States / Virginia / Sports betting
Is sports betting legal in Virginia?
Yes. In Virginia, online and in-person sports betting are legal (as of Oct 12, 2026). Online betting launched Jan 21, 2021; in-person betting Jan 27, 2021. Operators pay 15% AGR in tax.
| Channel | Status | Launched | Model | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sports (online) | Live | Jan 21, 2021 | Competitive | Online-only market; 4-12 permits, $250,000 per 3-year permit. FanDuel/WFT and others launched Jan. 2021. Va. Code § 58.1-4030 et seq.; Va. Code § 58.1-4037 [1],[2],[3] |
| Sports (retail) | Limited | Jan 27, 2021 | Hybrid | No freestanding retail sportsbooks; retail wagering is permitted only inside the licensed commercial casinos (e.g., Rivers Casino Portsmouth). Va. Code § 58.1-4030 et seq. [1],[2] |
Tax rate
| Rate | Since | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 15% AGR (online) | Jan 21, 2021 | Rate was set at 15% at launch (down from an earlier proposed 20%/17.5%); the General Assembly later eliminated the promotional-credit deduction that had briefly been allowed.[3],[4] |
| 15% AGR (retail) | Jan 27, 2021 | Retail wagering (permitted only inside licensed commercial casinos, not at freestanding sportsbooks) is taxed under the same statute and rate as online sports wagering; mirrors the sports_online row above.[3],[4] |
Rules
- Minimum age to place a sports wager
- 21[5],[1]
- Wagering on college sports allowed at all
- Yes · Wagering on out-of-state college sports game lines (spreads, totals, moneylines, futures) is allowed; college player-prop bets are barred regardless of the teams involved, and Virginia-team games are barred entirely.[6]
- Wagering on in-state college teams allowed
- No · Wagers on games involving Virginia colleges/universities are prohibited. A 2026 bill (HB1527) to allow bets on in-state NCAA Division I teams (keeping the prop-bet ban) was referred to committee in January 2026 with no further action identified before the session ended.[6],[1]
- Individual college player prop bets allowed
- No · Proposition bets on college sports, including player props, are barred outright and are not limited to games involving Virginia teams.[6]
- Credit cards may be used to fund accounts
- No · Lottery sports-betting regulations bar funding accounts with credit cards.[1]
- Esports wagering allowed
- Yes[7]
- Statutory cap on number of online sportsbook licenses/skins (omit if uncapped)
- 12 · The Lottery must issue no fewer than 4 and no more than 12 online-only sports betting permits; permits issued to casino-operator applicants (and any revoked, expired or otherwise ineffective permits) don't count toward that range, so the total number of live permits can exceed 12.[8],[1]
- Online sports wagering available statewide (not tethered to premises)
- Yes[1]
- Operators must use official league data for some bets
- Yes · A sports governing body may notify the Lottery that it wants official league data used for "tier 2" (in-play/prop-style) bets on its events; once notified, permit holders have 60 days to switch, unless the league can't provide a feed on commercially reasonable terms. Absent a league's notice, operators may use any data source for tier 2 bets, and any source is allowed for tier 1 (pre-game) bets.[9]
- Summary of prop-bet restrictions (e.g. no in-game player props)
- Proposition bets on college sports (including player props) and all bets on youth sports are banned outright; player props are otherwise allowed on professional sports.[6]
Licensed sportsbooks
| Operator | Brand | Channel | Status | Launched |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bally's Corporation | Bally Bet | Sports (online) | active | [10] |
| bet365 | bet365 | Sports (online) | active | [10] |
| BetMGM | BetMGM | Sports (online) | active | [10] |
| DraftKings | DraftKings | Sports (online) | active | [10] |
| FanDuel | FanDuel Sportsbook | Sports (online) | active | [10] |
| PENN Entertainment | theScore Bet | Sports (online) | active | [10] |
| The Cordish Companies | PlayLive / Live! Sportsbook | Sports (retail) | active | [10] |
All gambling laws in Virginia → · Sports betting in every state →
Sources
- How Virginia Became Second State To Legalize Sports Betting In 2020 · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
- Virginia Lawmakers Pass Casino, Sports Betting Bills · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
secondary source only
- Code of Virginia § 58.1-4037. Tax on sports betting · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
- Virginia Legislature Enacts Law Regulating Sports Betting, Imposing Gross Revenue Tax, Allowing Net Loss Carryover · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
secondary source only
- Code of Virginia § 58.1-4128. Persons under age 21 prohibited from wagering · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
- Code of Virginia § 58.1-4039. Certain wagers prohibited; penalty · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
Subsection A also bars bets on youth sports (A.1) and on Virginia college sports (A.3); the college prop-bet ban in A.2 is not limited to Virginia teams.
- Virginia Sports Betting: VA Sportsbook Sites, Apps & Promos · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
secondary source only
- Code of Virginia § 58.1-4032. Permit required; number of permits; application · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
A permit does not count toward the 4-12 range if issued under subdivision 6 to a casino-gaming-establishment operator/intended operator, or if revoked, expired, or otherwise ineffective.
- Code of Virginia § 58.1-4036. Use of official league data · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
Applies only after a sports governing body notifies the Department it wants official data used (subsection B) and only to tier 2 bets; tier 1 bets may use any data source (subsection A); commercially-reasonable-terms exceptions in subsections C-E.
- Sports Betting in Virginia | Virginia Lottery · retrieved Oct 10, 2026