West Virginia sports betting officially launched in August 2018, becoming the fifth state in the US to do so. Find some of the platforms you can bet on below and register with our offer:
Despite being one of the first states to offer online sportsbooks, West Virginia has not seen the tremendous growth that other states have.
West Virginia sports betting is available along with retail betting options, although it is the mobile apps that bring in the most action. There is a limited number of wagering options in West Virginia, and that number is not expected to grow much in the coming years.
The WV sportsbook industry does have some of the biggest names in sports betting, however. They offer a mobile app and there is plenty of competition between operators. The lack of a strong professional sports presence in the state has made growth and expansion of sports betting difficult in the Mountaineer State, in general.
West Virginia Sports Betting
Both retail and West Virginia online sportsbooks are available in the Mountaineer State, but the options are not as diverse as other states quick to adopt the industry. As of Jul 2024, there are just five retail sports betting options to go along with five mobile betting apps.
The casino properties in West Virginia are authorized to offer retail sports betting, and it is available at the following locations:
- The Greenbrier
- Hollywood Casino
- Mountaineer Casino
- Mardi Gras Casino
- Wheeling Island
Even though there are currently just five online sportsbook options in West Virginia, they are some of the biggest names in sports betting. BetMGM, DraftKings, Betrivers, Caesars, and FanDuel have all launched in WV, and they all offer an online book.
William Hill launched in West Virginia as well, but they have since been bought out by Caesars. So they are no longer an option for West Virginians seeking a sportsbook.
Remote registration is an option for WV online sportsbooks in this state, and visiting a West Virginia casino in person is not needed to complete the signup process.
West Virginia Sports Betting Rules
West Virginia sports betting is extremely progressive when it comes to the rules that help govern the industry. Even though this is not one of the biggest markets in the US, bettors in the state have plenty of betting markets available.
Professional, international, and collegiate sporting events can all be offered by sportsbooks. Some states have placed restrictions on betting on college sports, but that is not the case in WV sports betting.
Sportsbooks in WV can also offer betting on esports as long as it can be verified that the participants in the competition are all over the age of 18.
West Virginia Sports Betting Regulations
The first sports betting bill in West Virginia was introduced by Delegate Shawn Fluharty in March 2017. H 2751 would have changed the state constitution to allow sportsbooks at the five casinos in the state of West Virginia.
That bill did not gain enough support from other lawmakers to be taken to an official vote, but the state did establish a commission to study the advantages of legalizing sportsbooks for both retail and online.
In 2018, there were three different sports betting bills that were introduced, and it was the one that was requested by the Lottery Commission that eventually passed. S 145 included a number of regulations to guide the sportsbook industry, and it officially became law in March as Governor Jim Justice allowed it to pass without his signature.
The West Virginia Lottery Commission has been tasked with overseeing and regulating the WV sports betting industry.
Summary
West Virginia was one of the states pushing to repeal the PASPA, and state lawmakers were ready to legalize sportsbooks quickly after this was done. WV sports betting launched in 2018, and WV online sportsbooks arrived just one year later.
Betting can be done on one of the sportsbook apps available in the state or at one of the five retail locations. Retail sports betting is offered at five casinos spread throughout the state.
West Virginia is not set to become a huge factor in the exploding US sportsbook industry, but there are plenty of options for residents or visitors of the state. The WV sports betting market has gone through some interesting stretches since launching in 2018, although things are well established at this time.
