West Virginia has some of the most liberal gambling laws in the entire country. The Mountain State is home to five casinos, and virtually all forms of gambling are legal including online casinos, sportsbooks, racebooks, daily fantasy sports, and poker.
In 2019, lawmakers passed the WV Lottery Interactive Wagering Act (H 2934) legalizing all forms of online gambling. The first online casino site in WV went live in July 2020. Quickly, West Virginia has become a major destination for online and retail gambling in the eastern portion of the US along with New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
On this page, you’ll find all the information you must know regarding West Virginia online casino sites including a brief description of each online & retail site, games, payment options, law, and restrictions.
WV Online Casinos
West Virginia online casinos went live on July 15, 2020, with DraftKings online casino taking the honor to launch first in the market. Similar to other states, for operating legalized and regulated online casinos within the state, casino websites must be tied to a physical casino.
Currently, there are only 2 online casinos in West Virginia. However, customers can expect to see more online casinos launch soon.
BetMGM WV Casino
BetMGM Casino is a part of Roar Digital, a joint venture from MGM Resorts International and GVC Holdings. In August 2020, BetMGM launched its online casino product in WV, partnering with the Greenbrier Casino Club. BetMGM brand also offers its online casino along with sports betting in Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
Just for creating a new account, you’ll get $25 free to play with on BetMGM online casino. The best thing, there are no strings attached to receive the free funds with just 1x playthrough requirements. In addition, you’ll receive a 100% match on your first deposit of up to $1000.
Though BetMGM WV casino site’s offering is less than NJ, its games library is constantly growing and features top games from popular iGaming software providers.
DraftKings WV Casino
DraftKings was the first online casino to launch in the West Virginia market on July 15, 2020. The online gambling giant took its online sports betting partnership with Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races to the next level. With this launch, Mountain State officially became the fourth with legal online casino sites with slots and table games.
New customers can take advantage of DraftKings’ huge welcome bonus – $45 Free with No Deposit and 100% Deposit Match up to $1,500. WV players can access the casino through the DraftKings betting app and via its new standalone casino app. DraftKings Casino is also available in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.
Online Casinos Likely To Launch
West Virginia’s online gambling market has a lot of potentials to expand, new casino sites are always on the lookout to launch once they get the regulatory approval. Here are three other online casino platforms that WV residents should look out for:
Golden Nugget Casino
Golden Nugget Online Gaming made a collaboration with the Greenbrier Hotel to secure a license for operating online casino games to WV players. Though the deal is still pending regulatory approval, we can expect the industry leader to launch in West Virginia very soon. The Golden Nugget casino site is currently live in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.
FanDuel/Betfair Casino
FanDuel became one of the top gambling sites in the last few years. In West Virginia, Flutter (parent company of FanDuel) has a market access agreement with the Greenbrier Casino Club in White Sulphur Springs. FanDuel is expanding its sports betting and casino product all over the US where online gambling is legal. It is the retail sports betting operator of Greenbrier.
Along with BetMGM casino, FanDuel also represents an online casino for the Greenbrier Casino Club. Betfair casino is using the FanDuel brand name for its US-based business. They are also looking to expand in new legal casino states.
PokerStars Casino
The Stars Group’s PokerStars online casino is one of the top contenders that could launch in West Virginia because of its reputation and the space in the market. Being the biggest online poker brand in the world, PokerStars’ experience should help the online casino to reach the top spot in WV. Once the PokerStars casino goes live, WV players can take advantage of the ever-growing list of games and plenty of bonuses and promotions.
WV Online Casino Games
Online casinos do exist in the state of West Virginia and are completely legal in to play it. Legal WV casinos offer a variety of games to keep their customers busy and entertained. The WV Lottery Commission regulates gambling in West Virginia including each and every casino game. This agency’s mission is to protect the integrity and legitimacy of the casino game and operator. Here is the list of games offered at regulated WV online casinos:
Slots
Slot games are the pillars for any casino site, it is the same for WV casino sites. There are hundreds of online slots available for WV players, which should be enough slot titles to choose from. The slots are based on popular movies, TV shows, stories, video games, and more. The majority of the online slots are from top software providers like IGT, NetEnt, and Microgaming.
