There are many gambling options in the Mountain State, but not all of them are West Virginia online gambling options. Currently offering online sports betting and online casinos, WV online gambling sites have a lot to offer their avid bettors.
We’re offering you a look into the world of betting in the Mountain State — explicitly focusing on West Virginia online gambling sites, how the gambling experts at Strafe.com review online operators, giving you our recommendation of a top operator, and also providing some tips you can use to find your online gambling match. Join our Mountain State journey!
Who is this article suitable for? - All those interested in gambling West Virginia
If you want to know what types of betting or gambling opportunities are available to you in the beautiful Mountain State or you’ve already had a go at online gambling in West Virginia but you want to expand your horizons or get some extra valuable information, then this is your ultimate read.
We are covering all types of gambling types offered in the state of West Virginia, along with the most important details you need to be aware of for starting or continuing your gambling journey.
The legal history of betting and online gambling in West Virginia - It’s quite the story
West Virginia currently offers quite a few forms of state-sanctioned gambling — however, not all are available online. Going back all the way to 1933, Pari-mutuel horse race betting was introduced to West Virginia.
Then, several decades later, West Virginia established its lottery in 1984, and in 1994, Video Lottery Terminals (VTLs) were allowed at local racetracks.
In 2001, VLTs were further introduced to frat organizations, restaurants, and bars that typically serve alcohol. In 2007, racetracks in West Virginia were finally allowed to add table games.
It’s also interesting to note that the Mountain State was one of the first states that legalized sports betting after lifting the federal ban by the Supreme Court in May 2018. That same month The West Virginia Sports Lottery Wagering Act was passed during the same month, and West Virginia’s very first betting license went to the company operating Hollywood Casino — Penn National.
The new sportsbook situated at the Hollywood Casino officially started taking bets on August 18, 2018. When the end of 2018 came around, four out of five of the local casinos joined Hollywood Casino in offering legal sports betting.
A few months later, West Virginia lawmakers passed the West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act on March 27, 2019, which introduced new legal West Virginia online gambling options like online poker, sportsbook, and casino options in West Virginia through the local land-based casinos.
The bill went into effect on June 7, and the regulatory details for the new types of online gambling West Virginia were expected to be ready at the beginning of 2020.
Gambling on offshore operator sites remains illegal and is a misdemeanor.
Although all West Virginia gambling establishments now have live poker rooms, there has yet been an online poker operator to make its appearance in the Mountain State.
Since the legalization of sports betting in 2018, all local sportsbooks have launched land-based sports betting operators in cooperation with established betting companies.
Editor’s recommendation - The best West Virginia online gambling operator for users in West Virginia
Our top choice for an online sportsbook and casino combo would have to be BetMGM. This operator made an impressive appearance as the third operator to enter the Mountain State betting arena, and both the sportsbook and casino provide top options for their customers.
These options include fantastic signup bonus deals, a great variety of sports and casino games, a top-rated app and interface developed by some of the top software developers, and a slick and stylish approach that makes you feel like a VIP just for being online.
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Five expert tips - For a secure and fair gambling experience at West Virginia online gambling sites
First, you need to check if the operator is licensed
If an online gambling site isn’t licensed according to the requirements of the State it is based in, that’s a warning sign that it may not be safe. Even worse is if the operator has had issues regarding almost losing its license in the state, as this points directly to the operator violating some kind of rule or regulation.
If you want to check the operator’s licensing information, there are some easy ways to do this. You can check on the site or read our Strafe.com reviews, which provide the most updated and in-depth information about every West Virginia gambling site we review.
Do a site security inspection
Licencing is one thing that needs to be in place, but another crucial factor is a secure online gambling site. If a site is not secure, you and your personal information are not protected, and it should be standard for all online gambling sites to be secured using encryption technology.
All you need to know as an online bettor is that you want to bet at sites with HTTPS:// or a padlock icon at the beginning of the URL.
If you can identify either of those signs, it means the site runs on an SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encrypted connection. With an SSL encryption connection in place, hackers can hack all they want, but they won’t get past that padlock.
Take note, though, that if a site is not secure, the “s” will not be present in the “https://” and there will be a triangular icon with an exclamation mark instead of the padlock icon in the address bar — if you see this, exit and never return.
Go through the payment information
In the end, online gambling is about money, and to gamble, and you need to deposit money to get some back. If an online gambling site is a scam, it’s likely to take your money and not give it back.
Thus, two important components are checking the payment terms and conditions that should be published on the sites and looking at the payment methods available.
A solid warning sign is if an online gambling site WV requires too many verification documents for a withdrawal even though you’ve already made a successful deposit using verification.
Strafe.com’s online gambling experts check the payment terms and conditions of each site we recommend and avoid recommending sites with ambiguous or suspicious-looking deposit or withdrawal policies.
Look for reputable software providers
Whether it’s a casino site, sports betting site, or a poker site, it’s vital that the site uses software from established, reliable firms.
Let’s take WV casino sites, for example. Software names that are an indication of quality include IGT, Playtech, NetEnt, and Microgaming. There is consensus across the board that if an online casino site’s games come from these software companies, it’s a quality option.
However, there are many other software providers that are not automatically bad and even brand new ones we might never have heard of before. So, in this case, Strafe.com can provide you with some helpful information as thorough research is part of our operator reviewing process.
An established history & solid customer base is also important
If an operator offering online gambling in West Virginia has been operating for a long time and has never really had any reputational issues, this is a good sign. However, this doesn’t mean that newer online gambling sites in WV shouldn’t be given a fair chance. Even if a WV online gambling site has only been operating for a few months, you can learn from the short-term reputation by looking at user reviews, how many customers become “loyal” customers and taking into account all the other points mentioned.
