Casino In West Virginia
So, West Virginia will require online casinos to ensure that only those within the state lines can access real money casino games. The only way such casinos can verify your location is by deploying geolocation tracking software and other technologies. Located in Charles Town, West Virginia, near Harpers Ferry and under an hour from D.C. And Baltimore, this gaming and entertainment destination is a short drive away! Types of Casinos in West Virginia There are five casinos in West Virginia: four pari-mutuel facilities and one resort hotel.
Online casinos are now live and legal in West Virginia. DraftKings Casino became the first online casino to open its doors to West Virginians in July 2020. The launch of DraftKings is only the first of a handful of casinos that could come to the Mountain State.
Real money casinos come equipped with a number of features including blackjack, table games and of course slot machines. One of the defining though, is the bonus offers. Almost all legal casinos offer a no deposit bonus in addition to a deposit offer. This can add hundreds of dollars to your casino account if you know where to go and what code to use.
Thankfully, you’re in the right place to find that information, too. We have and will have all the latest deals with online casinos in West Virginia. Read on for all the latest news, updates, and those bonus codes for online casinos in the Mountain State.
Best online casino in West Virginia
When did WV online casinos launch?
The first West Virginia online casino launched in July 2020. DraftKings began accepting wagers as part of its partnership with Hollywood Casino Charles Town.
With the launch, West Virginia became the fourth state in the US to offer online casino play to its residents and visitors. The Mountain State joins Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania as locations for casino play through laptops and mobile devices.
As it happens, West Virginians can now access their favorite casino games through Android or Apple (iOS) devices. The app allows for both real money and demo play so that players can play at their preferred comfort levels.
DraftKings is unlikely to be the only game in town for very long. Both FanDuel and MGM already have inroads in the state, and their online products are already available elsewhere.
Nevertheless, you can enjoy online casino play in West Virginia right this second.
Online Casino Bonuses in West Virginia
One of the truths about running an online business of any type is that your competitors are only a click away. No business owners are more acutely aware of this fact than online casino operators.
So, in order to attract and retain players, online casinos will always have some sort of promotions or bonuses running. Since these bonuses often come with an opportunity for you to put hundreds of extra dollars into your casino bankroll, they are worthy of your attention.
So, below are explanations about the common types of online casino bonuses that you may find in West Virginia online casinos.
No deposit bonuses
One of the first types of bonuses that you might find is also one of the sweetest. It is possible to get money or free bets placed into your account without ever having to spend a dime. The no deposit bonus is always a good thing.
No deposit bonuses are pledges from the online casino to infuse a certain dollar amount into your player account. This amount is usually no more than about $20, and it may come in the form of free bets. However, there is rarely a time that you should not take advantage of this kind of bonus offer.
Risk-free bet
Another excellent type of promotion to grab if you see it is the risk-free bet. With this kind of bonus, the online casino will issue you a voucher for a wager of a certain amount that is good for betting on its games.
Now, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. The first thing is that the online casino may limit the games that you can use the risk-free bet to play. You should still use risk-free bets when they come along, but you might have to go outside your comfort zone to do so.
The second issue is that risk-free bets are usually indivisible and cannot be split to make multiple bets. Any unused portion will become void, so make sure to bet it all with these types of wagers.
However, risk-free bets are great things. There’s a reason that this type of promotion and no-deposit bonuses are the most common types offered to new players. Don’t ever miss out on them when they come around.
Deposit/match/reload
Deposit bonuses are quite common offers that you can find at most online casinos. In this type of bonus, the casino will match all or a portion of your deposit amount and put it into your account.
The only catch is that the casino will always require you to play through the amount before you can withdraw it as cash. In some cases, you need only wager through once, but some deposit bonuses require playthrough 50x the bonus amount.
Between the requirement and the time limit placed upon its redemption, you might find yourself in a bit of a bind to redeem a deposit bonus. However, not all deposit bonuses are impossible, so you should consider each offer carefully.
These bonuses are also called match bonuses from time to time. A casino might also offer a reload bonus to existing customers, but they are essentially identical to deposit bonuses.
