Online gambling and sports betting in Virginia

• Online sports betting legal since Jan 2021; online only via licensed platforms.
• Retail sportsbooks permitted in licensed casinos; casino gaming regulated separately.
• Online casino/iGaming not yet live; enabling bill HB161/SB118 with regulations due by Sep 30, 2026.
• Sports betting regulated by Virginia Lottery (Department; Board oversees program).
• Sports betting statute in Article 2, Chapter 40, Title 58.1 (Code of Virginia).
• Online sports betting must be initiated and received within Virginia.
• Minimum age for sports betting is 21.
• Credit cards banned for funding sports betting accounts from July 1, 2026 (HB 515).
• Prohibited bets: Virginia college teams; college proposition bets; youth sports wagers.
• Online and retail sports betting taxed at 15% of adjusted gross revenue.

Virginia Lottery (Department; Virginia Lottery Board)

Code of Virginia, Title 58.1, Chapter 40, Article 2 (Sports Betting); Chapter 41 (Casino Gaming)

Not confirmed. unconfirmed.

General gambling and consumer-protection laws apply; targeting Virginia with offshore betting likely inconsistent with requirements that betting occur only through licensed platforms inside Virginia.

National rules also apply — see online gambling regulation in United States.

The regulator publishes a list of licensed or authorised operators.

• HB 161 / SB118 establish licensed internet gaming; Lottery Board to issue implementing regulations by Sep 30, 2026.
• Temporary Petersburg casino opened Jan 22, 2026, offering retail sports betting while permanent resort is developed.
• HB 515 effective July 1, 2026, prohibits use of credit cards to fund sports betting accounts.
• 2026 proposal HB 1527 to relax Virginia college betting restrictions failed; existing prohibitions remain.

• Exact Virginia Lottery URL for the published list of licensed sports betting operators.
• Specific statutory provision expressly banning advertising of offshore/unlicensed gambling operators.
• Final form and effective date of internet gaming regulations promulgated under HB 161/SB118 beyond the September 30, 2026 deadline.
• Whether Virginia has any enforcement or guidance specifically on sweepstakes casinos beyond general sweepstakes law.
• Whether Virginia has any explicit statute or regulator guidance on paid loot boxes/mystery boxes.
• Whether Virginia-specific law treats prediction markets as gambling, securities, or unregulated financial products.

1. lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB118/text/SB118SC3
2. law.lis.virginia.gov/vacodefull/title58.1/subtitleIV/
3. actionnetwork.com/online-sports-betting
4. legalsportsbetting.com/virginia/
5. law.lis.virginia.gov/vacodefull/title58.1/chapter40/article2/
6. law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title11/agency5/chapter80/
7. sports.statelawguide.com/virginia/
8. lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB161/text/HB161
9. legaluspokersites.com/state-laws/virginia/
10. worldpokerdeals.com/blog/online-poker-in-virginia
11. gamblingsite.com/virginia/
12. casinos.org/us/virginia/
13. worldpokerdeals.com/is-online-poker-legal-us
14. pokerfuse.com/online-poker/virginia/
15. gamblingsitesusa.com/poker/states/
16. legalpoker.com/virginia/
17. lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB579
18. igamingtoday.com/virginia-pauses-the-sweeps-ban-and-orders-a-study-instead/
19. mlive.com/sweepstakes-casinos/2026/01/virginia-introduces-a-sweepstakes-casino-ban-hb161-would-also-legalize-internet-gaming.html
20. sweepsy.com/us/
21. casinos.org/news/virginia-igaming-legal-casinos/
22. chipreign.com/prediction-markets/legal/virginia/
23. cbssports.com/prediction/news/va/
24. cbssports.com/prediction/news/prediction-market-legal-states/
25. predictionmarketspicks.com/learn/is-kalshi-legal-in-virginia
26. squawka.com/us/bet/prediction-markets/virginia/

Researched 2026-09-21 from public sources and summarised by the Brandfense team. Not legal advice — confirm with the regulator or your counsel before acting.