What do we look for when evaluating West Virginia online gambling sites? - A lot!
Operator licensing and regulation
This is priority number one. If a West Virginia online gambling site is not licensed, we will not recommend it. Strafe.com supports legal and licensed online casinos in West Virginia. We specifically look for these licensing and registration details when we conduct our reviews to ensure that we only recommend the safest and best online casino options to both newcomers and experienced gamblers.
Payment methods
When reviewing a West Virginia online gambling site, we always look at payment methods from several angles. First off, an operator offering online gambling in West Virginia should have a good track record of prompt withdrawals to give their customers their winnings promptly.
Then, there’s also the subject of payment method variety. If an operator has many different payment methods, that indicates a level of quality. Additionally, because West Virginia online gambling operators usually have fewer withdrawal options than deposit options, discovering a mini-buffet of withdrawal choices is always good to find.
Finally, receiving the money in your bank account should not take a century. Fast transfer times are what we’re looking for in a quality operator.
Software and game quality
While conducting our West Virginia online gambling operator reviews, we look at the quality of the site’s software and the game quality, and the companies that developed the games and software. Because gambling has now moved online, software quality can make or break an online gambling experience, and the companies that create these games and software need to have a solid reputation for providing quality products.
Market depth
Market depth is a crucial component of our West Virginia online gambling sites reviews as it shows versatility. Market depth involves how many sports the online gambling operator offers its customers for wagering, and a connected component to this is wagering options.
Preferably, a wide selection of sports, tournaments, and games from within the US and other parts of the world is ideal, along with more options than just totals, money lines, and spreads. We provide specific details in each of our reviews about the operator’s market depth and what sports it has on its portfolio.
Customer service
If you’re a customer at an online gambling West Virginia operator, you need to be able to reach someone if you have a problem. In the past, gambling operators have often neglected customer service, but many operators have realized just how important it is to serve those that keep the business running.
If a customer can contact responsive customer care ASAP, for example, via a live chat function, this will bring our tick of approval.
Bonuses and promotions
Finally, bonuses and promotions are some of the reasons customers decide to sign up and stay at WV online gambling operators. However, not all signup bonus offers and promotions are created equally. On the surface, they may look the same, but if you dig deeper, you may find that one is more customer-friendly in terms of its playthrough requirements than another, even though this one offers more money.
This is why we look at bonus deals and promotions in detail, see if they are feasible, and then decide on a recommendation.
Finding the right operator for you — Online gambling West Virginia
Gambling preferences
West Virginia currently offers online sports betting and casinos, with online poker sites hopefully coming soon. If you like sports betting exclusively or online casinos exclusively, you’ll want to look at an operator that is strong in only one of those areas, even if it offers both. If you like both online sports betting and online casinos, a great option is to look for an operator that provides both.
From here, you can be more specific by looking at the sports or casino games you like to bet on. To find the right operator for online gambling West Virginia, your operator of choice should cater to your gambling needs.
Payment Methods
Each of us most likely not only uses different payment methods when making payments online but also prefers them for several reasons. Strafe.com looks at payment methods in its West Virginia online gambling operator reviews as quality operators also need to offer payment method diversity.
Convenience
Some WV online gambling operators provide their customers with the convenience of a mobile app. If you like to take your gambling experience with you wherever you travel to in the Mountain State, then this is an option you should consider. Check out our reviews to see which operators offer a mobile if the app is downloadable on your device and if it’s a user-friendly, quality app that will enhance your betting experience.
Variety
If you are a sports betting fan and an online casino fan, then you may be looking for an operator that provides both. Even better, if you can find a WV online gambling operator that offers both services on the same platform where you can just switch between the two will be ideal for you. There are WV online gambling operators like this in the Mountain State, and we provide all the juicy details.
Conclusion - Online gambling in West Virginia is rockin’
Online gambling in West Virginia has a lot of potential with its current laws regulating online gaming and betting in the state. For example, online Poker sites have yet to make an appearance. However, it is legal, and there’s a lot of potential for online poker operators in the Mountain state.
It should now be clear what your online gambling options are in West Virginia and how Strafe.com approach reviews to provide top-quality information. Additionally, you’ll be able to do a quick self-assessment to identify what you’re looking for, so you can go on and enjoy finding the perfect operator that suits all your gambling needs. Take a look at Strafe.com’s reviews covering the best online gambling operators in West Virginia for an in-depth perspective.
Virginia has a unique situation in its legal status on online poker and online poker operators in the state. To find out more about this situation, we suggest you read our in-depth article about West Virginia online gambling sites that explains everything about online gambling in Virginia
👌How do I know a betting platform is legit in WV?
It may take some investigation into online gambling West Virginia from your side. Still, if you want to find out the easy way, you can just take a look at Strafe.com’s operator reviews, where our gambling experts carefully look at each operator to ensure they are licensed, legal, and provide good quality gambling options from the best US gambling sites and best West Virginia sportsbooks.
💻Can I gamble online in West Virginia?
It depends on what your West Virginia online gambling preferences are. There are plenty of great options in the Mountain State for both experienced bettors and beginners, and we provide all the information you need about West Virginia online gambling sites in our exclusive Strafe.com West Virginia online gambling review.
First and foremost we're gamers — and this spills through into everything we do in the Strafe esports betting section. Since our reviews are tailored for those interested in punting on esports, you can expect us to look at key elements such as finding the best Dota 2 odds, or the latest League of Legends betting promo codes, and even a few helpful guides along the way.
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.
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