Online gambling legislation in West Virginia has taken a strange path. In 2019 the West Virginia legislature passed an online gambling bill. Governor Jim Justice chose not to sign the bill, and by default it became West Virginia law on March 27, 2019. At that point West Virginia began to set up the infrastructure that it was going to need for online gambling to become a reality.
Under the present law the land-based casinos in the state are permitted to open their own online casinos. Players will ultimately be able to access these online casinos with a computer or a mobile device. The casinos eligible for licensing include the Mountaineer Casino, Hollywood Casino, and Mardi Gras Casino.
It is expected that all of these physical casinos will offer traditional casino games such as slot machines, blackjack, baccarat, and roulette.
Online sports betting is also legal in West Virginia. The state was quick to permit the very first operators to offer online sports betting, and many feel that online casinos will also be very quick to appear. In the case of many states it has taken up to a year before online gambling platforms are ready to launch. The same could be the case in West Virginia.
Those who wish to gamble online for real money in West Virginia must be over the age of 21. They must be able to verify their age and identity with proper identification. The online casinos and sportsbooks are also authorized to use geo-tracking software to determine the location of anyone accessing online gaming platforms in West Virginia.
