With legalized online sports betting in VA launching in January of 2021, and brick-and-mortar casinos continuing to open up in the southern part of the state, residents of the Old Dominion state continue to prove their appetite for gambling. Unfortunately for gamblers who prefer to do their gambling online, online casino legislation has thus far failed to pass in the state capital.
And despite retail poker rooms being operating in the state, legislation has also not yet passed for Virginia online poker. With online sports betting bringing in $67 million in tax revenue to the state in 2023, more than double that of 2022, there is plenty of incentive for Richmond to work towards legal Virginia online poker shortly.
Let’s take a closer look at what to expect when the day comes.
Best Virginia online poker sites
Though there are not yet any Virginia online poker sites legally operating quite yet, based on what we see in nearby states such as Pennsylvania and New Jersey, we can make some reasonable assumptions on what to expect.
Is online poker legal in Virginia?
No, online poker is not legal in Virginia, despite there being recent strides in online gambling and brick-and-mortar casino legislation. In April 2020, House Bill 896 and Senate Bill 384 were passed by the Virginia General Assembly, with then-Governor Ralph Northam signing them into law.
On January 1, 2023, sports betting officially went live in the state, and there are now 12 online sportsbooks in Virginia including Caesars Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook, DraftKings Sportsbook, and Bet365, among others.
That same month, April 2020, Virginia legislators also voted on and passed Senate Bill 36 and House Bill 4, which together, set the framework for developing casinos in specific jurisdictions throughout VA.
While Northern Virginia had to be left alone, the law allowed for casino development in Bristol, Danville, Portsmouth, and Norfolk, VA. With a casino already established in Bristol, VA, the Hard Rock Casino Bristol, and the Headwaters Resort and Casino in Norfolk, VA set to open in November 2024, the gaming momentum in Virginia continues to accelerate.
When could Virginia legalize online poker?
With tax revenue for the state when it comes to online gambling in the form of sports betting doubling year over year since launching in 2021, pressure is mounting for VA lawmakers to figure something out. Even still, there is no definitive timeline for online gambling, including Virginia online poker, to go live in the Old Dominion State.
For Virginia to legalize online poker, there would have to be a specific bill introduced to the VA General Assembly and would have to be approved by both the House and Senate. Given that there has not been a bill introduced for legislative review, at least made public, there are still quite a few hurdles for legal online poker to see the light of day in Virginia.
With the economic benefits of legal gambling becoming more evident by the date, with nearly $70 million in tax revenue from online sports betting alone last year, pressure will surely mount for online poker to be brought to the House floor.
How you would sign up at a Virginia online poker site
Despite there not being any legal Virginia online poker sites yet operating, many gamblers in the state are optimistic that it is just a matter of time. When the day comes, you should be prepared to get in on the action as we look closer at how you would sign up at a Virginia online poker site.