Blackjack
Since blackjack is one of the most popular casino games, WV casino sites don’t compromise in offering different variants of blackjack games. The game of blackjack is played with a standard card deck and each one of the cards has a point value to it. With the game of blackjack, the object is for the player to draw cards that come nearer to the number 21 than the dealer, without going over 21. WV casino sites feature multiple live casino blackjack games too.
Roulette and Video Poker
Online video poker may be the best casino game you can play for real money on the Internet. Roulette sites come in a variety of styles too. All WV online casinos offer one or more roulette variants where the players will select the amount of their bet and click on the spot in order to place their bet. The roulette wheel will spin, the ball will drop into the wheel and when the wheel stops, the ball will settle into a spot. Some online casinos offer players the chance to play live roulette and this is where they play roulette on their computer, but it is still a live game with a real live dealer.
Video poker games are the most entertaining gambling games. Unlike the games that you can play at many online poker sites, you won’t be playing against anyone but the WV casino. In these video card games, you get to play three-card poker for real money just like at the casino.
Other Table Games
WV land-based casinos not only just offer regular games like blackjack and roulette but also a unique variety of table games. Similarly, even WV online casinos host similar kinds of table games. The only real difference between the two is that computerized random number generators determine the outcome of the games online, instead of dealers and playing cards.
West Virginia online casinos offer different table games such as Mini-Baccarat, Pai gow poker, three card poker, let it ride, four card poker, and many more.
Live WV Casinos
West Virginia is home to 5 land-based casinos. Each of them has a retail sportsbook and can have 3 skins to operate online casinos and sports betting sites. Let’s take a closer look at WV land-based casinos:
Hollywood Casino
The Hollywood is the biggest land-based casino in WV with more than 2000 slot machines, 75+ table games, and 16 table poker rooms. It is owned by Penn National Gaming and located about 70 miles from Washington D.C. Players can experience an all-around gambling experience – betting on sports, races, and playing casino games. Hollywood Casino at Charles Town made a partnership with DraftKings for online sports wagering and casino gambling, and William Hill for land-based sportsbook.
Greenbrier Casino
The Greenbrier is the state’s lone private casino, owned by the family of West Virginia Governor Jim Justice. It is located in White Sulphur Springs and considered one of the luxurious resorts in the US. Greenbrier Resort only permits gambling by hotel guests and club members. FanDuel is its in-person and online sportsbook partner. Whereas, BetMGM is its online sports betting and casino partner.
Mardi Gras Casino
The Mardi Gras Casino Resort is located in Cross Lanes, 13 miles west of Charleston. The facility not only offers year-round live greyhound but also simulcast horse racing betting. Mardi Gras casino consists of about 1000 slot machines along with table games and poker rooms. The Mardi Gras and Wheeling Island casinos have a partnership with IGT which runs Betly sportsbook at both locations.
Mountaineer Casino
The Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort is present on the northern edge of West Virginia. It is located about 50 miles from Youngstown and Pittsburgh, Ohio. Along with casino games, the property includes live thoroughbred racing and off-track betting areas including video lottery terminals. William Hill is its online sports betting skin.
Wheeling Island
Similar to Mardi Gras, Wheeling Island Hotel Casino Racetrack consists of a racetrack and casino owned by Delaware North. This casino has more than 1200 slot machines, table games, and 9 poker tables. The casino also has a separate section for land-based sportsbook – Betly which is partnered with IGT.
Top Illinois Casino Apps
As of now, there are just two legal online casinos in West Virginia, both of which have a desktop version and casino apps available:
BetMGM Casino App
BetMGM Casino is a traditional platform that sticks close to its roots. The casino app relies on entertainment features and regular promotions reminding the players about their loyalty.
