West Virginia’s online casino market is one of the fastest growing gambling industries in the USA. Since the launch of online casino sites in 2020, players can now gamble legally and safely from anywhere in West Virginia.
Check out our guide to WV casinos to stay up-to-date with news, promotions, and information on gambling in the Mountain State.
Caesars and BetRivers launched their online casinos in WV in 2021, and many top US online casino brands are joining them. Golden Nugget debuted their online casino later that same year. More casinos may soon arrive in West Virginia’s thriving market.
Real money players will enjoy West Virginia’s expanding online casino market, with some of the most popular games available. Whether you’re a fan of spinning slots or sitting down at a table game and testing your skills, there’s something for everyone in WV.
West Virginia players have a wide variety of options to browse for online casino games. Online slots, roulette, blackjack, baccarat, lottery, video poker, online poker, and live dealer casino games are just some options you will find at West Virginia online casinos. The West Virginia Lottery Commission also runs keno games every five minutes.
As online casinos are legal in West Virginia, all players should be aware of RTP figures, the average amount of money paid back to players over time.
For example, a slot with a 96% RTP suggests that, on average, you’d receive $0.96 back for every $1, wagered over 100 spins. All games run on Random Number Generators (RNG), so returns always vary. Online slots typically return higher RTP rates than land-based machines.
The West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act passed without Governor Jim Justice’s signature on March 28, 2019, but the bill didn’t come into effect until June 7, 2019. The state’s first online casino launched on July 15, 2020, as the DraftKings casino app went live. Today, the West Virginia Lottery Commission oversees the regulation and licensing of all WV online casinos.
While the Mountain State legalized online casino gambling in 2019, West Virginians have enjoyed land-based casinos since 1994.
West Virginia gambling laws require every online casino to partner with one land-based casino. However, land-based operators can partner with up to three online operators. While retail and online casinos provide very similar games, online casinos can’t offer certain games, such as bingo.
Online casinos in WV provide a simple registration process, but require you to provide personal information. Read our step-by-step guide to signing up for West Virginia online casinos to ensure you have everything you need:
Add money to your casino account if you want to play for real money at an online casino. West Virginia casino sites offer various popular payment methods to make this process easy and safe.
If an online casino provides a welcome bonus, you may need to make a qualifying deposit to claim it. Ensure you are depositing enough, and you should automatically receive your bonuses once your deposit is complete. Some online casinos offer no deposit bonuses, which don't require this step.
West Virginia's online casino payment methods are similar to those in other states. However, certain banks may restrict which debit/credit cards are available to players. For example, banks like American Express often block transactions to online gambling sites. Most operators accept Visa and Mastercard deposits, but withdrawals are limited.
West Virginia's online gambling laws are similar to other US state legislation. You must be 21 years old and physically located in the state to play online casino games. Players who don't live in West Virginia can also visit the state to play games.
The West Virginia Lottery Commission requires all online casinos to use geolocation services to ensure players are within the state's borders.
To play at an online casino, you must verify your identity with the operator to prevent identity fraud and underage gambling. An online casino will ask you to provide copies of your photo ID and proof of your address. You can email these documents to the casino or upload copies directly when registering.
You may also need to send a bank statement to prove a payment method. Casinos request this as a responsible gambling measure to ensure you play within your means.
The West Virginia Lottery Commission oversees both retail and online gambling in West Virginia. Headquartered in Charleston, the Commission was created in 1985 to assist and advise the Lottery Director on the State Lottery. Any online casino that wants to operate in West Virginia must pass the Commission’s strict testing.
Most West Virginia online casinos are available as apps you can download for iOS and Android devices. These should be available on the respective app stores, but you can also download them directly from the casino's site. You must enable your mobile device's geolocation services to allow the casino to verify that you are in West Virginia.
You can download online casino apps using Android devices by visiting the Google Play Store. If your device doesn’t support the Google Play Store, you can also visit the casino’s site and download the app directly.
Many West Virginia casino apps are available on the Apple App Store for iOS devices. While you can sometimes download iOS apps directly from an online casino's site, this is less commonly available.
