- Online casinos in West Virginia will likely launch by late July to early August.
- The West Virginia Lottery has submitted rules and regulations that emulate that of the state’s internet sports betting industry.
CHARLESTON, W. Va. – Online casinos in West Virginia could soon become available to local gamblers as statewide platforms are looking to launch by the end of July.
Mobile and internet gambling have been legal in West Virginia since March 2019 but the state has failed to launch any outlets for gaming as development has been slow going. More than a year after it’s legalization, the West Virginia Lottery has decided to press the fast forward button on iGaming.
The Lottery Commission compiled a set of rules and regulations filed under an emergency status with the Secretary of State in May.
What Happens Now?
Suppliers and operators need to have the approved licenses to start businesses which could begin as early as the end of the month. The Secretary of State has allowed a window for public opinion on the rules and regulations that will end on July 11.
The rules and regulations that have been put in place for the operation of online casinos in West Virginia mirror that of their legal internet sports betting industry.
If the Lottery had filed their emergency rules sooner, they could have potentially capitalized on market profits due to the COVID-19 outbreak. People in West Virginia and nationwide turned to internet gambling platforms, both for casino games and sports betting when land-based options were shut down because of the pandemic.
However, they are going to try and make up for lost time by launching now while the country is still trying to reopen from shutdowns.
The Internet Casinos Of West Virginia
The Mountain State has five land-based casinos that have not yet been allowed to reopen for business. These casinos include the Greenbrier, the Hollywood Casino, the Mardi Gras Casino, the Mountaineer Casino, and the Wheeling Island Casino.
Even though they are not slated to bring in as much revenue once they reopen in West Virginia as online casinos will, they will still bring in money for the state.
To operate an internet casino in West Virginia, operators need to pay a $100,000 licensing fee that covers 5 years of business. Once they open up shop, they will be taxed at a 15% rate on all revenue made from gambling.
The Lottery is hoping to launch by the end of July; however, applications have not yet been released for licenses but that is expected to occur presently.
That could push the date back some as license approvals and launches are not immediately done together typically needing time between the two events.
When Will It Be Available?
The next meeting of the West Virginia Lottery Commission is set for July 22. August seems to be the more reasonable timeline for the launch of online casinos but either way, the Mountain State will finally have internet state-sanctioned casino platforms available to them.
Any of the future approved operators will be joining West Virginia’s three online sportsbooks which include BetMGM Sportsbook, DraftKings Sportsbook, and FanDuel Sportsbook, a great group to be a part of.