The best online casinos in Virginia offer secure payments, a large selection of games, and a range of exciting bonuses. They make it easy for you to play slots, video poker, table games, and live dealer games from anywhere in the Commonwealth.
This page highlights the top eight online casinos that accept players based in Virginia. We will walk you through their key features, so you can choose which sites best suit your needs. You will also learn more about the legal situation in Virginia, so continue reading for an in-depth guide.
Virginia has legalized many forms of gambling. It permits online sports betting, racebooks, and DFS contests. There are also commercial casinos and gambling parlors.
Pari-mutuel wagering is available on horse racing at venues such as Colonial Downs. There is an established state lottery too. However, the Commonwealth has not yet passed any laws permitting locally regulated online casinos or poker rooms, so Virginians need to use offshore sites for those activities.
Type of Gambling | Status | Explanation |
---|---|---|
Online Casinos | Offshore Only | Virginia has not passed any legislation that would permit local companies to launch online casinos, so residents must use reputable casino sites based overseas. |
Online Poker | Offshore Only | The Commonwealth does not permit American operators to offer online poker rooms in Virginia either, so once again, you must use offshore sites. |
Land-Based Casinos | Available | There are six racinos with gaming machines in Virginia, along with one commercial casino, while three more commercial casinos are poised to launch soon. |
Virginia Lottery | Available | Virginians voted in favor of a state lottery in 1987, and the first ticket was sold in September 1988. |
Online Sports Betting | Available | There are 15 locally regulated online sportsbooks in Virginia. |
Land-Based Sportsbooks | Coming Soon | Virginia does not have any commercial sportsbooks yet, but state law permits the upcoming commercial casinos to launch sportsbooks. |
Fantasy Sports | Available | DFS operators are permitted to offer contests in Virginia. |
Best Online Casinos Available in VirginiaWhat is the Gambling Age in Virginia?
Gamblers in Virginia must be 18 years old to purchase lottery tickets, place sports wagers online, and participate in DFS. To place bets at a land-based casino, you must be 21 years old. Offshore online casinos require that players be 18+.
We have reviewed dozens of leading online casinos that accept players based in Virginia. Our in-depth process is explained further down the page. After weighing up their comparative strengths and weaknesses, we decided that these are the best online casinos available in Virginia right now:
Ignition is the best all-round casino site for players in Virginia. It offers a smooth, easy-to-navigate user interface on both desktop and mobile devices. The site hosts an impressive range of slots, many of which come with Hot Drop Jackpots. These progressive payouts reward lucky players every hour, every day, and before hitting $300,000. Ignition also offers a large variety of virtual table games, a strong live dealer casino and the busiest online poker room in North America.
If you sign up for an online casino account, you can claim a 150% welcome bonus of up to $1,500. Ignition offers an identical poker welcome bonus too. There is also a comprehensive VIP program, and it offers 24/7 customer service and same day withdrawals, too.
Red Dog is the best online casino for beginners in Virginia. First-time gamblers will find a simple registration process, and there are lots of simple, convenient ways to then fund your online casino account. Red Dog Casino offers a very accessible layout, so the site is easy to navigate.
It features around 200 games, so you will not be overwhelmed with choice. The slots and table games in the range are quality titles from reliable providers. If you need help, Red Dog offers 24/7 customer service. You can call, speak with an agent via live chat or send an email. The site also welcomes you with a 225% welcome package worth up to $8,000.
DuckyLuck offers a significantly larger range of slots than Red Dog Casino and Ignition Casino. There are around 500 slots at this site, sourced from providers such as Betsoft, Tom Horn, Rival, Dragon, Fugaso, and Felix. You can browse slots by provider at DuckyLuck, and it also has designated sections for classic 3-reel slots and progressive jackpot slots.
The portfolio covers a broad spectrum of themes. Popular games include Mythic Wolf, Wishing Cup, Bigger Cash Win, Jumping Jaguar, Blazin’ Buffalo, and Chariots of Fire. It includes lots of slots with high RTP rates.
There are also loads of table games, and it offers huge bonuses. New users can grab a 500% sign-up bonus of up to $2,500, plus 150 free spins worth $1 apiece.
Bovada offers the best selection of live casino games for Virginia players. The site hosts 43 live dealer tables, located at Visionary iGaming’s dedicated studio. It features 34 live blackjack tables, covering several variants and offering bet limits of up to $10,000 per hand. They include unlimited tables, ensuring you will never struggle to find a seat, while others have “bet behind” options.
