American Gambling Markets Atlas (AGMA)

States / West Virginia

West Virginia

More detail
  • Casinos. Commercial gaming is authorized at 4 racetrack casinos plus the historic Greenbrier resort hotel. Racetrack video lottery (slots) pays 30% of net terminal income to the state. Table games are taxed at 35% of adjusted gross receipts.
  • Sports betting. Retail and online sports wagering was legalized in March 2018. The tax is 10% of adjusted gross receipts (AGR).
  • Online casinos. Online casino "interactive wagering" is taxed at 15% AGR. West Virginia was the 5th state to legalize online gambling, via 2019's HB 2934. The first online casinos launched in July 2020, and up to 15 online skins are possible.
  • Limited video lottery. The state runs "limited video lottery" terminals in bars, clubs and restaurants statewide. They operate under a separate licensing regime distinct from the racetrack casinos' slots.

Reviewed Oct 11, 2026 · 67 sources

Legal status

LiveLegal, not launchedLimitedContestedProhibitedNot authorizedRepealedNA
VerticalStatusLaunchedModelDetails
Sports (online)LiveAug 26, 2019CompetitiveEach licensed racetrack/resort casino may offer an affiliated online sportsbook. Mobile betting history runs in two stages -- Delaware North's "BetLucky" app (powered by Miomni Gaming, via third-party tech vendor Entergaming) launched December 27, 2018 serving the Wheeling Island and Mardi Gras sportsbooks, but went offline February 5, 2019 and was confirmed dead March 6, 2019 after a contract/technology dispute between Miomni and Entergaming (Delaware North later sued Miomni in Delaware Chancery Court). Full mobile relaunch followed in August 2019 with FanDuel going live August 26, 2019 (tied to a retail sportsbook, sources differ on whether The Greenbrier or Mardi Gras) and DraftKings (an online-only skin tied to Hollywood Casino at Charles Town) on August 28, 2019. The August 26, 2019 FanDuel date is used here as "launched" for continuous statewide mobile availability; a narrower definition could instead point to the Dec. 27, 2018 BetLucky date.
W. Va. Code § 29-22D-1 et seq.
[1],[2],[3]
Sports (retail)LiveAug 30, 2018CompetitiveSigned into law pending the Murphy v. NCAA decision; the Act authorized licensing of the 5 existing racetrack/resort casinos as sportsbook operators. The first legal wager in West Virginia was accepted August 30, 2018 at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races (sportsbook operated by William Hill US), a soft opening a few days ahead of the originally planned Sept. 1 start.
W. Va. Code § 29-22D-1 et seq. (West Virginia Lottery Sports Wagering Act)
[1],[4]
Online casinoLiveJul 1, 2020CompetitiveHB 2934 (2019), the West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act, made WV the 5th state to legalize online gambling; first legal online casinos launched July 2020. Authorized only at the state's 4 racetracks and the Greenbrier historic resort hotel; each may apply for 1 operator license covering up to 3 online skins (max 15 online casinos statewide). The House passed HB 2934 Feb. 22, 2019 (Roll No. 271); the Senate passed it with an amended title Mar. 8, 2019 (Roll No. 455); the House concurred and completed legislative action Mar. 9, 2019 (Roll No. 679); the bill was delivered to Gov. Jim Justice Mar. 25, 2019; and it became law without his signature on Mar. 28, 2019. The act took effect 90 days from passage, June 7, 2019 (Chapter 128, Acts, Regular Session, 2019).
W. Va. Code § 29-22E-1 et seq. (West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act)
[5],[6],[7],[8]
Online pokerLiveLegalized Mar 28, 2019CompetitiveOnline poker is authorized under the same West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act (HB 2934, 2019) as igaming, not separately licensed. "Legalized" uses the same date as igaming: HB 2934 became law without Gov. Jim Justice's signature per the House Journal entry dated Mar. 28, 2019 (final legislative passage Mar. 9, 2019; effective 90 days later, June 7, 2019). Because West Virginia's population is small, no operator offered a standalone online poker room for several years; in November 2023 the state joined the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA), letting WV-licensed poker sites pool players with Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, and Michigan to build viable player pools.
W. Va. Code § 29-22E-1 et seq. (West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act)
[5],[7],[9]?
Commercial casinosLive1994Competitive5 land-based casinos -- 4 racetrack racinos (Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races, Mardi Gras Casino and Resort, Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort, Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack) plus the Casino Club at the Greenbrier (limited to hotel guests). Racetrack video lottery (slot machine) gaming dates to 1994, when Mountaineer became the first track to install terminals; table games followed in 2007.
W. Va. Code § 29-22A-1 et seq. (Racetrack Video Lottery); § 29-22C-1 et seq. (Racetrack Table Games); § 29-25-1 et seq. (Greenbrier/Historic Resort Hotel)
[6],[10]
Tribal casinosNot authorizedNo federally recognized tribe holds West Virginia land eligible for IGRA Class III gaming.[11]
LotteryLiveJan 9, 1986Monopoly StateVoters approved a constitutional lottery amendment at the November 1984 general election; the first instant "scratch" tickets were sold January 9, 1986. Multistate games include Powerball, Mega Millions, and Lotto America (formerly Hot Lotto, discontinued Oct. 28, 2017).
W. Va. Code § 29-22-1 et seq. (State Lottery Act); W. Va. constitutional lottery amendment (ratified by voters at the Nov. 1984 general election)
[12],[13]
iLotteryLiveOct 1, 2024Monopoly StateThe West Virginia Lottery launched direct online ticket sales in October 2024 for players 18+ physically present in-state, offering Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto America, Daily 3, Daily 4, and Cash 25 draw games plus a growing "iNSTANTS" library. This is separate from third-party digital lottery courier apps, which resell tickets for physical in-state retailers rather than selling directly on behalf of the Lottery.
W. Va. Code § 29-22-1 et seq. (State Lottery Act)
[14]?
Daily fantasyLimitedCompetitiveWest Virginia has no DFS-specific licensing statute or tax currently in force; the activity is understood to be lawful based on two non-binding Attorney General opinions rather than an enacted framework. AG Patrick Morrisey's 2016 opinion (requested amid since-failed SB 529) concluded 'select fantasy sports are legal' under state law. A second opinion by AG JB McCuskey, dated August 6, 2025 and addressing PrizePicks' single-player ('against the house') product, was non-committal -- it found the product technically meets the sports-wagering definition but that the Lottery Sports Wagering Act's undefined 'daily fantasy sports' exclusion leaves the question to the Legislature, and could not resolve a separate skill-vs-chance question without expert evidence. HB 3481 (2025, introduced by Del. J. Cannon, March 18 2025) would create formal DFS licensing under the Lottery Commission with a 15% tax on adjusted gross DFS receipts and a minimum age of 19; it has not received a floor vote or been enacted, and a similar 2024 predecessor (HB 5667) died in committee.[15],[16]
