Virginia’s online sports betting is regulated by the Virginia Lottery, which also oversees the state’s new land-based casinos. The first mobile bets were taken on January 20, 2021, and there are now 10 licensed apps.
You need to be 21 or older and physically in Virginia to bet. Online casino games aren’t legal, so every app is sportsbook-only.
Below is every licensed sportsbook on the Virginia Lottery’s list, the permit holder behind it and how the apps rate.
How we list and rank sportsbooks
We start from the state regulator’s own list of licensed online sportsbooks, so every brand on this page is legal where it’s listed. We then order the apps by popularity: how many people have rated each one on the US App Store, alongside its average score. “Top” on Locals Insider means the most popular and most used apps, not a paid placement.
Offers only appear for brands we work with, and every term comes from the operator’s own rules. If we can’t confirm a detail on an official page, it doesn’t go in.
Is online sports betting legal in Virginia? Yes, through sportsbooks licensed by the Virginia Lottery.
- Minimum age: 21
- First mobile bets: January 20, 2021
- Licensed online sportsbooks: 10
- Online casino: Not legal in Virginia
- College restriction: No prop bets on individual college athletes; limits on Virginia college teams
- Where you can bet: Only while physically inside Virginia; apps check your location before every bet.
Licensed Online Sportsbooks in Virginia (10)
These are the 10 licensed sports betting operators on the Virginia Lottery’s list, ordered by how many people use and rate each app.
FanDuel Sportsbook VA – same-game parlays and live betting
Licensed through: Betfair Interactive US, with the Washington Commanders
FanDuel was the first Virginia sportsbook to take a mobile bet, on January 20, 2021, and its permit is held in conjunction with the Washington Commanders. Its app is the most-rated in the US, with more than 2.3 million ratings at 4.84.
In Virginia it’s sportsbook-only.
DraftKings Sportsbook VA – daily odds boosts and same-game parlays
Licensed through: Crown Virginia Gaming
DraftKings followed a week later, taking its first Virginia bets on January 27, 2021. Its app averages 4.82 from about 1.37 million ratings.
Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook VA – Unity by Hard Rock rewards
Licensed through: HR Bristol (Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol)
Hard Rock Bet’s Virginia permit belongs to Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol, the state’s first casino. Its app has the top average on this list, 4.86 from about 363,000 ratings.
New Virginia customers get 10 × 100% Profit Boost Tokens through our link, with no promo code needed.
bet365 Sportsbook VA – sharp odds and in-play betting
Licensed through: Hillside (Virginia)
bet365 has held a Virginia permit since 2022 and its app averages 4.78 from about 361,000 ratings.
Fanatics Sportsbook VA – FanCash rewards on your bets
Licensed through: FBG Virginia
Fanatics Sportsbook is on the Virginia Lottery’s licensed list and averages 4.83 from nearly 296,000 ratings.
BetMGM Sportsbook VA – MGM Rewards and deep player props
Licensed through: BetMGM, LLC
BetMGM averages 4.75 from more than 261,000 ratings and links to MGM Rewards. Virginia’s nearest MGM property is MGM National Harbor, just across the Potomac in Maryland.
theScore Bet Sportsbook VA – a simple app tied to theScore
Licensed through: Penn Sports Interactive
theScore Bet runs under PENN Entertainment’s Virginia permit. Its app averages 4.83 from about 224,000 ratings.
Caesars Sportsbook VA – Caesars Rewards on every bet
Licensed through: Caesars Virginia (Danville)
Caesars Sportsbook’s permit is held by Caesars Virginia, the casino resort in Danville. The app averages 4.74 from about 117,000 ratings and links to Caesars Rewards.
BetRivers Sportsbook VA – iRush Rewards and steady boosts
Licensed through: Rivers Casino Portsmouth
BetRivers is the online book of Rivers Casino Portsmouth in Hampton Roads. Its app averages 4.85 from about 53,000 ratings.
Bally Bet Sportsbook VA – Bally Rewards
Licensed through: Bally’s Interactive
Bally Bet holds its own Virginia permit. Its app averages 4.56 from about 53,000 ratings.