- Trusted brand available across many states
- Excellent two-tiered new player bonus
- Best game selections in WV from top software providers
- Easy to use and strong app for mobile and tablets based on iOS and Android OS
DraftKings WV Casino App
DraftKings is taking the US gambling scene by storm, one state after another. Here are some of the DraftKings casino’s features that made the gambling site earn the top spot:
- Trusted brand with DFS, sports betting, and casino offerings
- Generous and creative welcome offer offered in two-parts
- A wide selection of games – slots, video poker, and table games
- Mobile app for both Apple and Android devices
Payment Methods Accepted by WV Online Casinos
All legal online casinos in West Virginia will provide safe payment options to their members. They make sure their customer’s financial information is secure. The West Virginia online gambling sites accept the following payment methods:
Credit and Debit Cards
The most popular payment method in WV is by using a debit/ credit card. Visa, MasterCard, AmericanExpress, Maestro, and dinner club are the most widely accepted cards. The primary advantage of using these cards is their accessibility. This also implies that your transactions are protected by the security features offered by renowned banking providers. Using these cards the transactions generally complete within seconds which helps to save the time of players.
Online Banking
Online banking functions are just like traditional branch banking, but it happens on the Internet instead of in the real world. Once they have an active online banking account, customers are free to carry out financial operations at any time and from any location around the world. Transfers are in real-time, as well as incredibly safe as banks employ some of the best online security technologies and tools available today.
E-wallets
The very best and quickest ways to get your cash in and out of a casino are via one of the many e-wallets. All e-wallet transactions are generally safe and secure as you need not provide your banking information on the casino site. PayPal and Neteller are popular e-wallets that used to be the flagship provider of online gambling payments. Skrill is another popular e-wallet where you can load your online account and use it to fund online casino deposits and withdrawals.
E-checks
E-check is a digital version of a paper check and known as an electronic check. An e-Check must clear the bank before it’s credited to the recipient. It usually takes up to 6 business days for an e-Check to clear and the money to appear in the recipient’s account. It offers a safe online payment method as it does not carry a paper check.
Prepaid Cards
Payment via prepaid card is accepted in most online casinos due to their high security. Prepaid cards can be preloaded with a chosen currency and can be topped up whenever you like. You just have to enter the 16 digit pin code if you are using a Play+ prepaid card. Since you chose the amount of money on the prepaid card, your bank account is safe from hacking, theft, and even over-spending.
PayNearMe
PayNearMe is one of the newer and exciting deposit methods. When making a PayNearMe transfer, casino sites provide players with a barcode. This is then used to make a payment at a local store such as CVS, Family Dollar, or 7-Eleven. PayNearMe also implements a range of fraud prevention measures, including real-time account validations and risk analysis.
WV Gambling Law & Restrictions
The West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act arrived on Governor Jim Justice’s desk on March 9th and was allowed to become law without his signature. West Virginia became the fourth U.S. state to legalize online casino gaming on March 27, 2019. Then, the lottery was tasked with establishing regulations and the licensing process. After taking some time to get the necessary groundwork in place, online casinos were officially launched on July 15, 2020.
The West Virginia Lottery is responsible for overseeing the state’s iGaming operations. Meaning, no legal online casino or sportsbook can accept a bet without permission from the Lottery Commission.
All brick-and-mortar casinos are eligible to host online casino sites on their gaming license. For the licensing, the operator will need to pay an application fee of $250,000, along with an additional $100,000 every five years for renewal. Moreover, there is also a service provider fee of $100,000.
The WV online casinos must pay a very reasonable 15% tax on generated revenues, which is far less than some other states.
The minimum gambling age in West Virginia is 18 for racing, bingo, and lottery games and 21 for casino-style games and sports betting. Playing on offshore sites is illegal and will be classified as a misdemeanor.