VGTs / VLTsLiveCompetitiveLimited-video-lottery terminals (up to 5 per qualifying bar/club/restaurant/fraternal organization) are licensed separately from the racetrack casinos' video lottery. Operator-to-retailer revenue share is contractually 40-50% of net terminal income (§29-22B-706(4)); of the remaining gross profits, the Lottery Commission's own share has been fixed at 50% since July 1, 2019 (previously a tiered 30%-50% schedule), per §29-22B-1408.
W. Va. Code § 29-22B-1 et seq. (Limited Video Lottery Act)
[17],[18]
Historical horse racingNot authorizedNo West Virginia statute authorizing historical horse racing (HHR) machines was identified; a general historical-horse-racing legal-status reference source covering several states did not list West Virginia as authorizing them.[19]
Sweepstakes casinosProhibitedNo standalone WV statute names "sweepstakes casinos," but Attorney General JB McCuskey's office has treated dual-currency sweepstakes platforms as illegal unlicensed gambling and pursued active enforcement rather than issuing a single named ban. Starting around January 2025, McCuskey sent (per his own later public remarks) almost 50 subpoenas to sweepstakes operators over the following months; by July 2025, more than 20 platforms had stopped offering sweepstakes gaming in West Virginia in response, with no operator having substantively responded to a subpoena by that point. State law bars the AG from publicizing subpoenas before an operator responds, so the identities of most targeted operators are not public.[20],[21]
Prediction marketsNot authorizedCFTC-registered sports event contracts (Kalshi, Polymarket, etc.) are available to West Virginia residents statewide under claimed federal preemption; no West Virginia regulator, Attorney General, or court has acted for or against them as of October 2026, and no statute or rule specifically authorizes or bans them. Wagering generally requires statutory authorization in West Virginia, so these contracts operate in an unresolved gap between state gambling law and the operators' federal-preemption claim. West Virginia sits in the 4th Circuit (with MD, VA, NC, SC), which has not yet ruled on Kalshi's appeal of its Maryland district-court loss (No. 25-1892, argued May 7, 2026); rulings from the 3rd, 6th, and 9th Circuits do not bind West Virginia.[22]?
Skill gamesProhibitedW. Va. Code ch. 61, art. 10 criminalizes keeping or displaying a slot machine, multiple-coin console, or similar device, including any "device in the nature of a slot machine" regardless of name, as a misdemeanor; a separate provision criminalizes knowingly permitting such a device on premises one occupies. Article 22B's "video gambling machine" definition captures any computerized device not approved/registered by the Lottery Commission whose storage code cannot reasonably be demonstrated to have a non-gambling use, which would capture unlicensed "skill game" terminals outside the licensed Limited Video Lottery program. No court ruling specific to modern skill-game terminals has been identified, but the statutory scheme criminalizes unlicensed devices of this kind.
W. Va. Code § 61-10-5 (slot machine/gambling device misdemeanor); W. Va. Code § 29-22B-1 et seq.
[23],[24]
Card roomsNot authorizedNo stand-alone card-room category; table games operate only under the racetrack/Greenbrier table-games licenses.[25]
Lottery couriersLiveCompetitiveNo WV-specific statute or regulation naming third-party lottery couriers was identified, but Jackpocket -- the largest US digital lottery courier -- lists West Virginia among its active operating states/territories, indicating the activity is in practice permitted without a dedicated courier-licensing statute.[26]
Pick'em fantasyContestedThe West Virginia Lottery Commission sent PrizePicks a cease-and-desist letter in 2022, arguing its against-the-house pick'em format meets the statutory definition of "sports wagering." House Speaker Roger Hanshaw asked the Attorney General to review the question; the AG's August 2025 opinion (persuasive, not binding) concluded the product likely does meet the sports-wagering definition's parlay/individual-performance language, but that the Lottery Sports Wagering Act's undefined "Daily Fantasy Sports" exclusion creates a definitional gap only the Legislature can resolve, leaving the question formally unsettled. PrizePicks responded by launching a peer-to-peer "Arena" product in West Virginia instead of its against-the-house pick'em game. This conflict between the Lottery Commission's enforcement position and the AG's inconclusive opinion supports contested.[27],[28]
Pari-mutuelLiveCompetitiveLive thoroughbred racing at Charles Town and Mountaineer; harness/greyhound history at other tracks; purses supplemented by video-lottery/table-game revenue shares under §§29-22A-10 et seq.[29]
Advance deposit wageringLiveLegalized Jul 1, 2020CompetitiveAdvance deposit wagering (ADW) platforms may accept online pari-mutuel wagers from West Virginia residents only if licensed by the Racing Commission; unlicensed ADW operation is a felony. HB 4438 (2020) added this licensing framework to the Racing Commission's existing pari-mutuel authority.
W. Va. Code § 19-23-12e (Advance deposit wagering)
[30],[31]
Charitable gamingLiveMonopoly StateCharitable bingo (ch. 47, art. 20) and raffles (art. 21) are licensed by the State Tax Division, which requires an applicant organization to have existed in West Virginia for at least two years. A 2021 enrolled bill authorized charitable/public-service organizations to conduct bingo and raffles online, capping administrative expenses at 40% of gross proceeds; online play must still be geofenced to players physically located in the state.
W. Va. Code ch. 47, art. 20 (bingo); W. Va. Code ch. 47, art. 21 (raffles)
[32],[33]?
Esports bettingLiveLegalized Mar 12, 2022CompetitiveHB 4826 (passed by the Legislature March 2022, per the enrolled bill effective roughly 90 days after passage) amended the Sports Wagering Act's definitions section to add "e-sports event" to the statutory definition of "sporting event" alongside professional, collegiate, and motor-race events, without added restrictions -- so licensed sports-wagering operators may post and accept esports wagers under the same framework as traditional sports.
W. Va. Code § 29-22D-3, as amended by 2022 HB 4826
[34],[35]
Social casinoLiveFree-to-play social casino games with no stake and no cash or prize redemption fall outside West Virginia's wagering prohibition and are not licensed or regulated as gambling. This is an inference from the statute, not approval of any particular app. Games with paid virtual currency, transferable benefits or dual-currency sweepstakes are a separate question.
W. Va. Code § 61-10-5
[36]?