There are also live American roulette, European roulette, baccarat, and Super 6 games at Bovada. The dealers are experienced, professional and personable, and the streams are clear and reliable on desktop and mobile devices. The site also offers same day withdrawals, excellent customer service, a loyalty program, a busy poker room, a sportsbook and a racebook.
BetOnline is the No. 1 online casino for crypto users based in Virginia. You can make deposits worth between $20 and $500,000 via Bitcoin, while withdrawals can go up to $100,000 per transaction. It accepts a significantly larger range of altcoins than most competitors too. Crypto payouts are quick, and you will generally receive your funds on the same day you make a withdrawal request.
There are special crypto bonuses for sports bettors at BetOnline, but casino players receive the same bonus regardless of the deposit method used. You will receive a 100% deposit match bonus of up to $1,000, which has a 45x wagering requirement. It can only be used on Betsoft games, and baccarat, roulette, and craps are excluded. Additional bonuses include 100 free spins each week, daily tournaments, weekly and monthly reload bonuses, and various other deals.
BetUS is the best online casino for blackjack players in Virginia. It hosts 17 virtual blackjack games, with bet limits ranging from $1 to $500 per hand. There are classic blackjack games, including single deck and multiple deck games, and you can also ramp up the excitement with multi-hand blackjack. Additional variants include Switch Blackjack and Spanish Blackjack.
There are daily blackjack contests for Virginia players at BetUS, with $5 buy-ins and $5 rebuys, along with VIP blackjack contests. BetUS offers a choice of large welcome bonuses, along with some of the most attractive reload bonuses for Virginians.
Everygame is our top choice for mobile players in Virginia. It offers two online casino platforms – Classic and Red – both of which have been fully optimized for mobile play. That leaves hundreds of high-quality mobile games at your fingertips, including slots, video poker, virtual table games, variety games, and a live casino.
This is also one of the most trusted online casinos on the market. It began accepting its first bets back in 1996, and it still holds an impeccable reputation to this day. Everygame Casino offers a large variety of convenient payment methods for mobile users, and withdrawals are secure and reliable. It also offers a specific mobile bonus, which hands out free casino chips each week to 20 lucky players via a prize draw.
You can claim $15 in free casino chips if you use the bonus code ERCASH15 when signing up with El Royale Casino. There is no need to make a deposit to claim this bonus. If you complete a 45x wagering requirement, it will allow you to cash out up to $45 in winnings, without ever risking your own money.
El Royale also offers a sign-up promo worth up to $9,500 in case you decide to stay on as a paying customer. There are plenty of additional, ongoing bonuses at this 1920s Speakeasy-themed online casino, which offers a focused range of around 150 popular games and secure withdrawals via multiple cryptocurrencies and fiat-based payment methods.
Casino | Welcome Bonus | Rollover | Min. Deposit | # of Games | Review |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ignition Casino | 150% up to $1,500 | 25x | $5 | 200+ | Read Review |
Red Dog Casino | 225% up to $8,000 | 35x | $10 | 150+ | Read Review |
DuckyLuck | 500% up to $2,500 +150 Free Spins | 30x | $25 | 500+ | Read Review |
Bovada | 125% up to $1,250 | 30x | $5 | 200+ | Read Review |
BetOnline | 100% up to $1,000 x3 | 45x | $20 | 700+ | Read Review |
BetUS | 100% up to $2,500 | 30x | $50 | 450+ | Read Review |
Everygame | 200% up to $7,777 + 77 free spins | 30x | $5 | 200+ | Read Review |
El Royale Casino | 250% up to $2,500 | 40x | $10 | 500+ | Read Review |
Our experts conduct ongoing reviews of all the leading online casinos that accept players based in Virginia. We focus on the six key areas listed below, ensuring that each operator continues to uphold high standards. Leading operators such as Ignition Casino, Red Dog Casino, and DuckyLuck score highly in each of these areas:
Our recommended sites are based overseas, but they hold remote online gaming licenses in their jurisdictions, allowing them to accept customers from Virginia and other states. We have carefully vetted each of the sites, ensuring that we only highlight legit, trusted casinos that host fair games and provide secure withdrawals.
We only recommend online gambling sites with up-to-date security certificates, robust encryption software, and powerful firewalls, which have a long record of keeping their customers safe.
We break down the sign-up bonuses, reload bonuses, and additional promotions at each online casino that we review. We also delve into the reward programs and tournaments available at each online casino to see if they offer value to players in Virginia.
The selection of casino games on offer is one of the most important factors. Quantity is important, and sites like DuckyLuck stand out by hosting a very large portfolio of slots, table games, and live dealer games. However, quality is equally important, so we assess which games are available, the RTP rates they provide, the graphics and the gameplay, along with which providers have supplied them.
