Legal Online Casinos in Virginia
All About Online Casinos in Virginia (summary)
Online casinos are not legal in Virginia, but players can still enjoy casino-style games through sweepstakes casinos. These platforms allow users to play legally and win real prizes without using real money.
Key Points
- Gambling Laws in Virginia:
- Online casinos are not yet legal, but sweepstakes casinos are allowed.
- Sweepstakes casinos offer Gold Coins (free play) and Sweeps Coins (redeemable for cash prizes).
- Differences Between Real Money and Sweepstakes Casinos:
- Real money casinos require deposits and licenses.
- Sweepstakes casinos operate under a “No Purchase Model” and “AMOE Policy.”
- Players must be 18+ to join sweepstakes casinos.
- Other Legal Gambling Options in Virginia:
- Sports Betting: Legal since 2020, regulated by the Virginia Lottery Board.
- Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS): Legal since 2016, with major operators like DraftKings and FanDuel.
- Horse Racing Betting: Legal since 1988, with online and track betting options.
- Lottery: State-run lottery offering various draws and scratchcards.
- Land-Based Casinos: Approved in five cities, with casinos now operating in Bristol, Danville, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and soon in Petersburg.
Conclusion
While online casinos remain illegal in Virginia, players have legal alternatives like sweepstakes casinos. Other gambling options, such as sports betting and DFS, continue to grow, with land-based casinos expanding across the state.
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More about Online Gambling in Virginia
Online casinos in Virginia are not legal (not yet, at least), but VA players have a legal alternative to access casino-style games online and win real money prizes. We’re talking about online sweepstakes casinos, which provide a similar experience as real money online casinos, but their main purpose is entertainment, so they are considered legal in the state of Virginia.
If you’re looking for the best casino slots, table games, or even live dealers, we’ve got you covered. Sweepstakes casinos are full of fun games filled with bonus rounds, various no deposit promotions, speedy redemptions, and more!
Best Sweepstakes Casinos in Virginia
Virginia is one of the many US states where sweepstakes casinos are legal. In fact, sweepstakes casinos have been around for a few years, and so far, only two states don’t allow them: Washington, D.C. and Michigan. We’ll add here Idaho, where they are partly legal. More precisely, some operators accept players from Idaho but offer only Gold Coin play, i.e., free play.
You should know that every operator we’ve stumbled across accepts players from Virginia, and we’ve tested over 80 sites. Our top choices for sweepstakes casinos in the state offer top-notch casino games, great bonuses, simple terms, fast and fee-less redemptions, and accessible support. The ranking methodology we use goes more in-depth about our whole testing process, so let’s get right to it.
Our Ranking Criteria
These are the segments that our testers pay the most attention to and give points in order to rank the sweeps sites properly. We’d like to note that if a casino fails our safety and security checks, it cannot be listed on our site.
- Security: Player safety is our top priority. We ensure the casino is SSL certified, uses fair RNG software, and offers secure payment options with trusted payment providers.
- Games: You are here to play casino games, so we want to make sure you get the quantity and quality you deserve. We also appreciate variety, which is why we include operators that offer online slots, table games, arcades, fish games, card games, slingo, and live dealer games.
- Software providers: While we value indie providers, we prefer games from trusted software giants like Evolution, Pragmatic Play, and Novomatic. These brands offer certified, fair games with diverse features for a more enjoyable experience.
- Bonuses: Sweepstakes casinos must offer free bonuses; otherwise, they don’t qualify. We prioritize bonus variety and value, favoring sites with generous no deposit welcome bonuses that provide ample Gold Coins for testing and Sweeps Coins for real play.
- Support: Customer support is crucial for sweepstakes casinos. While live chat isn’t required, we prefer it. We value fast ticket or email responses (under 24 hours) and detailed explanations, which earn extra points.
- Mobile availability: Since sweepstakes casinos are still new, most lack native apps. While some exist, most rely on instant play. We prioritize casinos truly optimized for mobile, avoiding those with laggy menus and pop-ups.
- Responsible gaming policies: While purchases are not necessary at sweepstakes casinos, most players join these sites to be able to win real prizes, which is why it’s paramount for casinos actually to have responsible gaming policies and tools.
