Virginia Online Casino Gaming – Legal in 2024?
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Scott Kacsmar
- August 8, 2024
The great state of Virginia is in a position that many of the United States can relate to. Online sports betting is live and legal, but online casino gambling is still awaiting legislation. This means you can play on the DraftKings Sportsbook but not the DraftKings Casino.
Many states are facing that same conundrum in 2024. But fear not, Virginians, because you do have many online gaming options available to you where you can enjoy a range of games including online slots, lottery games and more.
You just have to join Virginia sports betting sites located offshore where you can play against other casino players or all the table games and slots you can imagine. In this guide, we will show you the best offshore casinos, what makes them the best, the history of gambling laws in Virginia, and why things may be changing soon with the passing of other casino gaming in the state.
| SPORTSBOOK | TRUST SCORE | ONLINE SINCE | Expert Review | BONUS | Bet Now |
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2001
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100% Free Play
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1996
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$500 Cash Bonus
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2014
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50% Free Play
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2002
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55% Cash Bonus
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2001
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$250 Free Bet
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2011
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$750 Cash Bonus
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1996
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$500 Cash Bonus
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Top-Rated Virginia Online Casinos
Almost every one of our top 10 online casinos is located in Costa Rica where online casino gambling and sports betting are legal. These sites will all accept Virginia players. They are considered offshore casinos because of their location and the fact that they are not regulated by Virginia or any U.S. territory. However, they are following the laws of their local jurisdictions, so you should have no problem joining them from Virginia and winning real money with them today.
- BookMaker – Great sportsbook and RTP info in casino
- Heritage Sports – Try all casino games for free
- Bovada – Poker tournaments and big crypto bonuses
- BetOnline – The biggest library of video slots
- BetAnySports – Try out seven different casinos with a huge range of games
- JustBet – Bookmaker’s sister site
- BetUS – Enjoy original content and casino demos
- WagerWeb – Great site for crypto users with an excellent deposit bonus
- Everygame – Great site design with poker software
- SportsBetting.ag – BetOnline’s sister site
Are online casinos legal in Virginia?
No, online casinos are not yet legal in Virginia. Only sports betting, horse race betting, daily fantasy sports and the lottery are considered legal forms of gambling that you can do online.
Casino players can enjoy casino gaming in person at Rivers Casino Portsmouth, or you can join the Virginia Lottery site to play a wide variety of casino-like games. But when it comes to online casino gambling to win real money on table games, slots and more, your best bet is joining offshore casinos. We just listed our top 10 and are about to review our favorites.
Comparing the Best Online Casinos for Virginia
From our top 10 list, we decided to review the top five online casinos, complete with the pros and cons they bring to your gaming experiences. These reviews will focus mostly on online casino games, but all these sites are well-known for their online sports betting too.
1. Great Sportsbook and RTP Info in Casino: BookMaker
Key Features
- RTP info on slot games helps you find value
- Good variety of banking methods
Bookmaker.eu is our top-rated online casino thanks to its all-around performance in the sportsbook, racebook and casino. The sportsbook is well known for its early lines, and the racebook is also really well designed and reputable for using bigger or smaller races.
The casino may not have as many games as BetOnline, but you get access to newer games, an exclusive BookMaker Blackjack game, and keno. You also get live dealer options with reasonable limits. The video poker section is solid, and they have other table games like craps, roulette, blackjack and baccarat.
But the nice edge the casino offers is RTP info on each of its real money games, showing the player the average they can expect the game to pay back over $100 bet. The closer the RTP is to 100%, the better that game should be to play over the long haul.
BookMaker does not limit winning players, and you can always get a fast payout and access to a great reward program with deposit bonuses and cashback.
2. Try All Casino Games for Free: Heritage Sports
Key Features
- Free-to-try casino table games
- Very good mobile site
Heritage Sports does not have any poker tournaments, but it does have plenty of video poker in a well-organized casino that has other table games, including blackjack and roulette. Every casino game, including the various slot machines, is free to try at Heritage Sports. This is not something you can experience at BookMaker or BetOnline.
The mobile site is very good, allowing you to switch over to the casino from the sportsbook with a good user interface and enjoy the games with solid sound and graphics. The deposit methods are diverse, and you can get great perks like a free birthday parlay (worth up to $500) or every eighth deposit on the house.