Free spins
Free spin bonuses are quite similar to free bet bonuses, in that you are granted the ability to take part in a gambling game without paying anything. In a free spin bonus, the casino will present you with a certain number of slot machine spins that you can redeem at any time.
However, the casino will usually designate the slot machines eligible for the promotion, and they tend not to be the progressive machines with the highest jackpots. In some cases, a casino might have a special slot machine specifically set aside for the promotion.
There’s really no reason not to use this promo, though. At worst, your only loss is the time you spend spinning.
Cashback
Whenever you gamble, there’s always a chance that things won’t work out. So, online casinos will sometimes offer to make things right if you lose. Cashback bonuses do exactly that. A cashback bonus will compensate all or a portion of your net losses during a certain period of time or on a certain game. The bonus will either be in the form of site credit, or it will be straight cash.
Either way, you’ll have another bite at the apple. For the most part, these are a no-brainer.
Loyalty/rewards programs
In order to reward players who keep returning to their site, online casinos will often create a loyalty program or rewards scheme. These programs allow players to accrue points as they play normally.
Those points are redeemable for various prizes, perks, or benefits on the site. Those benefits can include free bets, cash, restaurant vouchers, or reservations at the casino’s land-based partner. The more you play, the bigger your award.
Loyalty programs are almost always free to join. Since they exist in the background, make sure to sign up so that you can get extra spiffs when you’re onsite.
How to play free and real money casino games
West Virginia online casinos will launch with hundreds of different games, as long as the West Virginia Lottery Commission approves.
The lottery commission will need to approve all games run by online casinos in WV. It will likely to stick to electronic versions of the same games already approved at land-based casinos across the state.
While the list of lottery commission-approved games will include a small variety of online table games and online poker variants, it is sure to be filled to the brim with online slots.
Here’s a look at the games you can or will find in West Virginia online casinos:
Online slots
Slots are popular enough with the gambling public that they take up the majority of the floor space inside West Virginia land-based casinos. They will undoubtedly take up the most bandwidth at WV online casinos, as well.
Inside WV casinos, some of the classic reel one-armed bandits are still around, although most have been replaced by modern video slots with new gameplay features, bonus games and pop-culture themes.
The most popular of these slots have also made the move to online sites. Designers such as IGT, Bally and WMS have created online versions of their most popular titles at brick and mortar casinos.
That means West Virginia online casinos will feature dozens of these modern video slots, which are based on popular television, movie and musical themes with wild and scatter symbols and bonus games. Plus, there will be online versions of classic reel slots, too.
There are sure to be multi-denomination slots, penny slots, and high-roller slots. Some will come with fixed and others will have progressive jackpots.
In fact, as time goes by, there will literally be hundreds of online slots for you to choose from at West Virginia casinos online.
Online blackjack
Blackjack is the most popular table game at WV casinos, and the game’s popularity is bound to translate online. You’ll probably find the same blackjack game you encounter at WV land-based casinos employed online.
The good news is that blackjack is played under player-friendly rules in WV with a return-to-player rate of 96.6%. In other words, the house advantage is only 3.4%.
The low-house edge is due to the following rules:
- Blackjack pays 3:2.
- Dealer stands on soft 17.
- Double down any cards.
- Double after splitting.
- Surrender available.
Online roulette and video poker
American roulette has a single and double zero slot, which almost doubles the house edge of European roulette and its single zero slot. In other words, if you want to play roulette online in West Virginia, we suggest you look around for European roulette.
Video poker has made the transition online in every state with online casinos.
The popular standards you play at brick and mortar casinos make it online in WV as well. That means multi-denominational and multi-hand versions of jacks or better, deuces wild and bonus poker should soon be available at WV online casinos.
Other online table games
Since you can find the following table games at WV land-based casinos, WV casino sites host online versions of the same games. The only real difference between the two is computerized random number generators determine the outcome of the games online, instead of dealers and playing cards.
