Virginia Gambling Laws – Legal Status of VA Gambling
Virginia gambling laws are relatively strict when it comes to wagering opportunities. The state has had several senators in favor of legalizing casino gambling activities, but not all bills have passed the Senate. Since 2017 the relatively restrictive VA gambling laws have allowed a few forms of betting. They differ with the rest of the states, as each state laws govern what types of bets are legal. Furthermore, there is no specific prohibition on iGaming activities. Read on and see how the state looks at online casinos, unlicensed and private gambling.
VA Gambling Laws – Online and Land-Based Perspectives
VA gambling laws hardly leave any betting options for state residents. The legitimate forms of wagering do not include gambling halls (commercial, tribal, or riverboat) within state borders. The attempts to crack that had started back in the 1990s with the denied legalization of riverboat gaming. The legal land-based perspectives in Virginia are limited to horse racing and off-track betting at licensed facilities. There are also state-sponsored lotteries and charitable gambling options. iGaming, on the other hand, is not prohibited by federal laws as long as the casino platform is located and legalised outside the US.
| Type of Gambling | Legal Status |
|---|---|
| Virginia Poker | Illegal, unless played in a private home. |
| Virginia Bingo | Commercial bingo is unlawful, but live is legal. |
| Virginia Lotteries | Legal but not available online. |
| Virginia Sports Betting | Greyhound racing is prohibited. Horse racing betting is allowed. |
| Virginia Daily Fantasy Sports | Legal and under the control of the DFS Act from 2016. |
| Virginia Casinos | Land based gambling halls are illegal by the State of VA laws. Offshore online betting platforms are allowed. |
Virginia state gambling laws allow many ways to try to tempt luck. There are over 600 bingo halls and thousands of lottery retailers. Residents can find legal lotto and scratch-off tickets. The near states offer more ways to wager and regulate gambling differently. That counts also for the best US online casinos. VA gambling is taking new steps towards its rules and regulations. It is the first state to legalise DFS or Daily Fantasy Sports allowing sports sites like DraftKings and FanDuel to operate legally. Despite that, VA state laws are often ruling against online gambling.
VA State Laws Against Online Gambling
After in-depth research on all gambling laws in the state of Virginia, we can say that laws do not prohibit Americans from participating in online wagering. It took many years and several acts to reach the current state. Everything related to the non-applicability is clearly stated in the Federal Wire Act from 2011 issued by the Department of Justice.
Another act not ruling as the VA state laws against online gambling is the active Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006. It places strict regulations on how operators and payment processors handle your online gambling transactions, rather than gambling itself. Many players prefer to use e-wallets, as they require less personal information. The leader on the market is PayPal and the top casinos that accept PayPal in the US are considered the safest. UIGEA, as one of the Virginia online gambling laws, works against money laundering by the operators.
Virginia State Gambling – Laws on Poker
The data in this paragraph presents parts of the Virginia Gambling Law that can be related to online and land-based poker. VA gambling laws describe online poker as a game of chance and therefore deemed illegal. Virginia still holds misdemeanor punishment for those who are willing to take the opportunity online by using offshore websites. Furthermore, for land-based options, in case people host the game in a private home, it is allowed by the state. Here are the poker-related sections of the Virginia state gambling laws:
- Virginia Gambling Law, Section 18-2-325 – the law defines betting anything of value on anything that is “uncertain or a matter of chance” qualifies as illegal gambling in VA.
- Virginia Gambling Law, Section 18-2-326 – you could face charges according to the law on Poker games.
- Virginia Gambling Law, Section 18-2-238 – those on the business side of the online poker will be charged for a felony.
- Virginia Gambling Law, Section 18-2-327 – when caught cheating while gambling, you will be fined 5 to 10 times the winnings.
- Virginia Gambling Law, Section 18-2-334 – the law allows social or private gambling.
Sports Betting and DFS in VA
Virginia gambling laws consider sports gambling as illegal. The state legal department has a similar position on online sports betting as it does on online poker. Federal PASPA and UIGEA laws consider sports betting as illegal and forbids it.
Instead, VA gambling laws allow you to try your hand at Daily Fantasy Sports, which is fully regulated and offer exciting gameplay. There are two companies legally allowed to offer DFS events – DraftKings and FanDuel. They are accountable for over 90% of all DFS traffic. There are several secondary options for VA players, but the law suggests one of the larger platforms. Here is what to look for in a DFS platform, how and on what to bet:
- Trustworthiness – a common thing as fantasy sports platform operators have offices in the US and are required to follow US laws.
- Sports selection – decide what contests you want to play before you choose a platform, e.g. FanDuel focuses mainly on NFL, NBA and NHL.
- Know your sport – do research, watch out for players, competitions, read the DFS related news.
- You play against other people – your aim is not predicting the outcomes of real-world games but beating your rivals.
- Play for the long game – just like with poker, players struggle with the variance. Real-life events are challenging to predict, so avoid going all-in on each contest.
Virginia Gambling Age Law
One of the significant parts included in the Virginia online gambling laws is the legal age for wagering. That part of gaming in Virginia is covered by the Code of Virginia (section 18.2-325 et seq. and 59.1-364 et seq.). The minimum age to participate in all forms of gambling, including DFS contests, is 18. That differs with other states, as they have different ages for the various gambling options allowed.
VA State Gambling Laws – Summary
Virginia gambling laws watch out for the safest and legal way to gamble. VA is one of the strictest states when it comes to gambling regulations. We talk about section 18 of the Virginia code. Every player who participates in unlicensed gambling is a subject of legal charges. That is not the case with online wagering. Although offshore betting sites are available, their legitimacy is questionable. Virginia online gambling laws cannot guarantee their legitimacy. Always pick online casinos that have proved to be reliable and safe.
FAQ About the Virginia Gambling Regulation
Here is a tight data survey, including the most frequent questions regarding VA gambling laws. The topic is immense, but these Q&A bits sum-up the main aspects. You will get familiar with the vital points in an instant and will take the next step with the knowledge of what Virginia state gambling laws implement.
