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West Virginia sports betting has been legal since 2018 and was the 5th State to offer sports betting in the U.S. The state’s online gambling industry has included mobile horse betting platforms for years. But it wasn’t until August of 2019 that FanDuel Sportsbook’s online platform launched through its partnership with the Greenbrier.
- DraftKings followed only days later and launched another sports betting app in West Virginia through their partnership with Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races.
- One of the most recent online sports wagering platforms to hit the scene is BetMGM through its partnership with The Greenbrier. BetMGM was launched days before the 2020 Super Bowl, which is the peak time of sports betting each year.
West Virginia in-person sportsbooks
The five casinos where you can go to place sports bets are:
- The Greenbrier – FanDuel Sportsbook is both an online and land-based sports betting provider. BetMGM is also licensed through this casino.
- Hollywood Casino Charles Town Races – Hollywood Casino’s sportsbook is operated by PENN Entertainment.
- Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort – Caesar's operates the casino’s retail sportsbook.
- Mardi Gras Casino & Resort – Online and retail sports betting operated by IGT.
- Wheeling Island Hotel Casino Racetrack – Online and retail sports betting operated by IGT.
West Virginia Sports Betting Law
The West Virginia Lottery Commission handed out licenses to Penn National’s Hollywood Casino and FanDuel at The Greenbriar on August 10, 2018. All five casinos in the state were eventually awarded sports betting licenses throughout that year.
However, Mardis Gras Casino and Wheeling Island Casino both had to suspend their WV sportsbooks in March of 2019. The BetLucky app that both locations shared was also shut down.
Sports betting made it onto West Virginia’s statute books before the Supreme Court overturned PASPA. The state was unimpressed with the intrusion into state’s rights and vehemently argued that PASPA breached the 10th amendment to the Constitution.
Back in 2017, the state legislature said:
The U.S. Congress has no power to prevent state governments from authorizing sports betting as a form of gaming and therefore, the Legislature finds that it is reasonable and appropriate, for the State of West Virginia to proceed with legalizing sports pool betting pursuant to this article
State Senator Ryan Ferns filed bill S415 which quickly passed both through the upper and lower chambers. Gov. Jim Justice couldn’t bring himself to sign the bill, but in the absence of a veto, the bill became law on March 3, 2018, two months before the Supreme Court ruling on PASPA.
The West Virginia sports betting law sets the minimum age for sports betting either on or offline at 21. The five state casinos paid $100,000 for their licenses, which is at the cheaper end of the regulatory burden in other states.
State gambling taxes on sports betting are low at 10%. That low rate means that the odds offered are competitive with the black market offshore sites. There is now no reason to go offshore to make sports bets if you are in West Virginia.
There were other forms of online gambling that were legalized in 2019. At the beginning of the year, State Rep Shawn Fluharty introduced House Bill 2934.
The bill legalized online gambling including casino games and poker. The WV Lottery Commission came out in opposition, but that wasn’t enough to change a few legislative minds. The bill sailed through both legislative chambers and became law without the need for a governor’s signature in March of 2019.
Delaware North, the casinos’ parent company, ran into contractual issues with their sports betting supplier Miomni Gaming. Both casinos worked towards launching sports betting in West Virginia again and did so just in time for the 2020 Super Bowl.
Delaware North was confirmed to have partnered with IGT and BetGenius in order to offer retail and mobile sports betting in West Virginia once more.
With all five retail sportsbooks operational and online sports betting sites becoming more prevalent in the Mountaineer State, West Virginia could become a premier destination for sports bettors in the surrounding area.
West Virginia Sports Betting FAQ
The West Virginia Lottery Commission is the agency in charge of regulating sports betting in the state.
Yes, the West Virginia sports betting laws allow those within the state’s borders to bet on any collegiate athletic team, including ones that are based in the Mountaineer State.
The tax rate set on West Virginia sportsbooks is 10% of the revenue they keep after paying out winners. It is one of the lowest tax rates in the country.
Author
Brandon Justice has nearly a decade of experience covering sports and betting, primarily working in college football, college basketball, NFL and MLB. His goal is providing detailed analysis on the trends & data of sports betting with a wealth of experience, including writing for The Action Network & Rivals.com.