- Three card poker
- Four card poker
- Pai gow poker
- Let it ride
- Mini baccarat
- Ultimate Texas Hold ’em
Games you won’t find online in WV
The following games may one day be played at online casinos in West Virginia, but aren’t available just yet.
Online craps
Craps is the most social game at WV casinos, but the social side of the game doesn’t translate all that well online.
Simply put, online craps isn’t as much fun as its live counterpart. The loss of the social aspect hurts the appeal of the game, and the speed at which the online game plays can make the tumbling dice difficult to follow.
Live dealer games
Live dealer games combine live casino games with online wagering. The games are run by real people inside live gaming studios. Real dealers run the action, online casinos put up a simulcast of it and you can bet on it through an online betting interface.
You can even interact with the dealers and other players as it happens. Online casinos offer the following live dealer games across the US:
- Blackjack
- Three-card poker
- Baccarat
- Casino hold ’em
- Roulette
However, WV online casinos aren’t likely to offer live dealer casino games right away – mostly due to the cost of setting up a studio.
Casinos will more likely want to see what the market is like without live dealer games before determining if there is a big demand for these games. The size of the WV online gambling market may mean it is never financially feasible to run online live dealer games.
Most popular casino game developers
The top land-based slot and casino game developers in the world also build games for online casinos in the US. They include:
IGT Slots
International Gaming Technology is one of the biggest gambling companies in the world. Iconic IGT slot titles include Megabucks and Wheel of Fortune.
IGT is also a leader in pop-culture-themed slots and linked jackpot slots like its MegaJackpots series. Some of IGT’s most popular slots include:
- Cleopatra
- Texas Tea
- Da Vinci Diamonds
- Wolf Run
- Monopoly
- Ghostbusters
- Sex and the City
- Jurassic Park
- Avatar
WMS Slots
WMS Industries has designed and built iconic slot titles like the Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and James Bond 007-themed games.
WMS now operates under the Scientific Games umbrella, alongside Shuffle Master and Bally.
Some of its other popular slots include several Monopoly titles, Zeus and Kronos Unleashed. WMS is also responsible for themed slots such as:
- The Simpsons
- Mad Men
- Seinfeld
- Star Trek
- The Flintstones
Bally Slot Machines
Bally is an iconic American casino and gaming brand. Its most popular slots include the Quick Hit series, Triple Cash Wheel and Asian-themed slots like Lucky Tree and Fu Dao Le.
AGS Slots
American Gaming Systems is a Nevada-based live casino and online slot designer responsible for titles like:
- River Dragons
- Fire Wolf II
- Rakin’ Bacon
AGS’ Xtreme Jackpots linked-progressive series is also growing in popularity. It includes:
- Wolf Queen
- Winter of the Dragons
- Longhorn Jackpots
Konami slots
Konami is a video-game-turned-worldwide-slot-machine developer. It now creates original slots and games based on its popular video game licenses.
Some of Konami’s hottest slots include:
- Dragon’s Law Twin Fever
- Solstice Celebration
- Chili Chili Fire
- Lion Festival
- Castlevania
Deposit options and how to cash out winnings
Every West Virginia online casino operator wants to make it easy for you to get money into your online casino account. So, there are a wide variety of deposit and withdrawal options available to you.
Deposit options include:
- Credit and debit cards: Casinos take Visa, Mastercard and other major cards, provided the issuing institution approves of online gambling transactions.
- Electronic checks: E-checks allow you to link your bank account and online casino account through a clearinghouse.
- Online banking: Online banking transactions permit you to link your bank account and online casino account.
- Electronic wallets: E-wallets like PayPal and Skrill can be used for online casino transactions.
- Prepaid cards: The online casinos may issue their own or accept other companies’ prepaid cards as deposit methods. Prepaid cards typically function in the same manner as a gift card.
- PayNearMe: PayNearMe transactions allow you to make cash deposits at 7-Eleven stores. You need only to let the PayNearMe software to generate a unique barcode for your transaction, then head to your nearest convenience store to complete the transaction.