Sports betting in West Virginia: status, tax rate, sportsbooks and bills →

Tax rates

VerticalChannelRateBaseTierPromos deductibleSinceStatute
Commercial casinosretail35%
35% of adjusted gross receipts (racetrack table games)
GGRNoDec 20, 2007W. Va. Code § 29-22C-26(a)[25],[10]
Commercial casinosretail30%
30% of net terminal income (racetrack video lottery/slots) to the State Lottery Fund
OTHERNoJan 1, 1994W. Va. Code § 29-22A-10(c)(1)[29],[10]
Daily fantasyonline
No enacted DFS-specific tax or fee. West Virginia has no DFS licensing statute currently in force; legality rests on two non-binding Attorney General opinions (2016 Morrisey opinion finding 'select fantasy sports are legal'; an Aug. 6, 2025 McCuskey opinion on PrizePicks-style pick'em products that found it technically meets the sports-wagering definition but left the question to the Legislature). HB 3481 (2025) would have created formal DFS licensing with a 15% tax on adjusted gross DFS receipts, but has not been enacted (a similar 2024 predecessor, HB 5667, died in committee).
OTHERNo2016No current statute; cf. HB 3481 (2025, not enacted)
Effective_from approximates the 2016 AG opinion that first established DFS's unregulated legal operation, not an enacted statutory start date.
[15],[16]
Online casinoonline15%
15% of adjusted gross interactive wagering receipts ('privilege tax'); replaces other state/local taxes except ad valorem property tax
AGRNoFeb 1, 2019W. Va. Code § 29-22E-16[8]
Online pokeronline15%
Online poker is operated as part of the licensed interactive wagering (igaming) platform, not separately licensed or taxed; it is subject to the same 15% privilege tax on adjusted gross interactive wagering receipts as igaming generally, which replaces other state/local taxes except ad valorem property tax.
AGRNoFeb 1, 2019W. Va. Code § 29-22E-16[8]
Sports (online)online10%AGRNoMar 9, 2018W. Va. Code § 29-22D-16(a)[52]
Sports (retail)retail10%AGRNoMar 9, 2018W. Va. Code § 29-22D-16(a)[52]
VGTs / VLTsretail50%
Limited Video Lottery (bar/club/restaurant/fraternal-organization terminals, distinct from the video lottery terminals at the state's racetrack casinos): 2% of gross terminal income is deposited to the State Lottery Fund to cover administrative costs of the Limited Video Lottery Act before gross profits are calculated; of the remaining gross profits, the Lottery Commission's statutory share, effective July 1, 2019, is 50% (a tiered 30%-50% schedule applied before that date). Separately, counties and municipalities receive 2% of net terminal income (allocated by population), with any remainder going to the state excess lottery revenue fund; operators/retailers split the balance of gross terminal income (contractually 40%-50% of net terminal income to retailers per § 29-22B-706(4)).
OTHERNoJul 1, 2019W. Va. Code § 29-22B-1408[18]

Rules and requirements

Casinos

Number of commercial casinos/racinos operating
5
4 racetrack racinos (Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races, Mardi Gras Casino and Resort, Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort, Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack) plus the Casino Club at the Greenbrier.
[6]
Number of federally recognized tribes with Class III compacts
0[11]

Online casino

Statutory cap on igaming skins/licenses
15
Each of the 5 licensed racetrack/Greenbrier facilities may hold 1 operator license covering up to 3 online skins.
[6]

Legislation

Summary of significant pending gambling legislation this session
HB 3481 (introduced 2025-03-18 by Del. J. Cannon) would license daily fantasy sports under the Lottery Commission at a 15% tax on adjusted gross DFS receipts (min. age 19); no floor vote or enactment confirmed, and a 2024 predecessor (HB 5667) died in committee. HB 4397 and HB 4398 (both introduced 2026-01-16, sponsored by Del. Burkhammer) would raise the igaming privilege tax from 15% to 25% (amending S29-22E-16) and the sports-wagering tax from 10% to 25% (amending S29-22D-16) respectively; neither had advanced beyond committee referral as of October 2026.[37],[38]

Minimum age

Minimum age for charitable bingo/raffles
18
Per W. Va. Tax Division guidance, persons under 18 may not play or help conduct a bingo game; there is no minimum age to participate in a charitable raffle.
[32]
Minimum age for online casino
21
W. Va. Code § 29-22E-15(a)-(b) sets the same 21-and-older requirement for in-person interactive wagering at a licensed gaming facility and for mobile/digital wagering from within the state.
[40]
Minimum age to purchase lottery
18
W. Va. Code § 29-22-11(b) sets the minimum age at 18: "No ticket shall be sold to any person under the age of eighteen years." The same subsection lets an adult 18 or older buy a ticket as a gift for someone younger.
[41]
Minimum age for pari-mutuel wagering
18
W. Va. Code § 19-23-12e defines an advance-deposit-wagering "account holder" as a resident at least 18 years old.
[30]?
Minimum age to place a sports wager
21
W. Va. Code § 29-22D-15(a) requires in-person and electronic/mobile bettors to be at least 21, and § 29-22D-21(a)(6) makes it a misdemeanor for a licensee to knowingly permit anyone under 21 to enter a gaming area or wager at a licensed facility.
[42],[43]

Online poker

Member of the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA)
Yes (from Nov 2023)
West Virginia joined the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement in November 2023, becoming its 5th member alongside Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, and Michigan.
[9]

Sports betting rules

Wagering on college sports allowed at all
Yes
The Sports Wagering Act's definition of "sports event" expressly includes "any collegiate sport or athletic event."
[44]
Wagering on in-state college teams allowed
Yes
The statutory definition of a collegiate sporting event does not exclude West Virginia institutions or teams.
[44]?
Esports wagering allowed
Yes
2022's HB 4826 added "e-sports event" to the Sports Wagering Act's definition of a sporting event, alongside professional, collegiate, and motor-race events.
[44],[34]
New online accounts must be created in person
No
The statute lets an operator accept mobile wagers from anyone physically located in the state through the patron's sports wagering account, with no requirement that the account first be opened in person.
[42]?
Statutory cap on number of online sportsbook licenses/skins (omit if uncapped)
5
W. Va. Code § 29-22D-6(c) caps the commission at issuing up to 5 sports wagering operator licenses, each tied to a licensed racetrack/gaming facility; no separate numeric cap on mobile platforms per licensee was found.
[45]
Online sports wagering available statewide (not tethered to premises)
Yes
W. Va. Code § 29-22D-15(b) lets a licensed operator accept wagers from any individual physically located in West Virginia through an approved mobile or digital platform.
[42]
Operators must use official league data for some bets
No
The Lottery Commission's sports wagering system rule requires controls over data feeds used to settle wagers but does not mandate the use of "official league data" specifically.
[46]?

Tax revenue

Uses that commercial-casino and iGaming tax revenue is directed to by law, largest share first where the law sets shares
other, local_government, horse_racing, tourism, pensions, seniors, problem_gambling, regulation
Covers racetrack video lottery, racetrack table games, and igaming/interactive wagering combined. "Other" = the State Lottery Fund (video lottery's 30% commission share, plus igaming's net profit) and the Racetrack Table Games Fund's State Debt Reduction Fund share (76% of its net amount, for state debt/unfunded-liability reduction); "local_government" = county and municipal shares from both video lottery and table games; "horse_racing" = purse funds and thoroughbred/greyhound breeding-development funds; "tourism" = the video lottery Tourism Promotion Fund and related capitol/tourism allocations; "pensions" = racing- association employee pension funds (from video lottery, table games, and igaming); "seniors" = the table-games Community-Based Service Fund for aged/disabled citizens; "problem_gambling" = the table-games Compulsive Gambling Treatment Fund; "regulation" = the Racing Commission's video-lottery share.
[29],[25],[47],[48],[49],[50]?
Where gaming tax revenue goes (education fund
Sports wagering (10% AGR): net profit from the Sports Wagering Fund goes to the State Lottery Fund each year until $15 million is deposited, then the remainder goes to the Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA) Financial Stability Fund (W. Va. Code §29-22D-17). Interactive wagering/igaming (15% AGR): a small racing-pension set-aside aside, net profit from the Interactive Wagering Fund goes entirely to the State Lottery Fund (§29-22E-17). Racetrack video lottery: 30% of net terminal income to the State Lottery Fund (§29-22A-10(c)(1)), plus shares to racetrack purses, counties, the Tourism Promotion Fund, and the Workers' Compensation Debt Reduction Fund. Racetrack table games: 35% of adjusted gross receipts to the Racetrack Table Games Fund, which (after purse, breeding, county, and municipal shares) sends 76% of its remaining "net amount" to the State Debt Reduction Fund for state debt/unfunded-liability reduction, plus smaller shares to a racing-association pension fund and the Compulsive Gambling Treatment Fund (§29-22C-26, -27); table-games license fees separately fund a Community-Based Service Fund for aged/disabled citizens. Greenbrier (Historic Resort Hotel) video lottery: 36% to the Historic Resort Hotel Fund + 17% to the Human Resource Benefit Fund (53% total, §29-25-20); Greenbrier table games: 35% AGR, split 30/5 between the same two funds (§29-25-21).[29],[25],[47],[48],[49],[51],[50]
Uses that sports-wagering tax revenue is directed to by law, largest share first where the law sets shares
other, health
"Other" = the State Lottery Fund, which receives the Sports Wagering Fund's net profit each year up to $15 million (and is itself divided among education, seniors, and tourism uses at the Legislature's discretion under §29-22-18); "health" = the PEIA Financial Stability Fund, which receives any net profit above that $15 million threshold.
[51],[39]

