Online Poker Virginia

• Why Is Online Poker Illegal
• Online Poker Real Money West Virginia

Poker players in West Virginia received some good news in 2019. The state became the fifth state to legalize online gambling — including poker. A legal and regulated online poker market would soon be. Ignition Poker heads our list of Virginia-friendly online poker rooms, and have been a long time favorite of Americans in general. This is mainly because the site is formerly Bovada Poker, whose software was acquired and re-branded by Ignition Poker. Virginia Online Poker Law The Commonwealth of Virginia takes a strict stance against most types of gambling, and this is reflected in its laws. The relevant provisions are contained in Title 18.2, Crimes and Offenses Generally, Chapter 8, Crimes Involving Morals and Decency. Looking at the definitions contained in § 18.2-325, we see.

Virginia is for lovers, or so goes the old tourism slogan for the state. It’s also for American presidents (eight have been born there), those seeking education (more advanced institutions per capita than nearly any other state) and – of course – poker players. The population of the state is young, diverse and generally well-off, a demographic that generally enjoys high online poker participation rates. As the game’s popularity continues to expand, more visitors contact us with questions about online poker in Virginia – questions that we’ll cover in this always-updated Virginian’s Guide to Playing Poker Online.

Recent Updates into 2021

Though Virginia has traditionally stayed away from legalizing much gambling, that may change in the coming years. A shuttered mall and racetrack both seek the help of casino games to bring their businesses back to life.

There have been previous attempts to legalize casino gambling in the state, but few garnered much support. State Senator Louise Lucas proposed that the legislature declare poker a game of skill and exclude it from the state’s current anti-gambling statutes, a bill that passed the Senate in 2017 but not the other side of the legislature.

Some have been successful. Virginia became the first state to legalize and regulate DFS in 2016, which is now happening in many other states as well. The Virginia General Assembly authorized slot machines for Colonial Downs in a revitalization effort, and that law did pass in 2018.

The latest project is being spearheaded by a lobbying group hired by the owners of the empty Bristol Mall. They are currently speaking to lawmakers about authorizing a casino for the space. Some legislators believe the support isn’t there to pass a bill yet, but they acknowledge the need for additional revenue and the tourism going to neighboring states with legal gambling casinos.

Virginia pursued a casino bill in 2019. Technically, it was pre-filed on December 28, 2018 by Virginia Senator L. Louise Lucas. SB.1126 moved quickly, passing through the Committee on General Laws and Technology in January and then through the Finance Committee nine days later. It then went to the Senate floor and passed by a vote of 28-12. The House Rules committee passed it, and it went to the floor of the House, where it passed 80-17 on February 4. A few changes required more votes, but it happened in early March.

Governor Ralph Northam signed the bill on March 22, which allows for casinos to be built if approved by the appropriate citizens through local referendums, along with two casinos to be handled by the Pamunkey Indian Tribe. The Virginia Lottery Board will oversee all of the processes.

Importantly, the Lottery Board may also develop regulations for online gaming and sports betting if it so chooses. This will include online poker and casino games. It is unclear as to how lottery officials will interpret and if they will draft regulations, but it is now in their hands.

Online Poker Sites in Virginia

Choosing a VA internet poker site doesn’t sound like much of a task – until you set about doing it. That’s when you realize how helpful it would be to have the perspective of other players who have already been in your situation, who have already compared all of the poker sites in Virginia and assembled the best picks in a handy list. Good news: you do. This real money poker page is continually updated and reflects operators with the top combination of promotional value, security and reliability:

How Do I Play Online Poker in Virginia?

There are certainly states in America – Washington comes to mind as one – where residents do face a real challenge finding an online poker site that will let them play real cash games. Virginia laws do not fall into that category, so playing VA online poker is just as easy as doing anything else online.

Once you choose one of the top poker sites and make an account, your only remaining hurdle will be depositing funds into that account. The most popular methods for doing so for players from the state of Virginia: credit cards such as VISA and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.

Virginia Law and Online Poker Games

What view does Virginia betting laws take of playing online poker for money? Questions about gambling can be murky affairs, and questions about Virginia online gambling tend to be doubly so. We don’t pretend to have the legal background to offer absolute answers to such questions, but we can provide you with objective information about Virginia poker laws and leave it to you to decide.

Virginia law has a pretty standard definition of gambling provided via Section 18-2-325. Basically, betting anything of value on anything that is “uncertain or a matter of chance” qualifies as illegal gambling in Virginia.

If you participate in illegal gambling as a player, you could face a misdemeanor charge (Section 18-2-326).

If you’re on the business side of illegal gambling activity, there are a number of charges you could potentially face under Virginia law. The primary charge for operators is “Conducting illegal gambling operation,” which is a felony (Section 18-2-238).

Cheaters face an interesting punishment in Virginia. Get caught cheating at gambling and you could be forced to a pay a fine equal to five to ten times the amount won via the cheating (Section 18-2-327).

Private gambling – commonly referred to as social gambling – is permitted in Virginia per the conditions set forth in Section 18-2-334.

Virginia law allows individual counties to come up with their own laws regarding gambling restriction, so players should check with their local law in addition to becoming familiar with state gambling law.

Read more: Virginia state code online below.

Will Virginia Regulate Online Poker?

It’s always tough to put a specific number on a state’s chances of regulating online poker, but with Virginia online poker laws, it is safe to say that regulated online poker in VA is, at best, an underdog. There simply isn’t any indication that the state government intends to even look at the issue of legal online gambling. If regulation takes off in bordering states, then Virginia’s chances improve – but they will still likely remain below average for real money poker sites.

