Is Sports Betting Legal In Virginia?
You may have heard that Virginia’s Governor, Ralph Northam, has signed a bill supporting a gambling expansion, but is sports betting legal in Virginia? Yes, it is. Over the past two years, Governor Ralph Northam has actually signed multiple gambling expansion and sports betting bills. In 2019, he signed off on (* VA SB 1126 https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?191+sum+SB1126 *) which authorized the state Lottery as the regulatory authority over the state’s sports betting market. The bill also required the state to do a study of the industry over the course of the year and that sports betting be signed off in the following legislative session.
In 2020, he signed off on VA HB 4, VA HB 896, and VA SB 384. The first of these bills legalized casinos in the state for the very first time. Those casinos could only be housed in five different towns and could have only opened if local voters approve it on their November ballots. Those towns, including Richmond and Portsmouth, overwhelmingly approved it on their ballots. The other two bills built the framework and regulations over how exactly sports betting in Virginia would work.
In 2021, state-regulated online sportsbooks launched for the very first time. To add to that, Governor Northam continued to expand sports betting options by signing VA HB 1847 into law. This bill allowed more state-regulated online sportsbooks to open and even gave them the right to accept wagers on events such as the Olympics. But, even with all of these bills being signed into law, the use of overseas based online sportsbooks was never addressed. These sites continue to offer more features than the state-backed books and are able to do so legally because they abide by the laws in their own jurisdiction. We’ll explain how those work, and the complete legal landscape of sports betting in Virginia below.
Land-Based Sports Betting in Virginia:
Land-based sports betting in Virginia is coming, though it hasn’t launched quite yet. The reason is that the places in which sports betting will be allowed haven’t been built quite yet. The state approved sportsbooks to open inside casinos in five towns. Those towns are Richmond, Portsmouth, Norfolk, Bristol, and Danville. Those casinos are still being constructed. Land-based sports betting in Virginia can also take place at professional sports venues. The only one so far in the state of Virginia is their NASCAR track and potentially the Washington Football Team’s newest stadium in the years to come. In time, these venues will give VA sports bettors the Las Vegas feel without having to travel to Nevada. Neighboring states like West Virginia also have land-based sportsbooks if you don’t want to wait to get that experience.
Legal Online Sports Betting in Virginia:
Legal online sports betting in Virginia exists in two different ways. The first of which is the state-regulated option. In early 2021, the state launched their own online sportsbooks and they have been quite successful to say the least. There can be a maximum of 12 of these options when the market fully matures. Some will partner with casinos while the rest will partner directly with the state. The second option has existed long before 2021 and it comes in the form on online sportsbooks that are regulated overseas. Online sportsbooks like the ones featured on this site have been serving sports bettors in VA since the 90s. Along with their experience, they are also allowed to offer features like betting with bitcoin, betting on non-sporting events like elections, and offer bonuses worth up to hundreds of dollars. These are features that the state-sponsored online sportsbooks just can’t offer. These are legal for the international books because they are operating under their laws.
Bovada Sportsbook - Future Bets + Prop Bets + Live Betting On RedSkins And Ravens
For Virginia residents looking to begin sports betting online immediately, look no further than the Bovada online sportsbook. If the name sounds familiar, it's because Bovada has worked hard to become the gold standard name in online sports betting. Major news outlets like CBS often cite Bovada's odds lines, even over those more established and well known land based sportsbooks out of Las Vegas. However, it's not just the certifiable odds and wide array of betting lines to choose from that have helped Bovada become one of Virginia's most loved sportsbooks, it's their devotion to their clients. If you're willing to give Bovada a try, they boast one of the strongest welcome bonuses of any sportsbook. Once you make your initial deposit to your Bovada account, Bovada will match 50% of it in free money for you to bet with. That's up to $250 of free play for you to explore the Bovada sports book with.
New members are rewarded with a bonus when they sign up and make their first deposit. No promotional code is required for this promotion, as it is the standard for the sportsbook. You will be given a 50% match (worth up to $250) and the rollover requirement is over 5x – which is extremely low for a promotion. However, there is even a better promotion available and that is if you have Bitcoin. You can receive up to $5,000 in free play if you deposit with this method. If you are using it for the sportsbook, enter the code “BVSBITCOIN50” which gives a 50% match, up to $500. If you are using it for the casino, enter the code “BVCBITCOIN150” which gives a 150% match, up to $1,500. The first one can only be used once; however, the latter is able to be utilized three different times.
Top Virginia Sports Betting Sites
What's The Bottom Line? Will I Get In Trouble For Betting On Sports?
To put it simply, no. You will not get in trouble for betting on sports in Virginia. The only way you can get in trouble is if you are using an unlicensed sportsbook and even then, the state would go after the book and not you. With so many legal options, it doesn’t make any sense for you to use those options. Stick to the sites we recommend and you’ll never have to worry about any trouble.