Revenue

Tax revenueMonthly · Commercial casinos, Online casino, Sports (retail)
Monthly3-month average
$5.0M$10.0M$15.0M20182020202220242026Retail sports launchiCasino launchJun 2025 $11.8M$8.7M

Calendar-year totals from available reports; incomplete years are partial totals.

VerticalMeasure20262025202420232022202120202019
Commercial casinosGGR$384M$569M$569M$589M$582M$508M$390M$582M
Commercial casinosTax paid$21.6M$27.2M$27.2M$33.8M$35.1M$28.4M$21.4M$35.4M
Online casinoGGR$311M$375M$246M$157M$113M$60.9M$9.1M
Online casinoTax paid$46.7M$56.3M$32.9M$23.6M$16.9M$8.6M$1.4M
Sports (retail)GGR$32.0M$60.8M$55.4M$47.8M$50.9M$45.7M$26.8M$19.6M
Sports (retail)Tax paid$3.2M$10.5M$6.3M$3.8M$5.1M$7.8M$2.0M$1.3M
VGTs / VLTsGGR$316M$470M$484M$494M$488M$484M$352M$398M
Commercial casinosMonthly GGR
Monthly3-month average
$20.0M$40.0M$60.0M20182020202220242026Mar 2018 $57.0M$47.8M
Online casinoMonthly GGR
Monthly3-month average
$20.0M$40.0M$60.0M202120222023202420252026Mar 2026 $42.2M$38.6M
Sports (retail)Monthly GGR
Monthly3-month average
$5.0M$10.0M2020202220242026Dec 2022 $8.9M$3.2M
VGTs / VLTsMonthly GGR
Monthly3-month average
$20.0M$40.0M$60.0M20182020202220242026VGTs / VLTs tax → 50%Mar 2021 $51.2M$38.8M
What these figures mean
  • Commercial casinos: GGR is racetrack video lottery gross terminal income plus table games adjusted gross receipts, excluding the Greenbrier casino. Tax paid is the table games privilege tax only; racetrack video lottery is a revenue share with no single tax line.
  • Online casino: GGR is adjusted gross interactive gaming receipts. Tax paid is the 15% interactive gaming privilege tax.
  • Sports (retail): GGR is adjusted gross wagering receipts, retail and online combined. Tax paid is the 10% sports wagering privilege tax deposited. West Virginia does not split retail from online, so this series is all sports wagering.
  • VGTs / VLTs: GGR is gross terminal income from limited video lottery machines in bars, restaurants and truck stops.
Revenue report sources (376)

Lottery

Status
Live · Monopoly State
NotesVoters approved a constitutional lottery amendment at the November 1984 general election; the first instant "scratch" tickets were sold January 9, 1986. Multistate games include Powerball, Mega Millions, and Lotto America (formerly Hot Lotto, discontinued Oct. 28, 2017).
[12],[13]
Authorized
Nov 1984
W. Va. Code § 29-22-1 et seq. (State Lottery Act); W. Va. constitutional lottery amendment (ratified by voters at the Nov. 1984 general election)
First tickets sold
Jan 9, 1986
Run by
West Virginia Lottery Commission
Minimum age
18[41]
Multistate games
Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto America[13]
Where the money goes
By statute (W. Va. Code § 29-22-18), the Legislature annually appropriates remaining net lottery profits among the Lottery Education Fund (education programs), the School Construction Fund, the Lottery Senior Citizens Fund (senior medical care and other programs), and amounts to the Division of Natural Resources and WV Development Office for park/recreation costs and tourism promotion, in proportions it considers beneficial; certain bond debt service is funded first.[39]
Online sales (iLottery)
Live · since Oct 1, 2024
NotesThe West Virginia Lottery launched direct online ticket sales in October 2024 for players 18+ physically present in-state, offering Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto America, Daily 3, Daily 4, and Cash 25 draw games plus a growing "iNSTANTS" library. This is separate from third-party digital lottery courier apps, which resell tickets for physical in-state retailers rather than selling directly on behalf of the Lottery.
[14]?
Courier services
Live
NotesNo WV-specific statute or regulation naming third-party lottery couriers was identified, but Jackpocket -- the largest US digital lottery courier -- lists West Virginia among its active operating states/territories, indicating the activity is in practice permitted without a dedicated courier-licensing statute.
[26]
Lottery sales and money kept by the stateState fiscal years
SalesKept by the stateOnline gambling legalized
$500M$1.0BFY2012FY2015FY2018FY2021FY202412$720M$512M
  1. 1Mar 9, 2018: online sports betting legalized · launched Aug 26, 2019
  2. 2Mar 28, 2019: online casino and online poker legalized · launched Jul 1, 2020

Prizes are under half of sales here. The Census Bureau notes that some states, such as West Virginia and Delaware, count state-run video lottery revenue in their lottery figures.

Yearly figures
Fiscal yearSalesPrizesAdministrationKept by the statePrize share
FY2024$720M$159M$48.6M$512M22%
FY2023$741M$165M$45.2M$531M22%
FY2022$706M$152M$36.2M$517M22%
FY2021$668M$155M$35.9M$477M23%
FY2020$542M$128M$31.1M$383M24%
FY2019$631M$119M$34.3M$477M19%
FY2018$596M$105M$31.8M$459M18%
FY2017$585M$98.2M$30.3M$457M17%
FY2016$621M$121M$22.0M$479M19%
FY2015$629M$115M$23.3M$490M18%
FY2014$655M$112M$33.6M$509M17%
FY2013$714M$116M$32.9M$565M16%
FY2012$783M$121M$37.8M$625M15%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State Government Finances

Lottery timeline

  • Oct 1, 2024 · Launched · iLottery
    West Virginia Lottery launches direct online ticket sales (draw games plus iNSTANTS)[14]
  • Jan 9, 1986 · Launched · Lottery
    West Virginia Lottery holds its first drawing[13]
  • Nov 1984 · Legalized · Lottery
    West Virginia voters approve a state constitutional lottery amendment at the November 1984 general election[12],[13]

