Virginia Online Casinos

The frenzy that caught many technology-loving citizens, regarding the United States online gambling expansion, is not necessarily a phenomenon that we might see at a general level in the law-creating structures of the states.

Virginia is at the bottom of the list when it comes to the prospect of instating such a regulation. We usually find this sort of reluctance to even debate the subject in states which haven’t a very liberal stance on gambling in general. Seeing how there aren’t any casinos in VA, it’s no surprise that talks about online casinos haven’t even started.

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Virginia Gambling Laws Overview

Virginia gambling laws aren’t the strictest in the country, but they also don’t offer any intense support in expanding these activities. Putting it simply, the authorities are not yet convinced of the pluses the installment of slot machines in Virginia is going to bring to the state’s budget.
The biggest shortage in the VA gambling field is, without any doubt, the lack of land-based casinos state-wide. For those state residents that are keen on betting in table games, not offering this option can result in two things:

  • An important part, as some of the more permissive states have found out, of potential tax revenues aren’t going to Virginia’s budget
  • This money is still spent, only in the benefit of others: either traveling to nearby states, Maryland and Delaware being the main speculator of this opportunity, or even worse, going abroad, towards online casinos based off-shore

Statistics show that a state with tribes willing to put the base of casinos on their land gets a taste of what the extra revenue from casino activity means and is much more relaxed towards the idea of allowing the expansion of gambling. In Virginia, the only recognized tribe thus far, the Pamunkey, has had a different approach, being completely against it, even having to reelect a new tribal chief, which would support less this idea.

However, gambling in Virginia isn’t wholly non-existent. The most significant part is played by race betting. Until 2015, a renowned horse racetrack, the Colonial Downs, offered live racing to enthusiasts. However, some issues and endless debates made the venue close-up shop for an indefinite amount of time. At the time, it was rumored to become a golf course. Still, betting on races is possible through the OTB locations around the state.

Virginia also has a state lottery and allows charitable gaming and the organizing of social events in the form of social poker, as long as no fees are paid for taking part.

Virginia Online Gambling Possibilities

Online gambling Virginia is not a subject in the state’s fiery debates so far, VA having other priorities to handle in this field before that. This means that no slot machines are available anywhere between state borders. A solution has been found for this issue, as well, and seeing how the best casinos, in this case, are the ones available for VA players, it was the loop that off-shore new RTG online casinos found to enter this market.
For example, Bovada is legal in Virginia because it’s not specified to be illegal anywhere in the legislation. Thus, for those who wish to play online slots for real money, the only thing to look out for is the best way to discern between plenty of options existent out there. Filtrating these online sites through the pluses and minuses are given to them in professional-made reviews, like the ones from the list above, might be the easiest and most reliable way to go about this.

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Offline Gambling

Racetracks

The races should have been the element to replace gambling casinos in Virginia’s market. They were the leading betting entertainment provider up until 2015 when the only racetrack active suspended its operations. Nowadays, the track is said to become a golf course, ironically allowing golf course betting.

Lottery

What would gambling in VA mean without the existence of a state lottery? It also participates in the available interstate versions, Mega Millions and Powerball.

Charitable Games

Some non-profit organizations are allowed to host charitable gambling events in bingo games, raffles, or duck racing, to raise money for a specified cause. Also, due to many people not wanting to travel to casinos near VA, social casino nights are allowed, as long as the organizers don’t receive a fee for hosting such events. Indeed though, this is a weak replacement, as it mainly offers a form of social poker, while other types of gambling, such as baccarat, are hard to find at such events.

Future Prospects

2019 came along with an unexpected twist in the gambling market of Virginia after a bill on expanding this domain has passed the State Senate. The main development that this bill stipulates is allowing sports betting in Virginia, which would be a terrific first step on the road to gambling expansion. It also could lead to the opening of one of the first state casino resorts, located in Bristol. Before getting hopes up, at this point, a referendum must be held on the matter, which would only be possible in November, but it’s still great news on the authorities’ behalf.

You Might Also be Interested in:

North Carolina online gambling
TN online gambling
KY online gambling
West Virginia online gambling
MD online casinos

FAQ
Is gambling legal in Virginia?

There are some forms of gambling Virginia permits within its state: lottery, charitable games, and racetrack betting. There are currently no gambling casinos, although some movement has been seen lately in that area, with a new bill passing Senate, which would allow a first casino to be built in Bristol. For those who haven’t the patience to wait that long, there is the option of traveling to nearby states, Maryland and Delaware being the closest go-to destinations. Also, online casinos are available, but only those situated across borders jurisdictions.

Are there casinos in VA?

There aren’t any casinos in Virginia at this point, but the alternatives of going up online are permitted as long as the operators of these online casinos are licensed in other countries which allow these activities. Also, driving around 100 miles to the closest casino in Maryland, for example, although uncomfortable, might solve the issue.

Can I gamble online in Virginia?

If I would like to do some Internet gambling near me, there are only four states where I need to go to be legal. As a resident of Virginia, these states are a bit farther away than comfortable, so another option to engage in online poker would be to use the off-shore websites that accept players from the US. The main problem with not having Virginia online casinos is that no American authority is allowed to check out the issue if fraud happens. Still, instead, you’d have to entrust the matter to the licensing authority, which is in another country altogether. For that not to happen, choose the online casinos carefully to play at. Instead of going solo searching the wide web for a safe website, it’s better to follow the recommendation list of casinos from those sites specialized in reviewing online casinos.

What is the legal age for wagering in VA?

Unlike the neighboring West Virginia gambling age, the same partition happens when it comes down to the Virginia gambling age: 18 for a lottery, bingo, racetrack betting, and 21 for online casino gambling.

Are there any changes for the good in Virginia’s gambling market?

There is a real opportunity for a first addition to the Virginia casino list in Bristol after a bill has passed Senate in early 2019. If this bill manages to pass a state referendum, the possibility to play roulette should be available in no time. The same bill is also trying to regulate sports betting, so it seems there are many things to be looking for soon.