We explore the customer support on offer at each site by creating accounts and requesting help via each available channel. The best sites provide instant support over the phone and live chat, and they also respond quickly to emails. We also focus on the accuracy, friendliness and general clarity of the agents.
Mobile casino gaming is becoming increasingly popular in the Commonwealth, as it is easier and more convenient than using a desktop or laptop. We make sure each online casino has a mobile optimized site, which makes it easy for you to find games.
Virginia has not passed any laws permitting local companies to launch online casinos. As there are no local Virginia online casino sites, players in the state need to use offshore casinos. There are no state laws or federal laws that prevent Virginians from using online casinos based overseas.
You simply need to find a reputable, trusted offshore casino. Virginia players can sign up with any of the sites recommended on this page, as they are renowned for providing fair games and secure payouts. They hold licenses in their jurisdictions – typically the Caribbean island of Curaçao – which ensures they uphold high standards in terms of integrity, security, and responsibility. It also allows them to welcome customers from the United States, including Virginia.
In April 2020, Virginia’s legislature voted in favor of SB 36, a bill permitting casino gaming in five cities across the Commonwealth. The law was subject to voter approval in each city. Voters in Bristol, Danville, Norfolk, and Portsmouth approved the plans, but Richmond voted against it.
Rivers Casino in Portsmouth was the first to open in January 2023. Caesars Virginia is poised to open in Danville, while Hard Rock is preparing to launch a hotel and casino in Bristol. The Pamunkey Tribe has teamed up with billionaire Jon Yarbrough to open HeadWaters Resort & Casino. There could still be a fifth casino in Richmond, but it will depend on the results of another local referendum.
In addition to these commercial casinos, there are also six Rosie’s Gaming Emporium parlors in Virginia. Those venues do not offer table games or regular slots, but they are permitted to host gaming machines. You can also place bets on simulcast horse racing.
Voters in Virginia approved a state lottery in a 1987 referendum. The first ticket was sold in September 1988. All profits from the Virginia Lottery are used to fund K-12 public education. It has generated more than $14.5 billion in revenue for the school system over the years. The Virginia Lottery is located on Main Street in Richmond, overseen by executive director Kelly Gee.
There are lots of draw games within Virginia, including Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5, Cash 5, Bank a Million, and the New Year’s Millionaire Raffle. Virginia also hosts regular Keno games, allowing you to wager between $1 and $10, and there is also a daily drawing game called Cash Pop. Virginia is part of three multi-state draw games too: Cash4Life, Mega Millions, and Powerball.
Who Regulates Gambling in Virginia?The Virginia Lottery is tasked with regulating most gambling activities in the state. It was formed in 1987, and it primarily focused on running draw games and selling scratchers for many years. However, the Virginia Lottery has now been handed oversight of land-based casinos and online sportsbooks.
Lottery officials laid the regulatory framework for online sportsbooks and commercial casinos in the state. They also issued licenses to operators. The Virginia Lottery now ensures that licensees uphold the regulations, and it ensures a safe, fair gaming environment for all Virginians.
Where to Gamble In-Person in VirginiaThere are currently six gambling parlors operating under the Rosie’s Gaming Emporium brand in Virginia. It is owned by Kentucky-based Churchill Downs, Inc. They are located in Collinsville, Dumfries, Hampton, New Kent, Richmond, and Vinton. However, they are limited in their scope.
The state has also approved four major commercial casinos, which can offer more than 1,000 slot machines and lots of table games. They will be far more sophisticated than those gambling parlors. One has already launched – Rivers Portsmouth – and three more will join it soon. Some have launched smaller temporary casinos while building out their main sites, and this is what you can look forward to:
Casino | Address | Phone Number | Gambling Options | Operated By |
---|---|---|---|---|
Rivers Portsmouth | 3630 Victory Blvd, Portsmouth, VA 23701 | 757-840-2278 | 1,400 slots, 57 table games, 24 poker tables | Rush Street Interactive |
Caesars Virginia | 1100 W Main St, Danville, VA 24541 | 434-483-4500 | 1,300 slots, 85 live table games, 24 electronic table games, a WSOP poker room and a Caesars Sportsbook | Caesars Entertainment |
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol | 500 Gate City Hwy, Bristol, VA 24201 | 888-519-6683 | 1,300 slots, 50 table games, sportsbook | Hard Rock International / Seminole Tribe |
HeadWaters Resort & Casino | 999 Waterside Drive Suite 2100. Norfolk, VA 23510 | 757-627-1988 | 3,000 slot machines and 150 table games | Pamunkey Tribe / Jon Yarbrough |
Virginia has similar gambling laws to neighboring states Kentucky and Maryland. Both of those states have famous racetracks, including Churchill Downs in Kentucky and Pimlico in Maryland, and they both permit pari-mutuel wagering. They have retail casinos too, along with locally regulated online sportsbooks and DFS apps. However, neither permits online casinos or poker rooms at a local level, so residents need to use offshore sites.
