Best West Virginia Online Casinos for 2024

West Virginia residents caught a break in 2019 when online gaming was legalized in the state. Not many states have this, but in West Virginia, online casino players can legally play slots, table games, video poker, live dealer games, specialty games and even poker if it was offered by licensed third-party companies.

But for the most online games possible, you can also visit offshore sites that accept West Virginia users to enjoy even more generous bonuses and offers. In this guide, we show you the best West Virginia online betting sites to join and their respective casino review. We also go over the history of gambling in the Mountain State. 

The Best West Virginia Online Casinos in 2024

Our top 10 offshore casino sites are all located in Costa Rica, Panama or Antigua where online gambling is legal, so West Virginians should feel confident in joining these sites even if they are technically not regulated by the state. 

1. BookMaker – Get RTP info on casino games
2. Heritage Sports – Great for cashback
3. Bovada – Huge crypto bonuses
4. BetOnline – Massive slots library with progressive jackpots
5. BetAnySports – Excellent casino variety
6. BetUS – Unique ongoing promotions
7. WagerWeb – Excellent crypto deposit bonus
8. JustBet – Strong loyalty program
9. Everygame – Optimal site design for poker
10. SportsBetting.ag – Sister site to BetOnline 

Is online casino gambling legal in West Virginia?

Yes, online casino gambling has been legal in West Virginia since 2019. Offshore casinos are technically not regulated by the state since they are located outside their jurisdiction, but you can still win real money on them too just like you would at any licensed casino. These sites also offer horse race betting and sports betting in West Virginia. 

Another benefit of offshore sportsbooks is that the minimum gambling age at many of these sites is 18 years of age, instead of the United States’ typical legal gambling age of 21.

Reviewing the Top West Virginia Casino Sites

We have added in-depth reviews to our top five online casinos for West Virginians. These sites will all offer online sports betting, but our emphasis is on the casino side of things today.

1. BookMaker: Get RTP Info on Casino Games

Bookmaker.eu is most popular for its sports betting, but many of your favorite casino games are also available in a quality casino section. You can expect popular table games like blackjack and roulette, quality live dealer games with reasonable betting limits and even a specialty game like Keno.

Out of all the online gambling sites we are covering, BookMaker is the only one that is player-friendly enough to show the RTP info of each game. That stands for return-to-player rate, and the closer it is to 100%, the better the game is to play over the long-run online casino players.

BookMaker does not have the largest selection of online slots, but you will find some of the newer online slot games available. You can also find online table games like Three-card Poker, Pai Gow Poker and many blackjack variants. BookMaker lacks the poker room of other poker sites like BetOnline and Bovada, but it still has decent video poker choices.

Whether it is the casino, the sportsbook, racebook or even the promotions and bonuses, BookMaker is always one of our top-ranked online gambling sites. The reward program is excellent and online casino players can climb the ladder to the third tier quickly if they continue betting with BookMaker. The third tier of the reward program gives users an excellent 20% deposit match bonus.

2. Heritage Sports: Great for Cashback

Heritage Sports is another of Costa Rica’s finest online casinos. Every game in the casino can be played for free, so you can figure out your favorite games before spending a penny on any of them. This is a big advantage you do not get with BookMaker, Bovada, BetOnline or BetAnySports.

There is a lack of newer and flashier slot games at Heritage Sports, but they have a good selection of online table games and video poker machines. There are also slot games available.

Users can get a casino rebate on the first of each month on their net losses. Bonus funds at Heritage can be used anywhere on the site. You also can get your eighth deposit for free if you have gone seven deposits without a payout. The amount will be an average of your previous seven deposits. 

Heritage Sports also has one of the best mobile sites for live betting, a quality racebook and fans of esports will appreciate the offerings in that section as it is one of the best on our list for esports.

3. Bovada: Huge Crypto Bonuses

Bovada has a very good online casino with an impressive number of blackjack variants, other table games, video poker, online slots, hot drop jackpots and even a crypto casino with games you play using crypto.

