Virginia Lottery app and online play
Yes, the Virginia Lottery sells online, on its own app and at valottery.com, to anyone 18 or over who is physically in Virginia when they buy. Everything on this page comes from the lottery's own site, read on 28 October 2026.
What the lottery says it sells
The Virginia Lottery's how to play online page puts it in one line: "Play Virginia Lottery games online anywhere in Virginia on the app or at valottery.com." The same page lists Mega Millions, Powerball, the Pick 3, 4 and 5 games with Fireball, Cash 5 with EZ Match "and an entire lineup of online games." Its online games lobby adds Keno ("Drawing Every 4 Minutes"), Cash Pop, Bank a Million and Millionaire for Life, plus instant-win games played on the screen.
One small thing caught my eye. The how-to page still names Cash4Life among the online draw games, and the games lobby doesn't list it at all. I'd go by the lobby, since that's where you actually buy, but it's the kind of mismatch I'd want a lottery to clean up.
The rules for buying
You need an account first, which Virginia calls MyGameRoom. Its terms and conditions say that to buy online you must be "at least 18 years of age" and "physically present in the Commonwealth of Virginia at the time of purchase," and that you "will not have access to Your Account if Your age and identity cannot be verified." The terms set no separate residency rule beyond being in the state, as far as I read them. Being there is what counts, and the terms are blunt about the rest: an online purchase made from outside Virginia "may be void."
The how-to page lists the ways to put money in: debit card ("restrictions may apply"), bank transfer, PayPal, online banking, Pay Near Me, Online Cash bought at a retailer or vending machine, Venmo and Apple Pay. There's "a $5 minimum for one-time purchases made without funds in your player wallet."
How the money comes back
Winnings land in the account. The terms set it out by size, and the how-to page agrees.
| Online prize | What the lottery says happens |
|---|---|
| $600 or less | Deposited into the account automatically |
| Over $600 | "an online claim to be submitted within the time specified by the game rules"; the how-to page says you get an email to start it |
| $100,000 and above | Claimed within the game's deadline, and may need an in-person claim |
The terms also warn that "the first prize over $100 may require additional information or documentation to process." Withdrawals, per the how-to page, "must be approved by The Lottery," typically reach a bank in 3 to 5 business days, and "Only winnings can be withdrawn." Money you deposit is for playing, not for parking.
There's no paper ticket. The terms say "Printouts, photographs, screenshots, and other images are not, and will not, be accepted as evidence" of a purchase. The lottery's own records are the ticket. I don't mind that; at least everyone agrees on where the ledger is.
What it costs
The tickets cost what they cost at the store. I found no service fee charged by the lottery on the pages I read. The terms do say you are "solely responsible for any transaction fees or penalties of any kind imposed by any financial institution," so if your bank charges for a transfer, that's on you.
There's also Auto Renew, which the terms describe as "the automatic, recurring purchase of a set or sets of numbers for drawings unless the Player cancels." It cancels itself after 12 months without account activity.
Limits and breaks
Virginia's play responsibly page lists deposit limits and bet limits, each daily, weekly or monthly, "available under "General Settings" in a player's account," and a break from online play for "1, 3 or 6 months." Its wider Voluntary Exclusion Program, which also covers casinos and sports betting in the state, runs for "two-years, five-years or a lifetime."
My read
As the lottery describes it, this is a full online shop, not a ticket checker with a buy button bolted on. You get the multi-state games, the state's own draw games, Keno every four minutes and instant games, on the phone, with the money and the prizes in one wallet. The claim tiers are clear, and the limit tools are where they should be.
Two things I'd watch. Keno every four minutes and instant games on a phone are a different animal from a twice-a-week Powerball ticket, and the account doesn't care which you're playing. And Auto Renew is a feature I'd use with my eyes open, because a purchase that renews itself is one you stop noticing. I'd set a monthly deposit limit the day I opened the account, before any jackpot talked me into a bigger one. The responsible gambling page has help if it stops being fun.
What the pages leave unclear is mostly small: the Cash4Life line, and exactly when a prize over $100,000 needs a visit in person ("may require" is all the terms say). If either matters to you, I'd ask the lottery directly at (804) 692-7777, the number on its games page.
For how online lottery sales work in general, and why I'd never buy through anyone but the lottery itself, see buying lottery tickets online. The other state guides are on the buy online page.