The sportsbook is also one of the best in the market with reduced juice and cashback. In fact, you can get cashback on the casino too for your net losses each week. The bonus money comes with a relatively low rollover on Heritage Sports, and there are no restrictions on where you can use the bonus money on the site.
3. Poker Tournaments and Big Crypto Bonuses: Bovada
Key Features
- Best choice for poker tournaments and cash games
- Very good prop builder on sportsbook
Bovada is filled with casino choices, including poker tournaments on the No. 1 poker network in the country, and you can also play a unique lottery-style numbers game. You can play at the crypto casino as Bovada is very crypto-friendly with new users getting up to $3,750 in bonus bets over their first three crypto deposits.
There are regular table games as well as live dealer options at Bovada. You can also get access to one of the best sportsbooks with its fantastic prop builder, and a very well-designed racebook. The virtual racing games on Bovada are unique and the best in the business.
There are not many Bovada promo codes offered to loyal users, but you can enroll in the reward program where you accumulate points with the more money you bet on the site. These points never expire no matter how long your account is inactive. You never lose the tier you are in and you can redeem the points for bonus bet credits or entries into poker tournaments.
4. The Biggest Library of Video Slots: BetOnline
Key Features
- Biggest casino library of games
- Fast payouts, high limits
BetOnline has hundreds of casino games, excellent bonuses and a wide variety of banking options. You also get fast payouts and high betting limits, so it is a great site for high rollers or high-volume bettors looking to enjoy a top-ranked sportsbook, racebook and casino.
The casino game lacks demos, but there are so many games to try that you could just bet the low minimums for a while and see what you think of the games to find your favorites in the huge library. They also do table games, video poker, live dealer games and specialty games like keno and bingo.
The sportsbook is one of the better options out there with opinionated lines, competitive odds and a solid prop builder. The sports promos are also generous for new users and exciting for returning users.
BetOnline does poker tournaments as well as anyone, including Bovada. Simply download the poker software for free, and within minutes you will have your choice of games to win real money. Plus, by using a BetOnline promo code, users can get a wide range of perks and bonuses, including for poker.
5. Try Out Seven Different Casinos: BetAnySports
Key Features
- Live dealer games available
- Cashback on sportsbook, racebook, and casino
BetAnySports has a casino section that is actually seven casinos in one. While there is overlap between the game selection, each casino has its own library of games for casino players to try. You also can play live dealer games with reasonable limits.
The site offers cashback promos on the sportsbook, racebook, and casino, though you have to expect smaller deposit bonuses.
The sportsbook can be confusing at first with so many lines offered, but once you figure it out, it has great value with the best reduced juice (-105) in our list. They also have a very good prop builder.
Finally, the lottery section is very unique and makes BetAnySports stand out from the competition. You can play Pick 2, Pick 3, Pick, 4, and Pick 5 drawings from various states around the country, including Virginia. Winners also get 80% better payouts.
Our Rating Methodology
We get into our rating methodology in detail later, but a variety of important factors went into consideration for our grades to determine the best gaming experiences at offshore casinos. We look at the competitive gambling odds, casino game variety, banking options, slots and table games, and bonuses. We also consider things like customer service, security, and mobile site quality. This criterion also applies to the online sportsbooks we grade.
The History of Gambling Laws in Virginia
Online gambling laws are still very new in Virginia and other parts of the country, but we first have to appreciate how far things have come on the legal gambling front. Remember, we are only 50 years into a legal form of gambling in Virginia. Charitable gaming at bingo halls was first approved back in 1973. It would not be until 1987 that voters approved a state lottery, and that has been a success with over $14.5 billion going to the education fund for K-12 schools in the state.
You could start buying lottery tickets online in Virginia in 2018, which was also the year PASPA was struck down by the Supreme Court, giving states the right to choose to legalize sports betting. Virginia eventually came around to doing so, and a bill was signed into law by Gov. Ralph Northam in 2020. That sports betting legislation allowed for both online wagering and in-person retail location betting in Virginia. Some of the most popular names in online betting applied for sports betting licenses in Virginia, and by January 2021, sports bettors were able to start making bets legally.
During the height of pandemic hysteria in the summer of 2020, the Virginia Lottery started to allow users to play iLottery instant win games, which act a lot like online casino games. Real money could be won on these games if you played on the lottery site with your account.
