play on gambling sites, and this counts for offshore gambling sites as well.
So, offshore gambling can be treated as any other form of illegal gambling, being classified as a Class 1 misdemeanor for horse race betting and Class 3 misdemeanor for all other forms of gambling. In practice, however, rarely does anyone get punished for playing on international casino sites. Of course, this is not to say that we advise you to play in offshore casinos. The risk is still there, and not only from a legal standpoint. Namely, not all offshore gambling platforms are properly licensed, which can leave you worrying about whether you will get fair treatment.
On the other hand, there are some forms of online gambling that have recently been made legal in the state. As a matter of fact, Virginia was the first US state to legalize daily fantasy sports in early 2016, declaring it a game of skill. Therefore, plenty of DFS sites can be accessed by Virginian residents, including the most popular ones such as DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fantasy Draft.
While the lottery is legal in Virginia for both local and multi-state draws (Powerball and MegaMillions included), players don’t have the option to purchase lottery tickets online. Scratchcards are also legally sold to overage residents, but you will have to buy them through land-based retail shops.
Does this mean that the only way in which you can gamble online in Virginia is through DFS sites? Well, pretty much. Virginia does not have a very healthy gambling industry, considering that both tribal and commercial casinos are banned. This means that the state is not able to sustain a major online casino operation. Unfortunately, we saw no serious attempts by the state legislators to push for the legalization of online gambling. In all honesty, it is unlikely that online gambling will become legal in Virginia any time soon.
Offshore Online Casinos
With everything that was previously said, offshore gambling is still quite popular in Virginia. As we mentioned earlier, online gamblers can be prosecuted in the same way as people taking part in illegal land-based gambling (Class 3 misdemeanor), but the authorities simply don’t bother with harassing online players, so the risks are quite low.
If you do decide to take that risk and play on offshore casino sites, you will be happy to know that the majority of top-rated international online casinos do accept US residents — Virginians included. However, you should be careful when choosing your online casino, as they are not all properly licensed. Always check the licensing number and safety protocols of a given site before deciding to play there.
Land-Based Casino Options in Virginia
As we mentioned in our intro, Virginia does not have any land-based casino facilities, as they are all outlawed. While some other states where casino gambling is illegal at least allow the operation of tribal casino establishments, Virginia doesn’t have any of those either.
However, there are a few places where you can experience casino-like entertainment. For example, there’s the Rosie’s Gaming Emporium on four different locations across the state (Hampton Road, Richmond, Vinton, and New Kent), where you can play over 2,000 HHR (historical horse racing) games similar to video slots. There’s also a special area for simulcast horse race betting.
Also, if you’re not seasick and are willing to take a boat ride, you might find a few interesting spots, like the Triple Cherrys Casino Tours in Virginia Beach.
None of these options offer what one might consider “classic casino gaming” with popular slot machines and table games such as poker, blackjack, and roulette, but it’s still something. One thing that works in favor of Virginia residents despite them not having any legal casinos is their proximity to other states where this form of gambling is allowed.
Namely, it takes just a few hours by car to reach the states of Delaware and New Jersey, where most forms of gambling are allowed. You will need less than six hours from Virginia Beach or Richmond to Atlantic City, where you can find some of the most luxurious casinos in the eastern part of the United States. Both Delaware and New Jersey belong to the narrow selection of US states where online gambling is fully regulated and legal, so you’ll have plenty of options to enjoy playing your favorite casino games over the internet as well.
Summary
We hope that this article was informative and that you learned something about gambling laws in Virginia. While the state laws prohibit both online and land-based casinos, there are ways in which you can play quality casino games, but they involve you taking a risk with offshore sites or traveling to a nearby state where gambling is legal.
With that said, some forms of gambling are allowed. Daily fantasy sports has been legal since 2016, and you can access many trusted DFS sites from Virginia. Horse racing and lotteries are also legal, and quite popular as well.
FAQ
Online gambling in Virginia is not regulated, meaning that there are no state-based operators who are allowed to run gambling sites in the state.
No, land-based gambling is illegal in Virginia. However, there are a few places where you can enjoy casino-like games, such as Rosie’s Gaming Emporium.
Offshore casinos are technically illegal in Virginia, but many players decide to play on them anyway, considering there’s little to no effort made by the authorities to punish those players.
Horse racing, lotteries, bingo halls, charity gambling, and daily fantasy sports are the only legal forms of gambling in the state. DFS sites can be accessed online legally, while other gambling types can only be pursued in physical locations.
The minimum gambling age in Virginia is 18, and it counts for all legal forms of gambling.