For the most part, online casinos in West Virginia allow you to withdraw money the same way you deposited it. If that doesn’t work, they issue you a check through the mail. Withdrawals may take a day or two on average.
WV casinos eligible for online gambling
Five casinos in West Virginia are eligible to offer online slots, blackjack and video poker.
Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races
- Location: 750 Hollywood Drive, Charles Town, WV 25414
- Casino: 2,500 slot machines, 100 table games, 16-table poker room
- Owner/Operator: Penn National Gaming
- Mobile Sportsbook Operator: DraftKings Sportsbook
- Online Casino Partner:DraftKings Casino – Launched July 2020
Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort
Casino In West Virginia Open
- Location: 71420 Mountaineer Circle, New Cumberland, WV 26047
- Casino: 1,500 slot machines, 36 table games, 12-table poker room
- Owner/Operator: Century Casinos
- Retail Sportsbook Operator: William Hill
- Possible Online Casino Partners: William Hill, Bet365
Mardi Gras Casino & Resort
- Location: 1 Greyhound Drive, Cross Lanes, WV 25313
- Casino: 1,000 slot machines, 30 table games, 18-table poker room
- Owner/Operator: Delaware North
- Retail Sportsbook Operator: Betly powered by IGT
- Possible Online Casino Partner: IGT
Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack
- Location: 1 S. Stone St., Wheeling, WV 26003
- Casino: 2,000 slot machines, 40 table games, 20-table poker room
- Owner/Operator: Delaware North
- Retail Sportsbook Operator: Betly powered by IGT
- Possible Online Casino Partner: IGT
The Greenbrier Casino Club
Casino In West Virginia Location
- Location: 101 Main St. West, White Sulphur Springs, WV 24986
- Casino: 320 slot machines, 37 table games
- Owner/Operator: Justice Family Group, LLC
- Mobile Sportsbook Operators: FanDuel Sportsbook, BetMGM
- Possible Online Casino Partners:FanDuel Casino, Betfair, PokerStars, BetMGM Casino
Which gambling sites are live in WV?
Online Sportsbook | Land-Based Partner | Date Launched | |
---|---|---|---|
DraftKings | Hollywood Casino | Aug. 28, 2019 | Play Now |
FanDuel | FanDuel at The Greenbrier | Sept. 13, 2019 | Play Now |
BetMGM | The Greenbrier | Jan. 29, 2020 | Play Now |
N/A | Hollywood Casino | N/A | N/A |
N/A | Mountaineer Sportsbook | N/A | N/A |
N/A | Wheeling Island | N/A | N/A |
N/A | Mardi Gras | N/A | N/A |
How online casinos work in West Virginia
The launch of online gambling completed a journey that West Virginia has been traveling since lawmakers passed the West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act in early 2019. The bill became law on March 27, 2019, when Gov. Jim Justice let his legislative veto window pass without signing it.
More than a year later, on April 29, 2020, the West Virginia Lottery Commission, tasked with overseeing all types of gambling in the state, approved a set of emergency rules related to the launch of online casinos.
The licenses granted by the law gives holders the right to launch up to three online gambling sites offering online poker, online slots and online table games for a period of 270 days. Each operator is charged a $100,000 license fee; software providers must pay a $10,000 fee, and West Virginia will implement a 15% tax on gross online gambling revenue.
The West Virginia Legislature will have the opportunity to make the regulations permanent when they reconvene for the 2021 legislative session. However, with the interim rules in place, online casinos are already beginning to launch in the state.
Who is eligible for an iGaming license?
Only existing land-based West Virginia casinos can apply for master iGaming licenses. This includes:
However, each casino can operate up to three skins under its master license. That means online casino operators from outside WV are free to partner with West Virginia casinos to launch inside the state.
Who will regulate the casino industry?
The West Virginia Lottery Commission regulates the casino industry in West Virginia. It has also been tasked with providing oversight and running the licensing process for online gambling and online casinos in the state.
