West Virginia
Gambling Laws 2026

Sports betting is legal in West Virginia, one of 36 states where it is, as of May 2026. Commercial casinos are legal, as they are in 24 states, and online casino gambling is legal, one of 9 states that allow it. West Virginia has a state lottery, and horse racing is legal.

West Virginia moved early on both online casino gambling and sports betting. The state authorized both in 2018 and launched sports betting in late 2018 and online casino gambling in 2019, making it one of the pioneering states in the country on both fronts. The state has five casino resorts: Mountaineer Casino Resort, Mardi Gras Casino and Resort, Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack, Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races, and the Greenbrier Casino Club. These are distributed across the state with concentration in the Northern Panhandle corridor.

The lottery has operated since 1986. Horse racing at Charles Town Races and the other racino properties has a long history. The Greenbrier, a historic resort property, holds a casino license that adds a luxury dimension to the market.

For residents, West Virginia offers a complete gambling framework. Mobile sports betting is available through licensed apps. Online casino gambling is legal and accessible through platforms like BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel. Physical casinos are accessible within the state, though the distances involved in a rural state can be significant. West Virginia has often moved before much larger states, establishing legal frameworks that other states then referenced.

5 casino resorts. One of the first states to offer online casino gambling (2019). Sports betting pioneer.

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Also on West Virginia: the full West Virginia profile covers taxes, cost of living, crime and schools, and the county map lets you compare every county in the state. For related rules, read the West Virginia sex laws guide and the West Virginia country music guide.