Is sports betting legal in Virginia?

What the law allows

The General Assembly legalized sports betting in 2020, in Article 2 of chapter 40 of Title 58.1 of the Code of Virginia, and the Virginia Lottery regulates it. The law is built around online betting: it defines a sports betting platform as a website or app reached over the internet or a mobile network. The first permit holder, FanDuel, started taking bets on 20 January 2021, according to the Lottery's own board report, with DraftKings, BetMGM and Rivers Casino Portsmouth live within the week.

The minimum age is 21. Section 58.1-4040 makes it a misdemeanor for a book to knowingly take a bet from anyone younger.

The Lottery posts the current list of permit holders on its site. I'd check there before opening an account, because a book that isn't on that list isn't a Virginia book, whatever its ads say.

What it means for a bettor in Virginia

Section 58.1-4034 requires each permit holder to make sure only people physically in Virginia can bet through its platform, so the app checks your location every time.

The college rules are the ones that catch people. Under section 58.1-4039 you can't bet on a game involving a Virginia college team, you can't place a proposition bet on any college game, and youth sports are off the board entirely. The ban on Virginia schools applies only to the game that team plays in, so the rest of a tournament stays open. I think the prop ban is the smart part of the law. A college kid is far easier to lean on than a pro, and a player prop is the easiest bet there is to fix.

Gambling winnings are fully taxable, wherever you win them.

Where the offshore books fit

An offshore sportsbook holds no Virginia permit. The Lottery has a complaint process for permitted books and, under section 58.1-4035, can suspend or revoke a permit and impose civil penalties; it has no such hold over a book in another country. That's the difference I'd weigh, more than the price on any one game. Our offshore sportsbooks section explains how those books operate, and the VPN question covers what happens when people try to hide where they are.

If you need help, the Virginia Problem Gambling Helpline is 888-532-3500, free and confidential, and our responsible gambling page has more.

*Checked against Code of Virginia, Title 58.1, chapter 40 on 28 October 2026. Laws change; this page is re-checked every quarter. This is not legal advice.*