But to advance gambling in the state of Virginia, there would need to be casinos. Four were approved by voters in the cities of Bristol, Portsmouth, Danville, and Norfolk. Voters in Richmond would not approve a casino in a November 2021 vote with 51% voting no. But the other four casinos are a go, and Bristol already opened a temporary location in the summer of 2022 and the first permanent casino opened in January 2023 with the launch of Rivers Casino Portsmouth. It has many slot machines, table games, and a poker room.
As for online casino gaming, the legal process still has to play out, and that could take a few years. But with so much gambling getting the legal seal of approval in the Old Dominion State, it could be only a matter of time before you are playing licensed online casinos in Virginia.
Special Features of the Best Online Casino Sites
For the best online sites, we look at the special features that will provide casino players with the best online gaming experience. For the casino specifically, we expect casino game variety, great banking methods, customer service, live dealer games, and more. We go over the special features we grade online casinos for below.
Competitive Gambling Odds
Most casino games are going to give users the same odds just by the design of the game, but we like to see edges like the bad beat jackpot games in the poker room at BetOnline, or the reduced juice offered on the sportsbooks at places like Heritage Sports and BetAnySports. Anywhere that online casino players can get an edge over the competition, that is a plus in that online casino’s favor.
A Variety of Betting Markets Available
If an online casino has poker and specialty games to go along with favorite games like blackjack and slots, then chances are the bettor will stick with the site instead of venturing out to another company for more gambling options. This is why a variety of betting markets is crucial, and the more of the wide range offered, the better. The same goes for the sportsbook.
Deposit & Withdrawal Methods
Not many features are more important than the ease and variety of payment options with an online casino. No one is going to win all the time, so you will have to use the deposit options from time to time if you want to win money online. Some people prefer traditional banking methods such as debit cards and credit cards, while others may want to use crypto (Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, etc.) or an eWallet option. A top online casino will have all of those features with minimal fees and fast processing times.
Generous Bonuses
Some online casino players would admit bonuses are the main reason they join an online casino. The welcome bonus alone is usually worth a lot of bonus money based on your first deposit. But the key to a good online casino is to keep offering a variety of bonuses to loyal users who return time and time again. That could mean promo codes for more deposit bonuses, risk-free bets, free spins on the casino, or a good reward program where one accumulates points that can be used to purchase more bonus bets.
Live Dealers Available
It is hard to be a top-flight online casino if you are not offering live dealer games these days. These are games with a real dealer at a table running the games you can watch using video chat to make it feel like you are right there betting with them and against other casino players. These tables usually have reasonable limits too, so you can bet high amounts here.
Quality of the User Interface
A good user interface is crucial as everything should be organized neatly to allow us for seamless movement from one section to the next. Depositing and withdrawing money should be clear and obvious. The promos page should be updated and show us the latest offers we have to use. The casino should have games split up into proper sections, and there should be a choice to favorite a game for quicker access.
Many people are using mobile devices to access these online casinos. Since they lack a downloadable app, we need a good mobile interface to navigate on a site that is optimized for use with a mobile device. We should be able to easily read the text and click from section to section, moving through the deposit option to the mobile casino games with ease. We also have to judge a site on the quality of its poker software like at Bovada and BetOnline.
Customer Service Options
The best customer service at an online casino will offer 24/7 availability with a variety of communication methods: message forms, email, a phone number and a live chat feature. It would be best to chat with a live agent, though a lot of sites are moving towards artificial intelligence for that. That is fine as long as we can get our situation resolved in a timely manner.
Security & Safety Features
Any time you are spending money online and sharing personal data, there is a risk associated with that. Any site in the world can be hacked, which is why security is a critical feature of a good site involved in protecting this type of sensitive user data. We feel confident in the security of the online casinos we recommended because they have been in business for years and we can see we are logged in with a secure connection when using these online sites.
Fan-Favorite Casino Games in Virginia
Online gambling sites do a good job of offering a variety of casino games, including slots, video poker, table games, live dealer games, and specialty games. We look at the common game types found at online casinos in the following sections.
Slots
Slot machines are some of the easiest and most fun games to play at an online casino. You also can play for a very low minimum amount per spin, allowing you to play for a long period of time. There are hundreds of different variants of online slots, so you can spend a lot of time trying out a different game each time you play the casino. The variety of slots at some of these top sites is something to behold.
Blackjack
Casino players still love blackjack, the game where you have to beat the dealer to 21 or finish with a higher total card value without going over 21. Most online casinos offer several variants of blackjack, including single-hand, multiple-hand, and Spanish blackjack games.