Licensed operators

OperatorBrandVerticalLicenseStatusLaunchedPartner / venue
Century CasinosMountaineer Casino, Racetrack and ResortCommercial casinosactiveChester (Hancock County)[53]
Delaware NorthMardi Gras Casino and ResortCommercial casinosactiveNitro (Kanawha County)[54]
Delaware NorthWheeling Island Hotel-Casino-RacetrackCommercial casinosactiveWheeling (Ohio County)[54]
The GreenbrierThe Casino Club at the GreenbrierCommercial casinosactiveWhite Sulphur Springs (Greenbrier County)[55],[56]
PENN EntertainmentHollywood Casino at Charles Town RacesCommercial casinosactiveCharles Town (Jefferson County)[54],[57]
bet365bet365Online casinoactiveAug 27, 2026[58]
BetMGMBetMGMOnline casinoactivegreenbrier-hotel-corp · The Casino Club at the Greenbrier[59]
bet365bet365Sports (online)activeAug 27, 2026[58]
BetMGMBetMGM SportsbookSports (online)activeJan 29, 2020greenbrier-hotel-corp · The Casino Club at the Greenbrier[59],[60]
Caesars EntertainmentCaesars SportsbookSports (online)activeAug 5, 2021Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort[61],[62]
DraftKingsDraftKings SportsbookSports (online)activeAug 28, 2019penn-entertainment · Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races[64]
Fanatics Betting and GamingFanatics SportsbookSports (online)activeAug 12, 2021penn-entertainment · Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races[65],[66]
FanDuelFanDuel SportsbookSports (online)activeAug 26, 2019greenbrier-hotel-corp · The Casino Club at the Greenbrier[64],[59]
PENN EntertainmentHollywood Casino SportsbookSports (retail)activeAug 30, 2018Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races[57]
Delaware NorthBetLuckySports (online)exited (Mar 6, 2019)Dec 27, 2018delaware-north · Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack / Mardi Gras Casino and Resort[63]

Casinos

5 properties open.

PropertyTypeCityOperatorOpenedSportsbookHotel
The Casino Club at The Greenbrier
A small limited-stakes casino open to hotel guests and club members, authorized by a separate 2009 "historic resort hotel" law rather than the racetrack video-lottery statute.
[67]		Commercial casinoWhite Sulphur SpringsThe Greenbrier2010Yes
Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races[67]RacinoCharles TownPENN EntertainmentYesYes
Mardi Gras Casino and Resort[67]?RacinoNitroYes
Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort[67]RacinoChesterCentury CasinosYes
Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack[67]RacinoWheelingYes

Economy

Adults 21 and over
1.4M (2024; 1.8M residents)
Gambling revenue per adult
$1,087 in 2025 · 3rd of 29 states with a full year of reports
$1.5B kept by operators from commercial casinos, online casino, sports (retail), vgts / vlts, divided by adults 21 and over. Tribal casinos and the lottery are not included.
Gambling taxes collected
$51.4M in FY2025 · 0.74% of all state taxes
Gambling jobs
6,444 in 2025 · $33,974 average annual pay
Gambling taxes collectedState fiscal years
Gambling taxesLottery proceeds
$250M$500M$750MFY2013FY2016FY2019FY2022FY2025$51.4M$512M

Census Bureau tax collections on amusements and pari-mutuel wagering. Most states book casino, sports betting and video gaming taxes here; amusement taxes can also include admissions taxes unrelated to gambling. Lottery proceeds are what the lottery transfers to the state after prizes and costs.

Gambling jobsAnnual average
5,00010.0K2015201720192021202320256,444

Casinos, casino hotels, card rooms, bingo halls, off-track betting and slot-route operators, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Racetracks are not included. Jobs at tribal casinos are counted as government jobs.

Gambling jobs by industry, 2025

IndustryOwnershipEmployersJobsAverage pay
Gambling industriesprivately owned4902,969$23,496
Casino hotelsprivately owned93,475$42,926

Taxes by fiscal year

Fiscal yearAmusement taxesPari-mutuel taxesShare of state taxesLottery proceeds
FY2025$46.6M$4.8M0.74%—
FY2024$47.1M$4.5M0.74%$512M
FY2023$46.5M$6.9M0.70%$531M
FY2022$42.4M$2.9M0.64%$517M
FY2021$32.0M$2.9M0.58%$477M
FY2020$31.3M$2.9M0.63%$383M
FY2019$39.4M$2.9M0.73%$477M
FY2018$38.8M$2.7M0.76%$459M
FY2017$42.4M$2.6M0.88%$457M
FY2016$46.7M$2.3M0.96%$479M

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 Population Estimates: Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, States (NST-EST2025-ALLDATA); U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State Government Tax Collections (STC): Historical Dataset; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages, NAICS 7132 (Gambling industries)

Timeline

  • Jan 16, 2026 · Other · Online casino
    HB 4397 and HB 4398 introduced to raise West Virginia's igaming and sports-wagering privilege taxes from 15%/10% to 25% each[38]
  • Aug 6, 2025 · Other · Daily fantasy
    AG JB McCuskey issues a non-committal opinion on whether PrizePicks' single-player DFS product violates the Lottery Sports Wagering Act[16]
  • Jul 14, 2025 · Enforcement Action · Sweepstakes casinos
    Over 20 sweepstakes-casino platforms have exited West Virginia after Attorney General McCuskey's office sends almost 50 subpoenas since early 2025[20]
  • Oct 1, 2024 · Launched · iLottery
    West Virginia Lottery launches direct online ticket sales (draw games plus iNSTANTS)[14]
  • Nov 2023 · Compact Signed · Online poker
    West Virginia joins the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA), becoming its fifth member state[9]
    Lets WV-licensed online poker operators pool players with Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, and Michigan.
  • Mar 12, 2022 · Legalized · Esports betting
    HB 4826 passes, adding "e-sports event" to the statutory definition of a sporting event under the Sports Wagering Act[34]
  • Jul 1, 2020 · Launched · Online casino
    West Virginia's first legal online casinos go live[6]
  • Jul 1, 2020 · Legalized · Advance deposit wagering
    HB 4438 takes effect, creating a Racing Commission licensing framework for advance deposit wagering[31]
    W. Va. Code § 19-23-12e
  • Aug 26, 2019 · Launched · Sports (online)
    FanDuel relaunches mobile sports wagering in West Virginia[3]
  • Jul 1, 2019 · Tax Change · VGTs / VLTs
    Limited Video Lottery Commission's share of gross profits fixed at 50%, ending the prior 30%-50% tiered schedule[18]
    W. Va. Code § 29-22B-1408
  • Mar 28, 2019 · Legalized · Online casino
    HB 2934 (West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act) becomes law without Gov. Jim Justice's signature, making West Virginia the 5th state to legalize online gambling[5]
    Chapter 128, Acts, Regular Session, 2019
  • Mar 28, 2019 · Legalized · Online poker
    HB 2934 (West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act) becomes law without Gov. Jim Justice's signature, authorizing online poker alongside igaming[5]
    Chapter 128, Acts, Regular Session, 2019
  • Mar 6, 2019 · Restricted · Sports (online)
    BetLucky mobile sports wagering confirmed shut down statewide after a contract/technology dispute between Miomni and vendor Entergaming[2]
  • Dec 27, 2018 · Launched · Sports (online)
    Delaware North's BetLucky mobile sportsbook (powered by Miomni Gaming) goes live at Wheeling Island and Mardi Gras casinos[2]
  • Aug 30, 2018 · Launched · Sports (retail)
    Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races accepts the first legal sports wager in West Virginia[4]
  • May 14, 2018 · Court Ruling · Sports (retail)
    Murphy v. NCAA strikes down the federal sports-wagering ban, clearing the way for WV's 2018 Act to take effect[13]
    Murphy v. NCAA, 584 U.S. 453 (2018)
  • Mar 9, 2018 · Legalized · Sports (retail)
    Governor signs the West Virginia Lottery Sports Wagering Act, contingent on Murphy v. NCAA[1]
    W. Va. Code § 29-22D-1 et seq.
  • Jul 1, 2016 · Other · Daily fantasy
    AG Patrick Morrisey opines that select paid-entry daily fantasy sports contests are legal under West Virginia law[15]
    Exact July 2016 date approximate; opinion requested amid SB 529, which passed the Senate but was not taken up by the House.
  • Jan 9, 1986 · Launched · Lottery
    West Virginia Lottery holds its first drawing[13]
  • Nov 1984 · Legalized · Lottery
    West Virginia voters approve a state constitutional lottery amendment at the November 1984 general election[12],[13]

