WV Sports Betting and PASPA Repeal
With PASPA (Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act) law overturned, states are now free to establish their own regulated sports betting.
West Virginia is among the states to move fast to launch WV sports betting as a way of increasing their own funds from what providers will pay back to the state in the form of taxes. WV lottery general counsel Boyd Danielle said that the state which had passed a law to legalize sports gambling would possibly have sports betting inside 90 days of PASPA’s repeal.
According to the American Gaming Association (AGA), WV is among the 17 states that have bills or have passed making their path via state legislatures to authorize sports betting upon PASPA’s repeal. This change in the gambling laws was warmly welcomed by residents in West Virginia especially those who love gambling. Thanks to this law, players no longer have to plan long trips for going to land-based gaming facilities. If you are a West Virginian, you will soon have lots of online gaming platforms at your disposal. As we speak, plenty of brands are preparing for launch in the West Virginian online betting market.
The First Sports Bets in WV
The first sports bets in West Virginia were on local sporting events in the country. These include major professional sports and college sports ranging from basketball, football, soccer, baseball, tennis, and hockey. With the repealing of the gambling laws, it looks like West Virginians are in for a treat because there will be so much variety.
Online Sports Betting in WV
For WV sports betting, mobile sports betting will also be permitted. However, you must bear in mind that players using mobile apps must be situated in West Virginia. Already, in states like New Jersey and Pennsylvania, the apps available there use geofencing technology to make sure that locals within the respective states are the only ones who can use them. Like in many other parts of the globe, gamers will have to create gaming accounts so that they can bet on sports for real money from the comfort of their homes.
What are WV Gambling Laws?
Since the laws that cover gambling have been repealed, there are still plenty of WV residents that don’t really know what the law stipulates. If you are unsure about anything related to the law, the table below summarizes the major WV sports betting laws in easily digestible chunks:
| Code Sections |
Chapter 19
Article 23
Chapter 29: West Virginia Code
Article 22A – Race Track and Video Lottery)
Article 22B – Video Lottery(Limited)
Article 22C – Lottery Racetrack and Table Games
Chapter 61
Article 10 – Public Policy Crimes |
| Betting |
WV, West Virginia terms betting as gambling or making wagers (money) or any other valuable thing on any gambling game. |
| Penalty |
Illegal betting penalties vary from $5-$100 fine for gambling at slots or table games to $100-$1000 as well as 2 to 12 months imprisonment for keeping a table or machine.
Operating an illicit lottery will also lead to forfeiting the proceeds to the state. |
| Off-Track Betting/Dog Racing |
Parimutuel wagering and licensed dog racing are permitted |
| Off-Track Betting/Horse Racing |
WV law allows certified horse racing and parimutuel betting |
| Casinos |
Video lottery games which can resemble slots machines are permitted at pari-mutuel racing facilities. On the other hand, the machines can’t utilize themes of the casino such as roulette, dice, and baccarat. |
| Other additional Betting Activities Permitted |
Raffles, Bingo and other gambling games that are funded by charitable associations are accepted by law. |
| Other Betting Activities Prohibited |
Several activities are banned here, and they include animal fighting (basically dogfighting or cockfighting) betting at hotels, ‘policy’ or ‘numbers’ games, keeping illegal betting devices, or accepting them on the property, or keeping a watch to safeguard unlicensed betting activities are all against the law. |
West Virginia sports betting laws be complex and entail both business and criminal laws. You can consult a betting lawyer for more explanations in case there’s something that you don’t understand well enough. To keep your finances in check in case you land on a huge win at the racetracks, for instance, you should consider speaking to a tax expert.
How to Bet in West Virginia
For you to enjoy sports betting in West Virginia, you must be 21+ years of age. In case you want to place your bets online or via mobile devices, you must be located within the state. However, you don’t have to be a resident of West Virginia to sign up for a real money sports betting account. So, this essentially means that players from Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio among others could easily come to West Virginia and sign up for an account and make wagers while in the state.
Sports Betting Tips
As a rule of thumb, you should take part in Sports betting activities just fun. Spending money to back or bet against the participating teams or players is just a way of taking the excitement up a notch. If you approach things in the wrong way, you’ll never enjoy betting on sports. Remember there’s usually no surefire way towards making profit, and that’s why it’s called gambling, you can’t be 100% sure and anything can happen. Some of the useful tips that we’ll help you through your betting include:
- Don’t make it a habit to always bet for your favorite teams, be practical to place better wagers.
- Set a budget and use a staking plan.
- Be selective. Making too many bets can be as destructive as wagering too much money
- Don’t bet with any money that you can’t afford to lose
States in Which Gambling is Illegal
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) declared in a 6-3 decision on Monday, May 14, 2018, to kick out a state prohibition on sports betting.
The ruling doesn’t certainly legalize sports betting across the United States. It does grant states the sovereignty to decide on their own if they want sports gambling authorized or not.
The PASPA, Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 put a federal prohibition on state-legalized sports betting in every state that did not fulfill already legalized sports betting standards set by the 1991-time limit.
Only Delaware, Oregon, Montana, and Nevada already authorized sports wagering. Furthermore, Nevada is the only state that had authorized sing-game betting. NJ, New Jersey allowed sports gambling, and by October a New Mexico casino started taking sports wagers.
A report published by Krejcik and Eilers Gaming foretells 14 states in the US will have legalized sports wagering in 2 years. This includes Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Michigan, Connecticut, and Mississippi. However, for now, sports betting is still illegal in the states that haven’t revisited their laws, but the federal ban is not active.
WV Sports Betting FAQs
Do you have any questions about WV sports betting? Well, here are some of the frequently asked questions about sports betting in West Virginia:
Is it legal to bet on sports in WV?
Yes, WV sports betting became legal after the state changed its gambling laws after the repeal of the PASPA law that banned sports betting across the entire country.
Is betting on horses in WV allowed?
Yes, just like any other kind of betting, betting on horses in West Virginia is allowed.
Can I make online sports bets from WV?
Online WV sports betting is now allowed. However, those using apps must be in West Virginia. Also, online sports betting is the second certified kind of internet gambling in West Virginia.
Is mobile sports wagering allowed?
Of course, mobile devices are the most popular means of online betting. The law authorizes online mobile WV sports betting, and guidelines are ready to include implementation.
What sports can I bet on?
You can make bets on any major professional sport such as football, basketball, soccer, horse and greyhound racing, hockey and so much more.
Is college sports betting allowed in WV?
Yes, there are no laws that are against college sports betting. You can bet on college sports teams and events within the state just like any other sporting activities.
Are there wagering restrictions?
There are no wagering restrictions on West Virginia state venues and teams.
Can I still play daily fantasy sports?
Yes. Daily fantasy sports status has been unaffected by the recent sports betting laws and you can still play them as you used to.
