Sports Betting
Virginia Lawmakers Are Working to legalize in-state sports wagering in 2025
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin is a fan of the NFL and NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is sports and being able to share that through his writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became a Sports Editor, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
Get to know Zach Wolpin betterPublished06 Jan 2025
In 2025, 38 states, including Washington D.C., will have some form of legal sports betting. However, some markets, such as Virginia, do not allow wagering on in-state colleges. Lawmakers in 2025 can change the current rules and allow bets on teams like the Virginia Tech Hokies and Virginia Cavaliers. Additionally, slot and table games could enter the Virginia sports betting market in early 2025.
Next week, the Virginia Assembly will meet for a 30-day legislative session. Ahead of that, bills are being reheated and pre-filed That includes at least two pieces of legislation that involve sports betting and online casino gambling. iGaming is still not legalized in the Commonwealth State. On December 31, 2024, Democratic State Sen. Mamie Locke pre-filed legislation that would authorize iGaming under the watch of the Virginia Lottery Board.
What would iGaming look like in Virginia?
A bill to legalize iGaming in Virginia has already been referred to the Senate’s General Laws and Technology Committee. If the bill passes in 2025, iGaming licensees could be issued to brick-and-mortar casinos. They would have to pay an initial fee of $1 million for the license and an adjusted gross gaming revenue of 15%. Ninety-seven-and-a-half percent of the tax revenue would go to the state’s general fund. The other 2.5% would be earmarked for the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund.
Licensed gaming operators in Virginia will be able to offer as many as three platforms. They would also be able to contract with up to three platform providers to run an online casino. The proposed bill states that platforms will have to use a “single distinct brand”, although a second can be used for Poker. Three casinos currently operate in Virginia, with another in Norfolk on the way. More than a dozen sports betting operators could open for business in 2025.
If this bill becomes law, the Virginia Lottery Board has until September 30, 2025, to publish iGaming regulations. The state’s lottery director could start taking license applications ahead of time. It’s unclear just how much action Virginia will see from iGaming in the future. Seven other states including Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and West Virginia all have legalized iGaming.
Betting on in-state teams could become legal in Virginia in 2025
Senate Bill 124 is working to allow residents to wagers on in-state teams. Virginia is currently one of several states that prohibits those types of bets. On Friday, the Virginia Tech Hokies played in the Duke’s May Bowl vs. the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Residents in Virginia were unable to wager on their team. That included player props which have been another hot topic of discussion.