Taxes and licensing requirements for online casinos
Land-based casinos in WV can obtain a master license that allows them to operate up to three online casino skins. Each operation must pay a $100,000 license fee. Plus, software providers working with these casinos must pay a $10,000 fee to operate inside the state.
Once the online casinos are up and running, they will be required to pay the state a 15% tax on all gross online gambling revenue.
The road toward legal WV online casinos
West Virginia’s path to legal online gambling started with online and mobile sports betting. The state authorized the launch of retail and online sportsbooks in 2018.
BetLucky, a partnership between Mardi Gras and Wheeling Island casino owner Delaware North and sports betting tech provider Mionmi, launched in December 2018. The pair also partnered on retail sports betting operations at Mardi Gras and Wheeling Island.
Then, a dispute arose between the partners resulting in the online and retail operations both closing abruptly in March 2019. It was around this same time that WV lawmakers passed the West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act. The bill, which authorized online casino gaming, became law on March 27, 2019, when Gov. Jim Justice let his legislative veto window pass. He did not sign the bill.
West Virginia Lottery officials spent the next year continuing to work mostly on mobile sports betting regulation. FanDuel Sportsbook and DraftKings Sportsbook received licenses and launched in August 2019. BetMGM has since launched, as well.
Delaware North also partnered with IGT to re-launch retail sports betting at Mardi Gras and Wheeling Island.
Then, on April 29, 2020, the West Virginia Lottery Commission finally approved a set of emergency rules to govern online casinos in the state.
The lottery commission sent these rules over to the West Virginia secretary of state for approval on May 15, 2020. The secretary of state has 42 days from May 15 to approve or reject the rules, which means interim licenses could be granted to West Virginia’s first online casinos anytime from now through the beginning of July.
The WV casino market
Horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering have been popular in West Virginia since the 1930s.
In 1987, West Virginia allowed for video lottery terminal gaming to launch inside the Mountaineer Park racetrack.
By 1994, the West Virginia Racetrack Video Lottery Act passed, making the operation of video lottery terminals legal at all West Virginia race tracks in an effort to boost the local horse racing industry. The Mountaineer, Wheeling and Mardi Gras tracks all started running video lottery terminal casinos with over 1,200 video lottery machines that year.
In 1997, the Hollywood Races and Slots facility opened at Charles Town Races, running a similar VLT operation.
In 2007, the Mountaineer and Wheeling facilities installed poker tables and eventually began running table games as well, including blackjack, Caribbean stud, craps, roulette, three-card poker and four-card poker.
Mardi Gras installed table games a year later, and by 2008 the Greenbrier launched with video lottery and table games as well.
Hollywood Races and Slots became the Hollywood Casino in 2010, and the Greenbrier got the authorization to run a full-scale casino as well.
Almost a decade later, in early 2019 WV lawmakers passed online gambling legislation allowing WV casino to go online.
Largest Online Casino and Poker Gaming Platform in the State
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — (August 27, 2020) – BetMGM, the company owned jointly by MGM Resorts (NYSE: MGM) and GVC Holdings (LSE: GVC), announced the launch of BetMGM Casino in West Virginia today, delivering the widest range of online casino games currently available in the Mountain State.
BetMGM Casino will launch with 30 games ranging from best-in-class Blackjack and Roulette games to a host of slots, including West Virginia’s only online progressive jackpot-linked games with the potential for huge payouts with every spin. The new casino product will be presented as a dedicated tab within the BetMGM Sports West Virginia mobile app, complementing BetMGM’s market-leading sports betting product with an interactive and comprehensive online casino experience.
“The addition of the leading iGaming offering in West Virginia is a powerful differentiator for BetMGM,” said Adam Greenblatt, CEO of BetMGM. “With the largest slate of casino games in the state, we’re confident that our superior offering will quickly become the online gaming destination of choice for players.”
Available for download on both iOS and Android, as well as accessible via desktop, BetMGM Casino features an extensive game line-up that includes the popular jackpot slot title ‘MGM Grand Millions’ which utilizes Las Vegas icons for its reel symbols. The slots suite of games also features an exciting free spin module and branded table games.