Poker
Online poker has really taken off in popularity in the 21st century even though most states have not legalized it yet for real money-winning. But you can play plenty of poker tournaments and cash games with other poker players at select offshore casinos. You also have video poker options that play closer to a slot machine with less skill required.
Roulette
Another favorite classic game of casino players is roulette. A ball is spun in a wheel and lands on the winning number between 1 and 36. Players can bet on the color it lands on, an odd or even number, or which range of numbers (1-18, 19-36, 1-12, 13-24, or 25-36). Multiple bets can be placed for one spin.
Live Casino Games
Some casino players may not trust the randomness of electronic table games. For a more realistic casino experience when playing your favorite games, the top online casinos now offer live casino games with real dealers managing the roulette wheel or dealing your cards. You can see them over video chat, though they do not see you and you have to communicate by text if possible. It is a fun way to play a casino game as if you were there with the dealer.
Other Casino Games
You can also find specialty games at online casinos such as keno, scratch cards, or even board games and shooting games that play closer to a video game than your average casino game. But keno is a very popular lottery-style game that some online casinos offer.
How to Create an Online Casino Account
Casino players looking to join offshore casino sites only have to complete a simple process to start winning real money today. We walk you through the sign-up process for online gambling sites below. It should be roughly the same experience no matter which site you choose.
Step 1. Sign-Up
Go to the site you want to join and start creating your account by clicking on the sign-up link. Be sure to give your account a strong password that you do not use anywhere else.
Step 2. Verify Your Details
Your account will have to be verified before it is active. Just follow the steps and provide accurate information, including your name, email, address, and phone number to reach you.
Step 3. Deposit Funds
Before making your first deposit, be sure to read about the welcome bonus that is usually dependent on the size of your initial deposit. This is typically a deposit match bonus, so be sure to take advantage of that offer when making your initial deposit. But once you know the amount you want to deposit, choose from your favorite payment options to do it and fund your account.
Step 4. Enjoy Casino Gambling
Now that your account is active and funded, you are ready to enjoy the wide variety of online casino gaming options immediately available to you. Many of these offshore platforms also have other things for you to explore, like online sports betting and horse race betting.
Land-Based Casinos in Virginia
In 2020, Virginia voters accepted the construction of four brick-and-mortar casinos in the cities of Portsmouth, Danville, Bristol, and Norfolk. A November 2021 vote for a fifth casino in Richmond was denied as 51% of voters did not approve. But construction and planning have been underway on the rest of the state’s land-based casinos:
- Rivers Casino (Portsmouth): Opened as the first fully functional Virginia casino at its permanent location in January 2023.
- Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Bristol): Opened as the state’s first temporary casino in July 2022, and the final location is hoping to launch in July 2024.
- Caesars Virginia (Danville): Plans are to open the temporary casino site in the summer of 2023 before the full facility opens in late 2024.
- HeadWaters Resort & Casino (Norfolk): No date is scheduled for the temporary casino, and the permanent location may be ready by 2025 at the latest.
With these retail casinos, you can expect an abundance of slot machines, table games, and a poker room. If Virginians prefer online play, they can always enjoy casino games at offshore casinos like the sites we reviewed in this guide.
FAQs – The Top Online Casinos for Virginia
What gambling is legal in Virginia?
Legal forms of gambling in Virginia include sports betting, Daily Fantasy Sports at sites like DraftKings and FanDuel, horse racing, charitable gaming like bingo and raffles and the lottery. These can be played in person where possible and through licensed operators online.
Can I gamble online in Virginia?
There are multiple forms of online gambling that are available in the state of Virginia but, online casino gaming is not one of them. Online sports betting and betting on horse races are both available; however, residents looking to play online slots or online poker will need an offshore site.
Where can I place a bet online in Virginia?
You can do sports betting at sites like FanDuel Sportsbook and DraftKings Sportsbook. Users looking to play real money casino games online can use offshore sites instead. Because these sites are not under the jurisdiction of the United States Federal law, they can offer users their favorite casino games.
What casino apps are legal in Virginia?
Though there are many sports betting apps available in the state now, online casino operators have yet to be given the green light. Virginia residents can play slot games and other popular casino games at offshore online operators instead.
How many casinos are in VA?
There is one land-based casino in full operation at a permanent location so far with Rivers Casino Portsmouth, which offers slot machines, table games and a live poker room. However, it is likely that several more casinos will also get the green light in the state.