The casino also features more live dealer table games than most competitors with reasonable limits of up to $2,500 per table. You can enjoy everything from blackjack (early payout available), roulette (American and European versions), baccarat and Super 6.

New users can get a stunning offer of $3,750 in bonus casino funds over their first three crypto deposits with promo codes at Bovada. This casino also has a good reward program where you accumulate points and move up levels to get access to better perks. Your points will never expire even if your account is inactive. 

4. BetOnline: Massive Slots Library

BetOnline is home to hundreds of exclusive games in its casino, offering many video slots, video poker terminals, specialty games, table games and live dealer games with huge limits (up to $20,000 at some blackjack tables).

The high limits and quick payouts make BetOnline a great choice for high rollers and big-time gamblers. There are so many games to choose from at BetOnline that it is too bad they do not have demo versions to find your favorites for free, but you could always try playing the minimum bets to find your favorite games.

The sportsbook is also very good, and the racebook offers the highest daily rebate (9%). The poker software runs on a popular and reputable network. Part of what keeps BetOnline so competitive is that they offer something for everyone. The same can be said of the selection of promo codes at BetOnline, with cash bonuses for poker, the casino and sportsbook.

5. BetAnySports: Excellent Casino Variety

BetAnySports is our fifth A+ online casino. The casino has eight different casinos to choose from, and they will soon have 10 total. While there is overlap in the game selection in these different casinos, each has its own unique flavor to give you a great variety of casino games to choose from, including online slots, table games and video poker.

You also can find some of the most personal live dealer games at BetAnySports as the dealer can call you by your given name through video chat. They have your favorite games like blackjack and roulette available with reasonable limits at all times of the day. 

Fans of the lottery will also be impressed that BetAnySports has its own lottery section where you can play your numbers at daily drawings for multiple states. Winners get 80% better payouts too. Speaking of better payouts, instead of traditional promos, BetAnySports offers reduced juice and rebate programs to help players boost their bankroll.

Our Online Casino Rating Methodology

We judge online gambling sites by many of the same key factors no matter if it is the casino, racebook or sportsbook. Having said that, the online sites offering the best online casino experience should excel at offering a variety of games, banking methods, customer service options, bonuses, live dealer games and a strong mobile site.

The History of Gambling Laws in WV

The path to legal online casino gaming in West Virginia has been a steady one ever since the voters in the state approved a lottery in 1984. The West Virginia Lottery Commission was formed in 1985 and has been the regulatory agency for much of the gambling activity in the state since.

Through the lottery in 1994, a Racetrack Video Lottery Act was passed to bring video poker and slot machine terminals to the racetracks in West Virginia. But they would soon show up in many bars and restaurants with over 13,500 machines in use in the state. Fearing this was not being regulated, there was finally a bill passed in 2001 by Gov. Bob Wise to regulate this type of gambling in the state, capping the number of machines to 9,000 and increasing the minimum bet on slots from $2 to $5 at the four racetracks.

By 2007, the casinos stepped up to allow table games and poker in person. But it would not be until 2018 when things really started moving along when the Supreme Court overturned the PASPA ruling of 1992 that banned sports betting in most of the United States. West Virginia was the fifth state to legalize sports betting in 2018, and it was the third state to legalize online sports betting in December 2018. This led to legal gambling sites like DraftKings and FanDuel offering their services to customers in the state.

Just a few months later in 2019, West Virginia became the fourth state to offer legal online casino gaming after passing the West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act. This allowed online casino operators like DraftKings and FanDuel to offer their casino products to sports bettors as well. To this day, West Virginia is still on a very short list of states with legal online casino gaming. It also has legal poker since that 2019 bill, but none of the licensed sites have stepped up to offer that in the Mountain State. 

