Virginia was an early mover in online sports betting and remains one of the most efficient markets in the country. Mobile wagering launched in January 2021, and despite a relatively modest population the Commonwealth handled more than $7.6 billion in bets in 2025. A 15% tax and a deep, competitive operator field make Virginia a strong, stable market — and one where lawmakers are now eyeing online casino as the next step. This guide covers what’s legal, the rules to know and how to get started.
Is online gambling legal in Virginia?
Yes. Virginia legalized sports betting in 2020 and launched online wagering in January 2021, regulated by the Virginia Lottery. You must be 21 or older and physically located in Virginia to bet, confirmed by geolocation. The market is overwhelmingly mobile, with a handful of retail sportsbooks at the state’s new casinos. Real-money online casino (iGaming) is not yet legal, though it is actively debated.
What you can play in Virginia
- Sportsbooks: mobile betting on every major sport from around a dozen licensed operators.
- Daily fantasy sports: legal in Virginia through DraftKings, FanDuel, PrizePicks, Underdog and Sleeper.
- Horse racing: pari-mutuel wagering through licensed apps and at Colonial Downs.
- Online casino: not yet legal in Virginia — see the outlook below.
Online gambling in Virginia by the numbers
| Metric | Latest figure |
|---|---|
| Launched | January 2021 (online-first market) |
| Tax rate | 15% of adjusted gross revenue |
| 2025 handle | About $7.68 billion (up 10.9% on 2024) |
| Tax split | 97.5% to the General Fund, 2.5% to problem gambling |
| Operators | Around 12–14 mobile sportsbooks + 3 casinos |
| Online casino | Not legal (yet) |
| Minimum age | 21+ |
Virginia rules you should know
Virginia taxes operators at 15% of adjusted gross revenue, with 97.5% going to the General Fund (education, healthcare, infrastructure) and 2.5% to the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund. The big rule for bettors: you cannot bet on in-state Virginia college teams such as the University of Virginia or Virginia Tech, and the state also bars wagering on the NFL Draft, politics, youth sports and celebrity award shows. Betting is built around mobile — retail sportsbooks at the new Bristol, Portsmouth, Danville and Norfolk casinos make up only a sliver of handle.
The best Virginia sportsbooks
Virginia licenses a deep field including FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars and others. Of the books we work with and can verify, FanDuel (best app and same-game parlays), bet365 (strong live betting and a win-or-lose welcome offer) and BetRivers (iRush Rewards) all operate in Virginia. Compare the live Virginia offers on this page before signing up.
See terms and codes on our promo codes page or the full Virginia sportsbook guide.
Popular bets and Virginia sports
Virginia bettors play the standard markets — moneylines, point spreads, totals and parlays/same-game parlays. With no in-state major pro franchise, action concentrates on the nearby Washington Commanders, Capitals and Wizards, the wider NFL and NBA, and college sports — though remember you cannot bet on Virginia or Virginia Tech. The NFL drives the most handle, with college and the NBA close behind.
A mature, online-first market
Virginia built its market around mobile from day one. When wagering launched in January 2021 there were no retail sportsbooks at all — every bet was placed on a phone or computer — and even today, after casinos opened in Bristol, Portsmouth, Danville and Norfolk, retail accounts for only a sliver of activity. That digital-first design helped Virginia scale fast: annual handle has climbed past $7.6 billion, up nearly 11% year over year, keeping the Commonwealth firmly in the upper tier of US markets despite its modest size. The competitive field has shifted over time — Betfred exited in 2024 — but around a dozen operators remain.
The next frontier is online casino. Virginia’s steady, well-regulated sports betting record has fuelled real momentum behind iGaming, and lawmakers are weighing the additional tax revenue against gambling-harm concerns — the very same debate that produced sports betting in 2020. The state already has historical-horse-racing machines and a growing land-based casino footprint, which both strengthens the case for online casino and complicates it. Nothing has passed yet, so sports betting, DFS and horse racing (including at Colonial Downs) remain the only legal online options for now, so the safest path is to stick with Virginia Lottery-licensed operators rather than any unregulated offshore alternative.
Bet types explained
Most Virginia bettors get by with a few wager types. In Virginia the moneyline backs a winner straight up — the Cavaliers, for instance — and a point spread adds a margin to balance favorite and underdog. A Virginia totals bet shifts the focus to combined scoring, parlays reward Virginia players who tie several picks together on one slip (every leg must hit), same-game parlays do that within a single the Cavaliers fixture, and futures plus live betting round out the Virginia menu as the odds move during play.