West Virginia legalized online gambling on March 28, 2019, when the state passed the West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act. After an original launch date of July 1, 2020, DraftKings launched its online casino on July 15, 2020, making it the first online casino regulated by the West Virginia Lottery Commission to launch in the state.
The West Virginia Racing Commission regulates pari-mutuel horse and greyhound race betting.
A state referendum approves a State Lottery. It was signed into law a year later, beginning sales of lottery tickets.
West Virginia legalizes land-based casinos.
A first attempt to legalize online gambling fails.
The West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act passes.
DraftKings becomes the first online casino to launch in West Virginia.
Online casinos in the Mountain State have been legal since 2020. West Virginia casino players can access both legal casinos and offshore sites. However, there are some significant differences between the two.
West Virginia casino players can access licensed online gambling sites operating within the state's borders. These casinos are all regulated by the West Virginia Lottery Commission and must adhere to its strict procedures.
Since these online gambling sites hold licenses with international regulatory bodies (or even no gambling jurisdiction), they are not required to follow West Virginia’s gambling regulations.
While you may find a wider variety of international regulated online casinos, these sites often have lower standards regarding data protection, player safety, and fair gaming. Playing your favorite games at a legal and regulated casino guarantees that your data is safe and all casino games are fair.
There are currently six online casinos in West Virginia compared to five land-based locations. Most players choose to use online casinos. For example, the total casino handle in the Mountain State was around $74,517,000 in December 2021. Approximately $59,760,000, or 80% of the betting handle, came from online operators.
Still, both forms of casino gambling come with various pros and cons, so our casino experts have summarized the key differences.
Five retail casinos operate in West Virginia, spread across five different cities. The best casinos offer resorts with spas, entertainment venues, and multiple restaurants to suit all tastes. If sports betting in WV is what you're after, two of these casinos offer race tracks for greyhound and horse racing.
Wheeling Island Casino offers more than 1,100 slot machines, along with table games like blackjack, roulette, and craps. Greyhound races run at the casino, and you can wager on other racing events using simulcast betting. Wheeling Island also has a food court that offers various options. A sports bar and higher-end restaurants, like the Pointe, are also available.
The Mountaineer Casino has over 78,000 square feet of gaming space. Around 1,000 slot machines offer a range of price limits, including a high-limit area with $100 per game. Table games like blackjack, craps, and roulette are available every day. These games run until 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Mountaineer Casino offers more than just casino gambling, with a retail Caesars sportsbook and a racetrack.
The gaming space at Mardi Gras covers 90,000 square feet and provides around 1,000 slot games. There are also 20 live table games and live poker games. Mardi Gras offers a rolling jackpot that can reach seven figures, and any player can win themselves a portion. You can visit one of several restaurants in the casino, including its sports bar and the French Quarter. There are also greyhound racing and simulcast betting options available.
When West Virginia legalized land-based casinos, the regulation stated the five cities selected could host one casino each. Given all five cities have opened casinos now, it's unlikely more will open in WV soon.
If you wish to take control of your gambling habits, many organizations in West Virginia provide responsible gambling support. These include helplines, live chat, or in-person meetings.
Online casinos are required to offer players guidance to these organizations. West Virginia also offers a self-exclusion program that gamblers can choose to join. This prohibits them from registering with online casinos across the state or receiving gambling marketing material.
Yes, West Virginian players have been able to gamble online with regulated online casinos since 2020. To gamble online in WV, you must be located within the state and at least 21 years of age.
You must be 21 or older to gamble in West Virginia. Many online casinos require you to verify your age and identity before you can sign up.
You do not need to live in West Virginia to play casino games online. However, you must be within the state’s borders when playing.
The West Virginia Lottery Commission regulates all gambling in the state. Any online casino that wants to operate in WV must get a license from this body.
No, West Virginia does not permit interstate online gambling.
Many of the top online casinos in West Virginia provide apps you can download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. You can also download the app directly from the online casino operator.
There are six online casinos in West Virginia, including some of the biggest US brands like FanDuel and Caesars. The state has the potential for a maximum of 15 online casinos, meaning more operators could launch in the future.
The IRS taxes online gambling winnings in the US. According to West Virginia taxation legislature, any prizes awarded by the West Virginia Lottery Commission are taxed as source income. You must declare any profit you make from online gambling while filing your taxes.