West Virginia has the most liberal gambling laws in the region. It was the first to permit locally regulated online sportsbooks. The Mountain State also permits local operators to offer online casinos, poker, DFS, and racebooks. There are local casino apps, but no companies have launched online poker in West Virginia yet, citing the small size of the population.
Tennessee allows online sports betting and DFS. However, it has no land-based casinos, and it does not permit locally regulated online casinos or poker, either. North Carolina has some tribal casinos. It does not have local online sportsbooks yet, but it recently legalized them, and the first operators will go live soon.
Ask an ExpertWe asked our legal expert, Philip Conneller, a few questions about the legal state of online casino gambling in Virginia, and these were his answers!
Land-based gambling options are expanding in Virginia, how soon behind them could online casinos be?
Answer
Philip Conneller, Author at GamblingNerd.com,
Virginia has gone from being a state with very few gambling opportunities to one with many in a very short space of time. It’s still very early days in what has been a fairly revolutionary process to establish casino and sports betting markets, so to expect online casinos to follow hot on the heels would be way too optimistic.
The states that have legalized online casinos thus far have had relatively mature land-based casino markets. Virginia’s is largely still under construction. So, we could be looking at a decade or so before we have those types of discussions in Virginia.
From a legal standpoint, what is the main barrier to a regulated online casino market in Virginia?
Answer
Philip Conneller, Author at GamblingNerd.com,
There’s no legal impediment to a regulated online casino market if the legislature passes an enabling bill. But there needs to be a public appetite for it. Virginia lawmakers have shown they are prepared to pass legislation where local jurisdictions get to vote on the issue, as has been the case with land-based casinos. At the moment, online casinos would be a case of too much too soon for voters, but that could change in the future, especially if existing gambling expansion proves to be a success for the state.
As a casino industry becomes established in a state, it gains political clout as a major contributor to employment and taxation. If the casinos want online gaming further down the line, lawmakers may be inclined to listen to the economic argument.
Are there any lawmakers in Virginia that seem like good candidates for pioneering online gambling in the legislature?
Answer
Philip Conneller, Author at GamblingNerd.com,
There’s no obvious candidate as lawmakers simply aren’t looking at online casino legislation yet. For now, the one to watch is State Sen. David Marsden (D-Fairfax), who has filed a bill that would allow voters to decide whether to build a casino resort close to Washington DC. The current crop of casinos are all located close to the state’s southern border, but a casino in the more affluent north could quickly become a major gaming destination.
There are not currently any plans to regulate online casinos in Virginia. Only six states – Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia – currently allow local companies to operate online casinos. Recent efforts to legalize online casino gaming in Indiana and New York failed to gain traction, and it is unlikely that any bill in Virginia would gain the requisite support.
Land-based commercial casinos were legalized via the legislature in 2020. Online sportsbooks were also approved by the legislature, rather than through a voter referendum, so Virginia lawmakers hoping to roll out an online casino industry would probably need to follow the same route. No lawmakers have introduced online casino bills yet, but we will update readers if any are launched in the future.
Despite the lack of regulated online options, gamblers can still use offshore casinos, since they are not beholden to Virginia’s gambling laws.
Please gamble responsibly at online casinos. Take regular breaks and do not play with funds that you cannot afford to lose. Set limits on your time and money. Gambling is a form of entertainment, and it is not the answer to any problems. If you need help, you can access these resources:
Virginia is one of the largest states in the US, and within the past few years have legalized land-based casino operations. The online sports betting market has also recently opened up for Virginians, and that was via a voter referendum. Online casino gambling seems to be a ways off still, but players in Virginia can still use offshore casino sites, such as Wild Casino or DuckyLuck. These sites offer a wide range of slots and table games, and give users more generous bonuses than many state-sanctioned online casinos.
Isaac E. Payne is an experienced technical blogger, creative writer, and lead content manager at GamblingNerd.com. As a published author, he enjoys finding interesting and exciting ways to cover any topic. In his four years on the team, he has covered online gambling and sports betting and excelled at reviewing casino sites. In his free time, he enjoys playing blackjack and reading science fiction.