West Virginia’s Timeline of Gambling

The following timeline shows the important moments in the history of gambling in West Virginia:

• 2022: West Virginia legalizes esports betting after initially excluding it from the sports betting laws. 
• March 2019: The West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act is passed, which would legalize online casino gaming and online poker. But no one has served as a third-party operator for online poker in the state as of 2023. 
• December 2018: Online sports betting is also legalized with a bill, allowing users to bet on sports using licensed operators such as FanDuel and DraftKings.  
• August 2018: The first sports betting law passes in West Virginia, allowing for sports betting on professional and college teams at licensed casinos in the state. 
• 2018: PASPA is ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, allowing each state the right to choose to legalize sports betting. 
• 2007: The casinos can now offer table games and poker.
• 2001: Gov. Bob Wise signs a bill to allow the state to regulate video poker and slot machines. It increases the minimum bet from $2 to $5 at the four racetracks.
• 1994: The Racetrack Video Lottery Act paves the way for legal video poker and slot machine terminals in West Virginia, which would soon pop up in bars and restaurants around the state. 
• 1984: Voters approve a state lottery, and the West Virginia Lottery Commission is established in 1985 to oversee it with the first tickets sold in 1986.

Important Features of the Best Online Casino Sites

In the following sections, we look at the important features that go into grading online casino sites and what you should be looking for to find the best experiences in the online gambling industry. 

Gambling Odds

The best casinos will have a sportsbook with competitive odds, either achieved through reduced juice, opinionated lines or odds boosts. This is why many bettors opt to make an account with different sportsbooks to make sure they are getting the best price for their bets. 

Betting Markets

With all forms of gambling on these online sites, we expect a wide variety of betting markets. For the casino, that means many different choices with slot games, video poker, table games with plenty of variations and any poker offerings. We also want to see specialty games like Keno and scratch cards.

Banking Methods

Everyone wants a site with diverse payment methods for deposits and withdrawals that are quick in getting our winnings to us in a variety of ways. We expect traditional methods such as debit card deposits, high credit card acceptability (American Express included), bank transfers, wire transfers and checks. We also expect newer methods such as eWallets and crypto (Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, etc.).

Promotional Offers & Bonus Codes

For new users, you can expect a deposit match bonus for your initial deposit, usually at 100% or higher. At most sites, betting with Bitcoin can get you better bonus offers. This is a great way to immediately build up a bonus bank of funds, but always be sure to read the terms and conditions to find out if there is an online casino bonus code to get the offer and what the playthrough requirements are for the bonus money.

Just as important are the ongoing promos for existing users, including more deposit match bonuses, free spins, risk-free bets, double reward points on select games and more. Be sure to enroll in the loyalty program where you can climb to a higher loyalty level with the more you spend. The more points you accumulate, the more perks you can acquire.

Live Dealers

If you do not trust the random outcomes of electronic table games, then you will feel most comfortable with a real-life dealer in live dealer games. This is done with video chat where you can see the dealer but they cannot see you. Play your favorite games like blackjack and roulette this way for the closest experience to playing at a real casino. All the top-tier online casinos are introducing live dealer games now. 

User Experience

Online sites offering casino gaming should have good graphics and sound to try to make it feel like you are having a real casino experience. The live dealer games should also have clear video streaming with the ability to chat with other players or the dealer themselves. It is crucial that when we are playing casino games the site does not lag, which can make it very difficult to enjoy extended play with online slots or other games. We also want a site that makes it easy to deposit money quickly and request a withdrawal just as easily. 

Mobile Site Functionality

Since most people are using their mobile devices to access these gaming apps, the mobile gaming experience is a huge deal now. The offshore sites lack their own online casino app to download from the app store, but you can visit a quality mobile site that is optimized for a small screen and can be added to your home screen to act like an app. We want a site that is readable and easy to jump from section to section.

Customer Support

Whether you need help with a promotion or deposit method, you want to be able to contact customer support and get a timely solution. We judge the best sites to offer 24/7 customer service with the most contact options possible, including a message form on the site capable of adding attachments, an email address, a phone number to talk to someone and a live chat feature right on the site itself.

Safety & Security

Online casinos allow you to win real money, but only after you shared personal information to verify your account and set things up to receive payments from the site. This is sharing a lot of personal information with the site, so we must feel their security is top of the line to protect our sensitive data from the wrong hands. This is why we only suggest reputable sites with a long track history of serving customers in the online gambling industry. 