How Do Sweepstakes Casinos Work
If you’re new to sweepstakes, we’re here to clear the air. Sweepstakes casinos work based on the No Purchase Model, which essentially means that they must provide you access to casino-style games for free. Sweeps casinos do this by offering you Gold Coins. This virtual currency with no monetary value allows you to play the games, similar to demo mode.
However, if you wish to be able to win real money prizes, you’ll have to play in Promotional Mode with Sweeps Coins (SC), which can be later redeemed. You cannot buy Sweeps Coins directly, which brings us to the next sweeps concept, which is the Alternative Method of Entry, or AMOE for short. This means that the casino must provide a way for you to receive Sweeps Coins for free, and they do this by providing a mail-in bonus.
To receive the mail-in bonus, you actually have to handwrite a letter and send it to the address in their AMOE policy. You’ll find all kinds of rules as to what kind of letters are accepted, and you’ll have to wait for the owner to process your free SC request. You could skip the line, though, and purchase Gold Coin packages that come with free Sweeps Coins.
Sweeps Casinos vs. Real Money Casinos
| Info | Real Money Casinos | Sweeps Casinos |
| Available states | New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, West Virginia, Michigan, and Delaware | All US states except Washington, Michigan, and Idaho |
| Licenses | State licenses are a must | No license needed |
| Players age | 21+ | 18+ |
| Currency | USD | Gold Coins, Sweeps Coins |
| Play Modes | Real money & demo mode | Free (GC) & Promotional play (SC) |
| Games | US-licensed providers | World-renowned providers |
| Mobile play | Mobile apps | Instant casinos |
The Legalisation of Online Casinos in Virginia
Online casinos aren’t legal in Virginia, even though some consider that with the passing of the Virginia Lottery Board Law, the road has been paved for future online casino legislation. For now, players over 18 years old who are looking forward to playing online casino games legally can join VA sweepstakes casinos.
Other Types of Online Gambling in Virginia
While online casinos aren’t legal in VA, the state has made some progress in the past couple of years and has legalized certain betting forms. This is a short overview of the current gambling landscape in Virginia.
Sports Betting
Virginia passed sports betting legislation in 2020 by authorizing the Virginia Lottery Board to regulate online sports betting. The VIB is responsible for overseeing licenses and regulations, customer protections, and taxes. Up to 12 online sports betting providers can operate in the state, but wagering on youth sports, prop bets on college sports, and bets on Virginia college sports are prohibited. VA players over 21 can place sports bets.
Daily Fantasy Sports
Daily Fantasy Sports was legalized in 2016, and big brands, such as DraftKings and FanDuel, are licensed to offer DFS bets online in Virginia.
Horse Betting
Virginia has had legal horse betting since 1988, regulated by the Virginia Racing Commission. You can place bets online and at some horse racing tracks as long as you are over 18 years old. Historical horse racing betting was also legalized in 2018, while live horse racing and pari-mutuel betting returned to Colonial Downs in 2019.
Lottery Games
Virginia has legal local lottery draws, such as Pick 2, Bank a Million, scratchcards, and national games, such as Powerball and Mega Millions. You need to be over 18 to participate or buy lottery tickets.
Land-Based Casinos
Four cities – Bristol, Danville, Norfolk, and Portsmouth – approved land-based casinos in November 2020. The fifth license was meant for Richmond, but the referendum voters didn’t give it a pass, even though they voted twice, in 2021 and 2023. Therefore, instead of Richmond, Petersburg got a license, while Fairfax County may get its casino in 2025.
Currently, the available casino establishments are:
- Bristol: Hard Rock International
- Danville: Caesars Entertainment
- Norfolk: HeadWaters by The Pamunkey Tribe
- Portsmouth: Rivers Casino by Rush Street Gaming
- Petersburg: Live! VA
FAQ About Sweepstakes Casinos in Viginia
We cannot say when online casinos will be legal in VA with certainty. There are signals that the state may eventually regulate online casinos, but for now, they remain illegal.
Yes, you can play casino games in land-based casinos or when you sign up at sweepstakes online casinos form our list.
You need to be at least 21 years old to play games in land-based casinos in Virginia. However, you need to be at least 18 years old to join sweepstakes casinos.
Yes, you can claim casino bonuses in Virginia by registering accounts at sweeps sites that accept VA players. Check out our top list to find out more.
Yes, sweepstake casinos are legal in Virginia and are open to anyone who’s over 18 years old.