BetMGM Casino operates in conjunction with The Greenbrier, the mountain luxury resort synonymous with world-class hospitality in West Virginia. BetMGM Casino is also available in New Jersey and will be available in Pennsylvania and Michigan in the coming months, subject to obtaining regulatory approvals.
For more information on BetMGM, follow @BetMGM on Twitter.
About BetMGM
BetMGM is a market leading sports betting and gaming platform created by the joint venture between MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) and GVC Holdings Plc (LSE: GVC). Based in New Jersey, the company was established in July 2018 to create a world-class sports betting and online gaming platform in the United States, in order to take advantage of the new opportunities created by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the U.S. federal Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). Utilizing GVC’s US-licensed, state-of-the-art proprietary technology platform, BetMGM offers sports betting and online gaming via market leading brands including BetMGM and partypoker. The company has exclusive access to MGM Resort’s U.S. land-based and online sports betting, major tournament poker, and online gaming businesses. For more information visit www.roardigital.com.
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About MGM Resorts International
MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) is an S&P 500® global entertainment company with national and international locations featuring best-in-class hotels and casinos, state-of-the-art meetings and conference spaces, incredible live and theatrical entertainment experiences, and an extensive array of restaurant, nightlife and retail offerings. MGM Resorts creates immersive, iconic experiences through its suite of Las Vegas-inspired brands. The MGM Resorts portfolio encompasses 29 unique hotel and destination gaming offerings in the United States and Macau, including some of the most recognizable resort brands in the industry such as Bellagio, MGM Grand, ARIA and Park MGM. The Company’s 50/50 venture, BetMGM, LLC, offers U.S. sports betting and online gaming through market-leading brands, including BetMGM and partypoker. The Company is currently pursuing targeted expansion in Asia through the integrated resort opportunity in Japan. Through its “Focused on What Matters: Embracing Humanity and Protecting the Planet” initiative, MGM Resorts commits to creating a more sustainable future, while striving to make a bigger difference in the lives of its employees, guests, and in the communities where it operates. The global employees of MGM Resorts are proud of their company for being recognized as one of FORTUNE® Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies®. For more information, please visit us at www.mgmresorts.com. Please also connect with us @MGMResortsIntl on Twitter as well as Facebook and Instagram.
About GVC Holdings
GVC Holdings PLC is one of the world’s largest sports-betting and gaming groups, operating both online and in the retail sector. The Group owns a comprehensive portfolio of established brands; Sports Brands include bwin, Coral, Crystalbet, Eurobet, Ladbrokes, Neds and Sportingbet; Games Brands include CasinoClub, Foxy Bingo, Gala, Gioco Digitale, partypoker and PartyCasino. The Group owns proprietary technology across all of its core product verticals and in addition to its B2C operations provides services to a number of third-party customers on a B2B basis. The Group has also entered into a joint-venture with MGM Resorts to capitalise on the sports-betting and gaming opportunity in the US. The Group, incorporated in the Isle of Man, is a constituent of the FTSE 250 index and has licenses in more than 20 countries, across five continents. For more information see the Group’s website: www.gvc-plc.com
Statements in this release that are not historical facts are “forward-looking” statements and “safe harbor statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and/or uncertainties, including those described in MGM Resorts’ public filings with the SEC. MGM Resorts has based forward-looking statements on management’s current expectations and assumptions and not on historical facts. Examples of these statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the future results of BetMGM. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in such forward-looking statements include effects of economic conditions and market conditions in the markets in which MGM Resorts operates and competition with other destination travel locations throughout the United States and the world, the design, timing and costs of expansion projects, risks relating to international operations, permits, licenses, financings, approvals and other contingencies in connection with growth in new or existing jurisdictions and additional risks and uncertainties described in MGM Resorts’ Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and Form 8-K reports (including all amendments to those reports). In providing forward-looking statements, MGM Resorts is not undertaking any duty or obligation to update these statements publicly as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. If MGM Resorts updates one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that it will make additional updates with respect to those other forward-looking statements.
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