Other Gambling Options in West Virginia
West Virginia is home to a historic hotel-casino, four racetrack casinos, a sportsbook in every casino, and, a state lottery. There is no surprise, a lot of gambling opportunities are available in the state. In addition to the online and retail casinos, the following gambling options are available in West Virginia:
WV Sports Betting
In 2018, a couple of bills to legalize WV sports betting were introduced to the legislative authorities and steady progress was made towards the end of the year. As a result, sports betting became legal in West Virginia in August 2018. Retail sports betting in West Virginia is available at the state’s five land-based casinos.
At present, online sports betting is also live. WV is home to some of the top sports betting sites including DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, William Hill, and betly Sportsbook.
Betting on Horses
Horse race betting is a huge success in West Virginia. The state’s four out of five casinos are home to racetracks, so it makes sense where the popularity comes from. To place bets on horses, players in WV can not only visit the racetracks but also at the comfort of home via online horse betting. Betting sites like TVG will allow the players to bet on in-state horses and races across the US.
The majority of horse race betting sites allow you to download their app for your mobile device. The process for downloading the app and getting started is similar to the procedure for online casinos.
WV Online Poker
Though online poker is legal in WV, no real-money online poker exists for now. According to WV wagering law, there can be three skins per operator summing up to 15 online poker sites. We could see at least 3 online poker sites very soon. At present, lottery officials are working through the rule-making and licensing process, with the first launch approvals possible this summer.
Two major iGaming operators MGM and Flutter now have a presence in the state, which could eventually launch online poker sites – partypoker and PokerStars respectively.
West Virginia Casino Sites FAQs
Is gambling legal in WV?
Yes, gambling is legal in West Virginia since 1994. All sorts of online gambling including online sports betting, casino games, and poker are all legal in the state. In 2018, after the US Supreme Court’s ruling that overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, online sports betting went live in WV, while online poker was legalized in March 2019. Whereas, online casinos were launched in July 2020.
How many online casinos are there in WV?
As of now, there are only 2 legal online casinos in WV. However, the law allows one license per land-based casino, and three skins per license. So, eventually, we could see a total of 15 online casinos in WV.
Who can play at online casinos in WV?
In order to play games in West Virginia online casinos, customers must fulfill some non-negotiable requirements.
Firstly, you must be at least 21 years old to create a WV online casino account and start playing. Residents of West Virginia and visitors from neighboring states can play. However, you must be present within the state borders of West Virginia to play casino games with real money.
Can I play for free at WV online casinos?
WV online casinos allow you to play demo/free casino games with no registration requirements. Meaning, you can start playing your favorite casino game without worrying about viruses or providing personal data. However, you cannot claim the winnings as you are not playing with real money.
Casinos like BetMGM offer you free money just for signing up. You can play online casino games for free using this no-deposit bonus cash.
Which games can I play at WV online casinos?
West Virginia online casinos have no shortage of games. A huge amount of games are offered by WV gambling sites that provide you with the same experience as that of playing in-person. Whether you are looking to play a jackpot slot or a table game such as blackjack, roulette, or poker, you’ll find what you are looking for. Take a look at the above “WV online casino games” section for in-detail information.
What are the most profitable WV online casino games?
Slots are by far the most profitable WV online casino games. The slots not only have a high return to player (RTP) but also give players much better returns than some of the classic casino games such as blackjack, roulette, and baccarat.
In general, online slot games are designed to give you lots of small wins and occasional big wins along the way. In addition, you’ll get regular access to bonus games and a jackpot just around the corner at all times.
What promotions do West Virginia online casinos offer?
In order to attract new customers and retain players, West Virginia online casinos offer various promotions or bonuses. Here are some of the most common online casino bonuses and promotions you can find in West Virginia online casinos:
- No-deposit bonus
- Risk-free bet
- Free Spins
- Deposit/Match/Reload Bonus
- Cashback
- Loyalty/Rewards Program
- Refer-a-Friend