Popular Casino Games in WV

In the following sections, we are looking at the wide range of online casino games you can expect to find at online casinos. You will have to figure out what your favorite games are from a deep library of slots, table games, video poker, specialty games and more at these sites.

Blackjack

This classic card game is when you try to outdo the dealer to a higher card number without going over 21. Most sites have several variants of blackjack, including European, Double Exposure, Spanish 21, Multi-hand Blackjack, etc. 

Poker

If poker tables in person are not your thing, then the good news is online poker is legal in West Virginia. Unfortunately, none of the top sites like PokerStars have stepped up to bring their service to the Mountain State. But if you join an offshore casino with a poker room, you can download software and enjoy a variety of poker tournaments and cash games. 

Even if a site lacks a poker room, you will usually find a selection of video poker games to choose from. These are easier than the real thing, but they can still be fun to play for certain users. 

Slots

Online slots are some of the most common games found at online casinos. These video slots can be addictive, but many have a very low minimum play limit, so you can play one for a long time without spending much money. These games have bonus features you can trigger like free spins or fun mini-games to win more money.

Roulette

Online roulette is a fun, classic game where bets are placed before a ball is spun on a roulette wheel. It will land on a number and color to determine if your bets win. You can bet on a variety of markets for the number the ball lands on (ranges, even or odd, etc.), and you can also bet on the color. There are different variants of roulette (American, European, French, etc.) available at most sites. 

Specialty Games

Many online casinos have a section for specialty games. The most common games found there are Keno and scratch card games, but you could even find other mini-games that play out more like a video game than some of the typical online casino games mentioned above. 

Live Dealer Casino Games in WV

If you want to play table games with a real-life dealer, then most top online casinos have live dealer games to pull this off thanks to video chat technology. The dealer cannot see you, but you can see them and often can communicate via chat. Play popular games this way with blackjack, roulette and baccarat available with reasonable table limits. It is the closest thing to actually feeling like you are in a casino.

Land-Based Casinos in West Virginia

West Virginia’s land-based casinos offer a good mix of table games, slots, horse race betting, poker and a sportsbook. You can visit the websites of these retail casinos to find the times their poker rooms are open or when they have live racing or the hours for their in-person sportsbooks.

In this section, we are looking at what the state’s five brick-and-mortar casinos have to offer:

• The Casino Club at The Greenbrier (Greenbrier, WV): Classic casino gambling for guests of the long-time hotel
• Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races (Charles Town, WV): Live thoroughbred racing where the Charles Town Classic is held, and the first casino in the state to offer sports betting.
• Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort (Chester, WV): Home to the West Virginia Derby race with thoroughbreds and over 3,000 slot machines. 
• Mardi Gras Casino and Resort (Nitro, WV): Live greyhound racing track with slots, table games, poker and the Betly Sportsbook. 
• Wheeling Island Hotel & Casino (Wheeling, WV): The other live greyhound track with slots, table games, poker and the Betly Sportsbook.

How to Create an Online Casino Account in WV

It is easy to get started at online gambling sites. In this section, we will walk you through the general process of signing up for one of these online casinos. 

Step 1. Signing-Up

After figuring out which online casino you want to join, visit their site. You want to sign up for a new account. Be sure to use a password that is unique and not in use at any other site. 

Step 2. Verifying Your Details

You will have to verify your account before this process is complete and you can start betting. To do so, enter personal information such as your name, email, address and working phone number. The site may send you an email or text with a link or code to use to verify your account in the system.

Step 3. Depositing Your Funds

Next, your account needs to be funded with real money. Before you do this, be sure to read the full terms and conditions for the welcome bonus for new users. This is usually deposit bonuses that are a one-time offer, so you will want to take advantage of that the best you can. Once you are ready, head to the cashier and make your initial deposit using the best payment methods for you.

Step 4. Enjoy Casino Gambling Online

Now your account is verified and ready to gamble. Head to the casino and start finding your favorite games. Remember to bet responsibly and have fun. 

FAQs – Online Casino Gambling in West Virginia