Regulators

Sources

  1. West Virginia Code, Chapter 29, Article 22D: Sports Wagering · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
    “Tax rate: SS29-22D-16 covers sports wagering revenues and the state's share of revenue imposed for offering sports wagering”
  2. Delaware North splits with West Virginia sports betting partner · iGaming Business · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    Direct fetch returned HTTP 403. Launch (Dec. 27, 2018), outage start (Feb. 5, 2019), and confirmed shutdown (Mar. 6, 2019) dates, plus the Miomni/Entergaming dispute and Delaware North's Chancery Court suit, are corroborated via a search-engine synthesis citing this and companion legalsportsreport.com/ggbnews.com articles returned by the same query; not independently re-verified by direct fetch.

  3. FanDuel debuts mobile sportsbook app in West Virginia · Gaming Intelligence · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    Article published Aug. 27, 2019, the day after the reported Aug. 26, 2019 FanDuel launch and the day before DraftKings' Aug. 28, 2019 launch (per corroborating gambling.com/rotogrinders.com results); full article text behind a subscription wall.

    “FanDuel debuts mobile sportsbook app in West Virginia”
  4. Hollywood Casino Takes First Legal Sports Bet In West Virginia · SBC Americas · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    Direct fetch of this exact URL was not performed in this pass; date and facts (Aug. 30, 2018 first wager, confirmed by WV Lottery counsel Danielle Boyd) are corroborated across multiple outlets (wchstv.com, casinobeats.com, athleticbusiness.com) returned by the same search query.

  5. HB 2934 (2019 Regular Session) Bill History — West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act · West Virginia Legislature · bill · retrieved Oct 11, 2026

    Official bill-status/history page, fetched directly. Full status timeline: House passed Feb. 22, 2019 (Roll No. 271); Senate passed with amended title Mar. 8, 2019 (Roll No. 455); House concurred and completed legislative action Mar. 9, 2019 (Roll No. 679); delivered to the Governor Mar. 25, 2019; "Became law without Governor's signature" dated Mar. 28, 2019 (House Journal entry); enacted as Chapter 128, Acts, Regular Session, 2019 (dated Apr. 11, 2019); last action "Effective Ninety Days from Passage - (June 7, 2019)."

    “Became law without Governor's signature”
  6. List of casinos in West Virginia · Wikipedia · secondary · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    secondary source only

    “West Virginia became the fifth US state to legalize online gambling...The first legal online casinos launched in July 2020. Each land-based casino may apply for one online license, allowing up to three casino skins”
  7. West Virginia Code S 29-22E-2: State authorization of interactive wagering at licensed racetracks and historic resort hotel; findings · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
    “Interactive wagering and related activities are lawful only when conducted under this article and the rules of the commission”
  8. West Virginia Code S 29-22E-16 · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
    “15 percent of the licensee's 'adjusted gross interactive wagering receipts,' which the section calls the 'privilege tax'”
  9. West Virginia joins the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement · CasinoBeats · press · retrieved Oct 11, 2026

    Corroborated by multiple industry outlets (Gambling Insider, SBC Americas, WV Press Association) reporting WV as the 5th MSIGA member after Nevada/Delaware (2014), New Jersey (2017), and Michigan (2022); quotes WV Lottery Director John Myers on the move increasing the potential player pool for WV-licensed online poker operators.

    “West Virginia has joined the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement”
  10. Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort · Wikipedia · secondary · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    secondary source only

    “The track was authorized to have slot machines and installed them in 1994...Mountaineer added casino table games on December 20, 2007, with 50 tables.”
  11. West Virginia Code, Chapter 29, Article 22A: Racetrack Video Lottery · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
    “Accounting, reporting, and distribution of net terminal income”
  12. West Virginia Lottery · e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia (WV Humanities Council) · secondary · retrieved Oct 11, 2026

    Also states "The first instant \"scratch\" tickets were sold on January 9, 1986." A state-humanities-council reference source, treated as secondary rather than a primary statute/constitution citation.

    “The West Virginia Lottery originated in November 1984, when voters passed a lottery amendment to the state constitution.”
  13. West Virginia Lottery · Wikipedia · secondary · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    secondary source only

    “established in 1984 via a voter referendum...first draw was on January 9, 1986”
  14. West Virginia Online Lottery · BettingUSA.com · secondary · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    secondary/commercial source; reports the October 2024 launch of direct WV Lottery online ticket sales (18+, in-state), game list, and PlayOn rewards program.

  15. Attorney General Morrisey: Select Fantasy Sports Legal · WDTV · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
    “West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey says select fantasy sports are legal in the state.”
  16. Response to Opinion Request (PrizePicks / Daily Fantasy Sports) · Office of the West Virginia Attorney General · ag opinion · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    Official AG opinion PDF; direct fetch returned the file but its content could not be parsed into a quotable excerpt (binary/compressed stream). Substance (non-committal finding on PrizePicks' single-player product, deferring to an undefined statutory term) corroborated via legalsportsreport.com and publicgaming.com summaries in search results.

  17. West Virginia Code S 29-22B-706: Additional duties of operators · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
    “not less than 40 percent nor more than 50 percent of the amount of net terminal income”
  18. W. Va. Code § 29-22B-1408 — Limited Video Lottery; disposition of gross profits · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
    “effective July 1, 2019, the commission's share of gross profits shall be 50 percent”
  19. Historical horse racing · Wikipedia · secondary · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    secondary source only; page covers Virginia, Kentucky, and Texas and does not list West Virginia as authorizing HHR

    “legal status in other states, such as Virginia, Kentucky, and Texas”
  20. Over 20 Sweepstakes Platforms Exit West Virginia After Months of Legal Efforts · Covers.com · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
    “State Attorney General John McCuskey sent operators almost 50 subpoenas over the last several months.”
  21. Sweepstakes operators West Virginia subpoenas · iGaming Business · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    Direct fetch not performed in this pass; corroborates the subpoena timeline (preparation reported late January 2025) via search-engine synthesis of this and companion sbcamericas.com/actionnetwork.com coverage.