How to start betting in Virginia
Getting started in Virginia takes minutes: confirm you are 21+ and physically in Virginia, choose a licensed Virginia app, and register with real details so identity checks clear. Claim the Virginia welcome offer, deposit, set your limits before your first Virginia wager, and withdraw once any Virginia rollover terms are met.
Will Virginia legalize online casino?
Possibly. Virginia’s strong sports betting results have fuelled real momentum behind online casino, and lawmakers are weighing the extra tax revenue against gambling-harm concerns — the same debate that produced sports betting in 2020. Nothing has passed yet, so for now only sports betting, DFS and horse racing are legal online. We’ll update this Virginia page if iGaming advances.
For the full picture, see our Virginia online casino guide, which tracks whether and when real-money iGaming might reach Virginia.
A closing word for anyone betting from Virginia: the regulated apps are audited and ring-fence your funds, which is the single biggest reason to stay with licensed Virginia operators rather than the offshore sites that still advertise heavily. Hold two or three accounts so you can line-shop the markets you bet most in Virginia, read each welcome offer’s terms before opting in, and treat this page as a living reference — Virginia operators, promotions and rules all move from one season to the next, and we update it as they do.
Responsible gambling in Virginia
The healthiest approach to Virginia betting is a fixed budget and the mindset that it is fun, never income or a way to win back Virginia losses. Licensed Virginia books build in deposit and time limits, cool-offs and self-exclusion, so lean on them early. If gambling ever feels like a problem in Virginia, support is one free, confidential contact away at 1-800-GAMBLER.
Virginia sports betting FAQ
1. Is online sports betting legal in Virginia?
Yes. Online sports betting launched in January 2021, regulated by the Virginia Lottery. You must be 21+ and physically in Virginia to bet.
2. Is online casino legal in Virginia?
Not yet. Real-money online casino games are not legal in Virginia, though lawmakers are actively weighing iGaming. In Virginia, only sports betting, DFS and horse racing are currently legal online.
3. Can I bet on Virginia or Virginia Tech?
No. Virginia prohibits betting on in-state college teams, including the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech. It also bars bets on the NFL Draft, politics, youth sports and award shows.
4. What is the sports betting tax rate in Virginia?
15% of adjusted gross revenue, with 97.5% going to the General Fund and 2.5% to the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund.
5. Which sportsbook is best in Virginia?
Of our partners, FanDuel, bet365 and BetRivers all operate in Virginia. The state also licenses DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars and others — it pays to compare lines.
6. Do I have to live in Virginia to bet?
No — you just need to be physically inside Virginia when you place a bet, confirmed by geolocation.
7. Are prediction markets like Kalshi legal in Virginia?
Prediction markets such as Kalshi are open to Virginia residents because they count as federal financial contracts rather than Virginia sports betting. That keeps them national even where Virginia limits books, but it is genuinely unresolved — courts backed Kalshi against state regulators in 2026 and appeals continue. Virginia players should see them as a different, CFTC-governed product.
8. Are sweepstakes casinos legal in Virginia?
In Virginia, sweepstakes (“social”) casinos such as Chumba and Stake.us run on dual-currency mechanics that keep them outside Virginia gambling rules. The trade-off for Virginia players is fewer protections than a licensed sportsbook offers, and a status several states are now challenging, so approach them warily in Virginia.
9. Is daily fantasy sports (DFS) legal in Virginia?
Yes — daily fantasy sports operate in Virginia as a contest-based activity separate from Virginia sportsbook wagering. DraftKings and FanDuel lead the Virginia field, joined by pick’em apps PrizePicks, Underdog and Sleeper.
10. Can I bet on horse racing online in Virginia?
Yes — Virginia bettors can wager on horse racing via regulated ADW platforms like TVG (FanDuel Racing), TwinSpires and AmWager, a separate product from Virginia sports betting.
11. Where can I get help for a gambling problem in Virginia?
Help in Virginia is free, confidential and available 24/7 — call or text 1-800-GAMBLER, or use the deposit limits, cool-off periods and self-exclusion tools in every licensed Virginia app. Nobody in Virginia has to be in crisis to reach out.
21+. Must be physically located in Virginia. Gambling problem in Virginia? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.