West Virginia Casinos
When it comes to gambling policies and online gambling West Virginia is quite liberal and progressive compared to most other US states. In the spring of 2019, state legislators finally passed the West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act, which permits internet casinos and online poker rooms affiliated with the state brick-and-mortar casino establishments.
Top Gambling Cities in West Virginia
Looking for the best casinos in West Virginia? Here are our picks for the top cities where you'll find them:
Charles Town
Even though its population is only about 5,200 according to the 2010 census, Charles Town has a rich history and remains the most popular destination for gamblers in West Virginia. Charles Town is, without a doubt, the most famous gambling city in West Virginia. It is home to Hollywood Casino, the largest land-based gambling establishment statewide. This facility promises a Vegas-style experience.
Over 2,500 slot machines, approximately 100 table games, and 16 poker tables exist. Its visitors can also play baccarat, craps, American roulette, and blackjack while walking the casino floor. The casino is open 24/7, where you’ll find a spa center, five dining options, two bars, and entertainment areas. There really is something for everyone.
Last but not least, Hollywood Casino at Charles Town has a horse racing track. It organizes races throughout the whole year on its 0.75-mile track.
Wheeling
Wheeling is another casino city in West Virginia with a population of about 145,205. It is considered to be the second-best for gambling in the state. If you live close to Wheeling or want to visit West Virginia and are a fan of gambling, you can visit its Wheeling Island Hotel Casino Racetrack. The casino’s gambling floor is 90,000 square feet in size. There you can try out your luck at various slot machines, as well as play poker, baccarat, blackjack, roulette, and craps.
This racino boasts a racetrack that operates throughout the whole year. The 2,400-seating capacity allows punters to enjoy watching and betting on exciting Greyhound racing. You’ll also find a fancy banquet room, several dining options, a fitness center, meeting rooms, an entertainment stage, and more.
Gambling Laws in West Virginia
This made West Virginia the fifth US state to fully legalize online casinos. According to this bill, five WV land-based casinos were allowed to introduce their web platforms with a wide variety of table games, poker variants, and online slots. The West Virginia Lottery is the body in charge of controlling and regulating them.
When it comes to taxes and age restrictions, this bill is more than clear. It suggests a 15-percent tax rate on internet gambling revenue. In order to be able to gamble at brick-and-mortar casinos and real money online casino West Virginia websites, a player must be at least 21 years old. However, people who are 18 can already participate in the lottery and bingo games, as well as place their wagers on horse and greyhound races.
As for offline gambling, the residents of this state and tourists that come to visit it can play their favorite games of luck at various facilities. In total, WV currently has five brick-and-mortar casinos, four of which also have a racing track.
Up until 2007, casinos were able to offer electronic games only, but the situation is entirely different today. Now they offer all possible table games, such as baccarat, craps, and blackjack. Besides virtual casinos, online poker rooms, and land-based West Virginia casino establishments, there are a few other available options for gamblers.
Daily fantasy sports became legal in 2016, while sports betting became permitted in August 2018 at land-based facilities. Legal sports betting West Virginia websites got introduced just a few months later. Nowadays, there are many popular land-based and internet sportsbooks available to the state residents.
West Virginia Casino Games
Besides slot machines and all sorts of popular casino table games, West Virginia gambling facilities offer a lot of special services. Apart from gambling, you can check out various fine dining options, exercise at a fitness center, relax at a spa or pool, attend live music shows, stay at fancy casino hotels, and more.
Online Gambling in West Virginia
The big question being asked for most states is based on legalities, so is online gambling legal in West Virginia? As we have mentioned previously, online gambling is legal and regulated in the Mountain State.
Thanks to the West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act that came into force in March 2019, online gambling became legal in WV, leading to the industry's rapid development.
All the online casino West Virginia sites must have a license to legally operate and are regulated by the West Virginia Lottery. Although online casino gambling West Virginia sites haven’t been around for a very long time, they’ve already attracted many customers and become popular.
They offer a wide range of lucrative casino promotions, which include welcome packages, no deposit bonuses, loyalty programs, and VIP bonuses, to name but a few. However, if you want to join them, keep in mind that the minimum age requirement is 21 years.
Since West Virginia has clear and strict laws when it comes to internet gambling. All its online casinos respect them, making this form of gambling safe. But West Virginia online casinos aren’t only known for their security and trustworthiness, but also for their diverse and vast collections of the latest casino games.
Online Poker
Playing poker online for real money has been legal in West Virginia since the spring of 2019. The very first online poker sites made their debuts the following year.
Since West Virginia has a rather small population compared to the majority of the US states, experts in the gambling industry expect it to join the online player pool that currently includes Delaware, New Jersey, and Nevada.
Online Betting
WV was the fifth state in the country to make sports betting legal. Its residents can now gamble on sports games at its land-based casinos, as well as take advantage of sports betting West Virginia websites.
These casino establishments have partnered with some of the most prominent companies in the industry, such as William Hill and Fan Duel.
Penn National, the owners of Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races, was the first to obtain a license. Their internet sportsbook is called Hollywood Sportsbook.
The Greenbrier and FanDuel got the second license. Moreover, the last casino establishment to present its own land-based sportsbook was The Mountaineer Casino Resort, known as the Mountaineer Sportsbook.
You can also enjoy off-track betting on horse races on various popular platforms, such as XpressBet, TwinSpires, and TVG.
Tribal Gambling
Tribal gambling dates back to the 70s, when some Native American tribes started to establish bingo operations in order to raise revenue. There are now many casinos located within the exterior boundaries of Native American reservations.
The number of tribal casinos has increased significantly in the past few decades, and they seem more popular than ever before. At the moment, 30 US states have tribal gambling establishments, but West Virginia isn’t one of them.
While there aren’t any Native American casinos in this WV, you can visit the state’s four racinos and one traditional casino.