  22. W. Va. Code § 61-10-5 — Betting on games of chance · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 11, 2026

    General wagering-prohibition statute (not limited to slot machines); requires money or another thing of value to be staked on a game of chance. Used as the general-prohibition citation for prediction_markets (no WV-specific action either way) and social_casino (no cash prize, so outside this definition).

    “If any person at any place, public or private, bet or wage money or other thing of value on any game of chance...he shall be guilty of a misdemeanor”
  23. W. Va. Code Chapter 61, Article 10 — Crimes Against the Peace (gambling devices) · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    identified via search summary describing the slot-machine/gambling-device misdemeanor provisions; not independently re-fetched for a verbatim excerpt this session.

  24. W. Va. Code § 29-22B-1 et seq. — Limited Video Lottery Act · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    identified via search summary describing the "video gambling machine" definition capturing unapproved/unregistered devices; not independently re-fetched for a verbatim excerpt this session.

  25. West Virginia Code S 29-22C-26: Tax on the privilege of holding a license to operate West Virginia Lottery table games · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
    “The tax shall be thirty-five percent of the licensee's adjusted gross receipts”
  26. West Virginia Lottery results: See winning numbers for Powerball, Lotto America · Yahoo News / USA TODAY Network · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    Full list continues: ...Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia -- confirming West Virginia as a listed Jackpocket operating market.

    “in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota,”
  27. PrizePicks Faces Legal Uncertainty in West Virginia · SIGMA World · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    secondary/press source; reports the 2022 Lottery Commission cease-and-desist letter to PrizePicks and the company's move to a peer-to-peer "Arena" product in West Virginia.

  28. West Virginia AG Opinion 2025-37570 (2025-08-06) — Legality of the PrizePicks Game · West Virginia Attorney General (via ezel.ai AG opinion archive) · government other · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    identified via search summary describing the opinion's "maybe" conclusion and the undefined "Daily Fantasy Sports" statutory exclusion; not independently re-fetched for a verbatim excerpt this session.

  29. West Virginia Code S 29-22A-10 · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
    “The commission shall receive 30 percent of net terminal income, which shall be paid into the State Lottery Fund.”
  30. W. Va. Code § 19-23-12e — Advance deposit wagering · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
    “'Account holder' means a resident individual, at least 18 years of age who applies for and successfully opens an account with an ADW licensee.”
  31. HB 4438 (2020 Regular Session) Bill History — Advance Deposit Wagering · West Virginia Legislature · bill · retrieved Oct 11, 2026

    Official bill-status page; passed House 02/05/20, passed Senate (amended) 03/02/20, House concurred 03/06/20, approved by Governor 03/23/20 (Chapter 150, Acts, Regular Session, 2020), effective July 1, 2020.

  32. TSD-446 — Charitable Gaming · West Virginia State Tax Division · regulator page · retrieved Oct 11, 2026

    Current (Oct. 2024) Tax Division taxpayer-guidance publication confirming the Tax Division, not the Lottery Commission, still licenses/regulates charitable bingo and raffles; also confirms online bingo/raffle play must be geofenced to players physically in West Virginia.

    “Persons under the age of 18 may not play or participate in the conduct of bingo games but are permitted to participate in raffles.”
  33. West Virginia charitable bingo (ch. 47, art. 20) and raffle (art. 21) licensing; HB 2932 (2019); 2021 internet-bingo/raffle authorization · West Virginia Legislature · bill · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    identified via search summary of HB 2932 (2019, proposing transfer of licensing to the Lottery Commission) and a 2021 enrolled bill authorizing virtual bingo/raffles; current codified text not independently re-fetched this session.

  34. 2022 RS HB4826 SUB ENR (signed) · West Virginia Legislature · bill · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    Official enrolled-bill PDF; direct fetch returned the file but its content could not be parsed into a quotable excerpt (binary/compressed stream). Passage date (March 12, 2022) and substance (adds 'e-sports event' to the Sports Wagering Act's definition of 'sporting event') corroborated via publicgaming.com summary below.

  35. West Virginia Passes Esports Betting Bill Amendment · Public Gaming International · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
    “allows operators to accept wagers on esports events”
  36. West Virginia Code § 61-10-5 — Betting on games of chance · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 12, 2026

    Official chapter PDF read 2026-10-12, page 6. Section 61-10-5 addresses staking money or another thing of value. The scope here is free online play with no stake or redeemable prize, not approval of paid virtual-currency or sweepstakes products.

  37. HB 3481 (2025 Regular Session), introduced · West Virginia Legislature · bill · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    Official introduced-bill PDF; direct fetch returned the file but its content could not be parsed into a quotable excerpt (binary/compressed stream). Substance (15% tax on adjusted gross DFS receipts, Lottery Commission licensing, introduced 2025-03-18 by Del. J. Cannon) corroborated via a search-engine synthesis of multiple bill-tracking summaries (cpo.soar.com, americangaming.org state overview) in search results; no floor-vote or enactment outcome was found.

  38. West Virginia Wants To Increase iGaming And Sports Betting Taxes To 25% · Gambling.com · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
    “increase sports betting tax from 10% to 25%”
  39. W. Va. Code § 29-22-18 — State Lottery Fund; appropriations and deposits; allocation of net profits · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 11, 2026

    Also provides that Lottery Education Fund revenues go "to the state system of public and higher education for these educational programs it considers beneficial," Lottery Senior Citizens Fund revenues go "to any senior citizens medical care and other programs it considers beneficial to the citizens of this state," and the Division of Natural Resources/WV Development Office allocation covers "the payment of any advertising and marketing expenses for the promotion and development of tourism or any tourist facility or attraction in this state."

    “annually appropriate all of the remaining amounts allocated as net profits in subsection (e)”
  40. W. Va. Code § 29-22E-15 — Authorization of interactive wagering in this state; requirements · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 11, 2026

    Age requirement appears in both subsection (a) (in-person, at a licensed gaming facility) and subsection (b) (mobile/digital platform from within the state).

    “A person placing a wager shall be at least 21 years of age.”
  41. W. Va. Code § 29-22-11 — Sale to minors prohibited · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
    “No ticket shall be sold to any person under the age of eighteen years.”
  42. West Virginia Code § 29-22D-15 · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
    “A person placing a wager shall be at least 21 years of age.”
  43. West Virginia Code § 29-22D-21 · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
    “knowingly permits an individual under the age of 21 to enter or remain in a designated gaming area”
  44. W. Va. Code § 29-22D-3 — Definitions (Sports Wagering Act) · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 11, 2026

    Collegiate sport/athletic event is defined broadly (any public or private institution offering education beyond the secondary level) with no carve-out for in-state teams.

    “'Sports event' or 'sporting event' means any professional sport or athletic event, any collegiate sport or athletic event...e-sports event”
  45. W. Va. Code § 29-22D-6 — Operator license; West Virginia sports wagering licensees · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 11, 2026

    Each license requires a current racetrack video lottery or gaming-facility license (i.e. tied to the 5 licensed racetrack/Greenbrier facilities); no separate numeric cap found on mobile platforms/skins per licensee.

