Virginia

Status as of 23 October 2026. Not legal advice. This guide summarises Virginia's gambling laws and regulator pages as published; it does not tell anyone what to do.

Who regulates

The Virginia Lottery runs the state's sports betting programme and issues permits, and the Virginia Lottery Board regulates sports betting operations. The sports betting rules sit in Article 2 of Chapter 40 of Title 58.1 of the Code of Virginia (§ 58.1-4030 onwards).

What is legal online

Online sports betting is legal through licensed permit holders, for bettors physically located in Virginia. Fantasy contests are regulated separately. Online casino gaming is not authorised: both 2026 bills to legalise it failed.

Licences and how to apply

The Virginia Lottery accepts sports betting permit applications through an online licensing system; applicants request credentials by email. A permit costs US$250,000, paid before it is issued, plus US$50,000 for each principal at filing. The Director must decide on an initial application within 90 days. Permits last three years and renewal costs US$200,000. The law sets a range of four to 12 permits, but permits issued to qualifying sports franchises, facility operators and casino operators do not count toward it.

Since 1 July 2026, fantasy contest operators need a Virginia Lottery permit (three years; US$50,000 application fee, US$25,000 renewal). Applications open once the Virginia Lottery Board adopts regulations, which it must do by 1 January 2029. Operators already registered with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services may continue in the meantime.

Taxes

• Sports betting: 15% of a permit holder's adjusted gross revenue, paid monthly by the 20th of the following month. Adjusted gross revenue is gross revenue less winnings and the value of bonuses and promotions, among other deductions.
• Fantasy contests: 10% of fantasy contest revenue, plus an additional fee of 2.6% of that revenue, from 1 July 2026.

Payments

Since 1 July 2026, permit holders must take reasonable measures to prohibit credit cards being used to fund sports betting accounts.

Key dates

• 14 March 2026: online casino bills HB 161 and SB 118 fail to pass from conference.
• 1 July 2026: the fantasy contest law and the sports betting credit card ban take effect.
• 13 January 2027: the 2027 General Assembly session is scheduled to begin.

What changed

In 2026 the House passed HB 161 and the Senate passed SB 118. Each bill would have authorised internet gaming under the Virginia Lottery Board and, as passed by its chamber of origin, taxed it at 20% of adjusted gross internet gaming revenue. HB 161 also set a US$500,000 initial licence fee for casino gaming operators. Each chamber rejected the other's amended version, and both bills failed to pass from conference on 14 March 2026. Separately, the General Assembly moved fantasy contests to the Virginia Lottery and taxed them, and banned credit card funding of sports betting accounts.

What to watch

HB 271, which would create an independent Virginia Gaming Commission to regulate legal gambling other than the state lottery, was continued to 2027 in the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee. This playbook will be updated when an official source confirms a change.