Sports betting is legal in 19 states in one way or another.
Those states are: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.
Other states will come online sometime in 2022. Some are a longer way off. In-person betting also exists in multiple states across the country, but the fastest growing part of the sports betting industry is in the online arena.
Here is a list of other legal online sports betting states.
Here's what you need to know about legal online sports betting in Virginia:
Can I legally bet online in Virginia?
Yes; if you are 21 or older. Sports betting became legal in Virginia in the spring of 2020, but you couldn’t actually place an online bet until January 2021.
How do I bet?
You can bet on sports anywhere within the state of Virginia by downloading a sports betting app on your smartphone/mobile device/computer/any online device, which currently is the only way to wager.
Where can I bet?
Anywhere within the state’s boarders. You don’t need to be a resident of the state to sign up for an online account, but you do need to be in the state to place a bet – your smartphone or desktop plugin will use geolocation (“geofence”) technology to verify that your location when placing a wager. A Virginian in another state would be blocked from placing a bet.
What can I bet on?
You can bet on all major sporting events/games, except for Virginia-based college/NCAA teams. There is also no live betting on any college sport; and prop bets on college players are illegal.
Who can I bet with?
There are currently nine online operators with licenses in Virginia:
No less than four, but no more than 12, online sportsbooks are allowed to operate in Virginia. FanDuel was the first in the commonwealth, while PointsBet just came online in mid-December. Brick-and-mortar casinos, if approved by the General Assembly, would be allowed to set up sports books without counting against the 12-license limit.
Who oversees betting in Virginia?
The Virginia Lottery.
-- FrontPageBets Staff
Gambling problem? There is help. Call 1-800-522-4700 or visit the National Council on Problem Gambling for help.