All Poker and Gambling Laws by State

• March 25th, 2019

  Lawmakers in Virginia have been considering legalized gambling within its borders for years. Beyond the lottery and a horse racing track, there is little gambling for residents or to attract visitors. Occasionally, a bill to authorize land-based casinos would be proposed, but there was rarely enough support to even get

  Read Full
• September 6th, 2018

  Virginia offers little legalized gambling outside of the lottery. There is one horse racing track, Colonial Downs, which is located in New Kent between Williamsburg and Richmond, and pari-mutuel wagering to go with it. And limited charitable gambling in the form of bingo and similar games is allowed by law.

  Read Full

• United States lottery officials are concerned about the future growth of their games, because millennial gamblers seem less interested in playing the lotto than their parents. The US lottery industry generated $80 billion in sales in 2015, more than the combined sales for movie tickets, musical concerts, and song downloads.

  Read Full

• An illegal gambling ring set up by a former USC Trojans football player is alleged to have used terror tactics against its victims. Some of the tactics used include mailed videos of beheadings, as well as photos of the desecration of the grave sites of victim’s deceased family members. The

  Read Full

Virginia Gambling Facts

There are no casinos in the state of Virginia, and no tribal gambling facilities either. That leaves the Virginia Lottery, pari-mutuel betting and charitable gambling as the state’s regulated gambling lineup. Social gambling also enjoys an exemption from VA online gambling laws.

What sort of activity is permitted under the charitable gambling exceptions to Virginia state law? The major forms are bingo games and raffles, with select additional activities available depending on the type and status of your organization.

Does Virginia Offer any Regulated Online Gambling?

You won’t find any Virginia licensed online poker sites or casinos because they don’t exist. The state of Virginia does not regulate any forms of Internet-based gambling – and it doesn’t look they’ll be getting into the business of doing so any time soon.

Virginia Gambling Resources

Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services . The DACS is responsible for regulating charitable gambling in Virginia. Get all of the facts related to Virginia charitable gambling at the DACS homepage.

Casinos Near the DC Area . This guide from About.com will walk you through all of the casino options in the region surrounding Virginia. While there aren’t any casinos in Virginia, there are a number of options that are barely an hour away from most parts of the state.

Virginia Gambling Laws . Complete text of the gambling and charitable gambling law on Virginia’s books, along with text of all 50 state laws regarding gambling.

Sources & Citations For This Article on Virginia Online Poker

Many Virginia residents prefer playing poker online due to 24-hour availability, ease of access, and regular tournaments. Many of the same poker sites that accept Virginia residents are how most players win their way in the World Series of Poker, as satellite tournaments have made it easy for players to participate. If you are going to sit at the digital tables, we can only recommend you do so through the safer sites around - those we have found.

The rest of this page will not only help to guide Virginia residents towards some of the most highly touted online poker rooms in the world, but help them garner a deeper understanding of the laws that govern online poker in their home state. This page has done a lot of legwork so that if a player decides to take advantage of an online poker room, all they’ll have to do is sign up and start to play.

Is Online Poker Legal In Virginia?

Poker is the most popular mean of gambling by far, and as such legal online poker rooms for Virginia residents are some of the most popular destinations on the web. While many residents are unsure whether they may participate in online poker without fear of legal prosecution, there is good news on the horizon.

It is, in fact, legal to play poker online. While this may be contrary to popular belief on the subject, it’s true nonetheless. Where did all this confusion stem from? It’s true that while the act of participating in poker is legal in Virginia, its facilitation is highly regulated and operating a poker website is a criminal act that can lead to major legal penalties.

Why Is Online Poker Illegal

The natural question from here is how online poker rooms can operate legally with these laws in place. Happily, the answer is not in legalese, but rather in geography – since all the sites listed on this page operate offshore, it’s not only legal for Virginia residents to participate in online poker, but they can do it with legal and legitimate businesses far from US jurisdiction.

This means that these Virginia poker sites will never be shut down due to non-compliance with a law. This ensures that all deposits and accounts with these sites remain safe and secure.

Online Poker Real Money West Virginia

Learn More:Is Online Poker Legal In The United States?

BetOnline Poker Room - Best Virginia Poker Site

BetOnline Poker - BetOnline entitles all poker players to join up for an easy experience. If you are going to participate in online poker, this is the place to be. First off, they offer tables of all sizes on the three major forms of poker - Texas hold 'em, Omaha hold 'em, and seven card stud. Tournaments and cash games alike can all be found through this poker room. We have found that they offer some of the best sit and go tournaments around, all backed by the ease of a well designed piece of software.

If you decide to play with their service you will be able to receive a 25% match bonus, which gives a solid bonus of up to $1,000. This gives players a solid bonus to take to the tables and begin earning poker points to unlock the rest of the bonus, or even turn into cash by their basic, built in rakeback. This, along with everything else, makes this one of the best sites for online poker in Virginia.

Overall Thoughts About Legal Poker In Virginia

When Virginia residents are looking for a high quality website to play online poker, the ones listed on this page should do the job more than adequately. While the idea of playing poker with an offshore business for money may be unnerving for some Virginia players, there are few to no risks tied up in these top-notch online poker rooms. They all must run under the strict supervision of their native country’s laws as well as maintain licenses from reputable international gaming commissions. There may be an abundance of poker sites on the web, but the ones here have stood the test of time. They have all been in operation for over a decade, which indicates a long history of reliability when it comes to paying out their winners on time and offering a lot of high quality traffic to play with.

Online poker rooms are popular in Virginia, and it’s a good thing too, because there are no real alternatives. Virginia authorities routinely break up illicit land based games, and with no licensed brick and mortar poker rooms to speak of, card players must turn to the internet. Still, there are worse things than forcing residents to play poker in the comfort of their own home.