    “The commission may issue up to five licenses to operate West Virginia Lottery sports wagering”
  46. W. Va. Code R. § 179-9-6 — Sports wagering system requirements · West Virginia Secretary of State (Lottery Commission rule) · regulation · retrieved Oct 11, 2026

    This rule requires operators to control data feeds used to settle wagers but does not mandate "official league data" specifically, despite pro-league comments requesting that language during the 2018-2019 rulemaking (per publicgaming.com/legalsportsreport.com secondary reporting); used as the basis for sports.official_league_data_required: false.

    “any data feeds used to offer or settle wagers”
  47. W. Va. Code § 29-22C-27 — West Virginia Lottery Racetrack Table Games Fund; Community-Based Service Fund; State Debt Reduction Fund; distribution of funds · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 11, 2026

    Table-games license fees also fund a separate Community-Based Service Fund that the Bureau of Senior Services spends on home/community-based services for aged and disabled citizens; net amounts also fund racetrack purses, breeding funds, counties/municipalities, a racing- association pension plan, and (via the commission's capped administrative allowance) the Compulsive Gambling Treatment Fund.

    “Transfer seventy-six percent to the State Debt Reduction Fund...expended solely for the purpose of accelerating the reduction of existing unfunded liabilities and existing bond indebtedness”
  48. West Virginia Code S 29-25-20 · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
    “36% goes to the Historic Resort Hotel Fund...17% goes to the Human Resource Benefit Fund”
  49. West Virginia Code S 29-25-21: Taxes on games other than video lottery games · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
    “The rate of tax is thirty-five percent...30 points go to the Historic Resort Hotel Fund and 5 points go to the Human Resource Benefit Fund”
  50. W. Va. Code § 29-22E-17 — West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Fund; distribution of funds · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 11, 2026

    Unlike the Sports Wagering Fund, remaining net profit after the racing-pension set-aside goes entirely to the State Lottery Fund (§29-22-18); no PEIA threshold/overflow provision for interactive wagering.

    “the Lottery Commission shall deposit one-quarter of a percent of the net profit into each of the four special funds...for the employees of the licensed racing associations”
  51. W. Va. Code § 29-22D-17 — West Virginia Lottery Sports Wagering Fund; distribution of funds · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
    “net profit shall be deposited into the State Lottery Fund...until a total of $15 million is deposited; thereafter, the remainder shall be deposited into the Public Employees Insurance Agency Financial Stability Fund”
  52. West Virginia Code S 29-22D-16 · West Virginia Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
    “ten percent of the licensee's adjusted gross sports wagering receipts”
  53. Century's West Virginia purchase approved · Global Gaming Business News · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    Page not independently re-fetched this session; relied on search-result summaries (ggbnews, casinobeats, wvmetronews) confirming the WV Lottery Commission's Sept. 2019 approval of Century Casinos' purchase of Mountaineer's operating business and VICI Properties' purchase of the underlying real estate (triple-net leaseback) from Eldorado Resorts.

  54. List of casinos in West Virginia · Wikipedia · secondary · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    secondary source only

    “West Virginia became the fifth US state to legalize online gambling...up to three casino skins”
  55. Justice family to share ownership of The Greenbrier · West Virginia Watch · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    Page not independently re-fetched this session; relied on search-result summary.

  56. Justice family may cede control of The Greenbrier to resolve $300M debt · WVVA · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    Page not independently re-fetched this session; relied on search-result summary describing the Kennedy Lewis Investment Management joint venture and pending Lottery Commission review.

  57. Hollywood Casino Takes First Legal Sports Bet In West Virginia · SBC Americas · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    Direct fetch of this exact URL was not performed in this pass; date and facts (Aug. 30, 2018 first wager) are corroborated across multiple outlets returned by the same search query.

  58. bet365 Launches Online Sportsbook and Casino in West Virginia · Covers.com · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
    “bet365...launched its online sportsbook and casino in West Virginia, making it the 18th U.S. state where bet365 is live”
  59. BetMGM live in West Virginia with official launch at The Greenbrier · SBC Americas · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    Page not independently re-fetched this session; relied on search-result summaries (sbcamericas, casinobeats) confirming the Jan. 29, 2020 BetMGM mobile sportsbook launch through The Greenbrier and the later GNOG/Greenbrier igaming skin, which corroborates FanDuel as a prior Greenbrier sportsbook partner.

  60. West Virginia sportsbook guide (BetMGM listing) · Sports Betting Dime · secondary · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    Direct fetch not performed in this pass; BetMGM's live WV status is drawn from a search-engine result summary of this and companion vegasinsider.com/rg.org pages, not independently re-verified by direct fetch.

  61. West Virginia Sports Betting (Caesars/Mountaineer tether reference) · Sports Illustrated · secondary · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    Direct fetch not performed in this pass. 'Caesars runs its sportsbook through Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort' and an Aug. 5, 2021 launch date are drawn from a search-engine result summary citing this and companion deucescracked.com/sportsbettingdime.com pages, not independently re-verified by direct fetch.

  62. West Virginia online casino/sportsbook guide · DeucesCracked · secondary · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    Page not independently re-fetched this session; relied on search-result summary. This aggregator guide contains internally inconsistent BetMGM facility claims (Charles Town vs. Wheeling Island in different passages), so it is used only to corroborate the Caesars/Mountaineer tether, not as a primary source for BetMGM's facility.

  63. Delaware North splits with West Virginia sports betting partner · iGaming Business · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    Direct fetch returned HTTP 403. Launch (Dec. 27, 2018), outage start (Feb. 5, 2019), and confirmed shutdown (Mar. 6, 2019) dates, plus the Miomni/Entergaming dispute and Delaware North's Chancery Court suit, are corroborated via a search-engine synthesis citing this and companion legalsportsreport.com/ggbnews.com articles returned by the same query; not independently re-verified by direct fetch.

  64. FanDuel debuts mobile sportsbook app in West Virginia · Gaming Intelligence · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    Article published Aug. 27, 2019, the day after the reported Aug. 26, 2019 FanDuel launch and the day before DraftKings' Aug. 28, 2019 launch (per corroborating gambling.com/rotogrinders.com results); full article text behind a subscription wall.

    “FanDuel debuts mobile sportsbook app in West Virginia”
  65. West Virginia Sports Betting - WV Online Sportsbook Info · RotoGrinders · secondary · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    Direct fetch not performed in this pass. PointsBet's Aug. 2021 WV launch and 2023 Fanatics acquisition/rebrand are drawn from a search-engine result summary of this page, not independently re-verified by direct fetch.

  66. Business By The Books: Fanatics Sports Betting, Casino Live In WV · Legal Sports Report · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026

    Page not independently re-fetched this session; relied on search-result summaries (legalsportsreport, sbcamericas, gamblinginsider) confirming PointsBet's Aug. 12, 2021 WV online-only launch through Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races and the Nov. 2023 Fanatics rebrand/migration.

  67. List of casinos in West Virginia · Wikipedia · secondary · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
    “The Casino Club at the Greenbrier ... Land-based, limited to hotel guests”