Virginia Sportsbook Apps Compared
| App | Licensed through | Online casino (same brand) | iOS rating (ratings) |
|---|---|---|---|
| FanDuel | FanDuel with Washington Commanders | No (not legal in Virginia) | 4.84 (2,315,931) |
| DraftKings | Crown Virginia Gaming | No (not legal in Virginia) | 4.82 (1,369,715) |
| Hard Rock Bet | Hard Rock Bristol | No (not legal in Virginia) | 4.86 (363,024) |
| bet365 | Hillside (Virginia) | No (not legal in Virginia) | 4.78 (360,739) |
| Fanatics | FBG Virginia | No (not legal in Virginia) | 4.83 (295,868) |
| BetMGM | BetMGM, LLC | No (not legal in Virginia) | 4.75 (261,271) |
| theScore Bet | Penn Sports Interactive | No (not legal in Virginia) | 4.83 (224,319) |
| Caesars | Caesars Virginia | No (not legal in Virginia) | 4.74 (117,111) |
| BetRivers | Rivers Casino Portsmouth | No (not legal in Virginia) | 4.85 (53,216) |
| Bally Bet | Bally’s Interactive | No (not legal in Virginia) | 4.56 (52,827) |
Ratings are US App Store averages and rating counts, checked November 2026. All 10 licensed Virginia sportsbooks have a checked US App Store rating.
Virginia Sportsbook Promo Codes
Offers for Locals Insider readers. We list offers only for brands we work with; other licensed sportsbooks run their own welcome offers, which you’ll see in their apps.
Hard Rock Bet · Sports betting
10 × 100% Profit Boost Tokens
Terms: 21+, new customers only, physically located in AZ, FL, IL, IN, OH, TN or VA. $5 minimum deposit; $50 maximum bet per token. Applied when you sign up through our link. T&Cs apply. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-MY-RESET.
21+. New customers only. Must be physically located in Virginia. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-MY-RESET.
How to Sign Up at a Virginia Sportsbook
- Check the brand is licensed. Use the list above or the Virginia Lottery website, and skip any app that isn’t on it.
- Download the official app. Get it from the App Store or Google Play, or sign up on the operator’s site, while you’re in Virginia.
- Verify your identity. You’ll enter your legal name, date of birth, address and the last digits of your Social Security number, and you must be 21 or older.
- Turn on location services. The app confirms you’re physically inside Virginia before every bet, even if you live there.
- Set your limits, then deposit. Add deposit and time limits first, then fund the account with a card, bank transfer or another method the app accepts.
Virginia Sports Betting by the Numbers
Virginians wagered $532.3 million in August 2026 across eleven mobile sportsbooks and three casino sportsbooks, more than 4% up on August 2025. Operators kept $47.2 million in adjusted gross revenue, which is taxed at 15% (Virginia Lottery). Over the 2025/26 fiscal year, total wagers reached $7.74 billion (Virginia Lottery June report).
Recent Changes in Virginia
theScore Bet, the former ESPN Bet, now takes bets in Virginia under its new name.
Betting on Virginia Teams
Virginia has no team from the four biggest leagues within its borders, so much of the local interest is in college sports and neighboring franchises. The rules for college are tight: no prop bets on individual college athletes, and limits on bets involving Virginia college teams.
Virginia Taxes on Sports Bets
Winnings are taxable income. A sportsbook withholds 24% for federal tax when a payout, minus your stake, is more than $5,000 and at least 300 times the wager, and reports it on Form W-2G (IRS). From 2026 you can deduct only 90% of your gambling losses, and only if you itemize, capped at what you won (IRS Form W-2G).
Virginia taxes winnings as income at graduated rates from 2% to 5.75%, with the top rate applying above $17,000 of taxable income (Virginia Tax). Virginia tax is generally withheld whenever federal tax is withheld from a payout (Virginia withholding guide).
This is general information, not tax advice; a tax professional can look at your own situation.
Tips for Betting in Virginia
- Watch the DC and Maryland line. Northern Virginia sits next to Washington, DC, and Maryland, which license their own apps. A bet from Arlington counts in Virginia; one from across the river doesn’t.
- Know the college rules. Virginia doesn’t allow prop bets on individual college athletes, and bets on Virginia college teams are restricted.
- Expect sportsbook-only apps. Online casino games aren’t legal in Virginia; the state’s casinos are land-based.
- Use the Lottery’s list. The Virginia Lottery keeps the official list of licensed sportsbooks; anything else isn’t legal in the state.
Virginia Sportsbooks FAQ
Ten: FanDuel, DraftKings, Hard Rock Bet, bet365, Fanatics, BetMGM, theScore Bet, Caesars, BetRivers and Bally Bet.
The Virginia Lottery, which also regulates the state’s casinos.
No. Virginia’s casinos are land-based, and online casino games aren’t legal.
Yes, with limits: prop bets on individual college athletes aren’t allowed, and bets on Virginia college teams are restricted.
Yes. New customers who sign up through our link get 10 × 100% Profit Boost Tokens, with a $50 maximum bet per token and no code needed.
Bet with a plan. Set deposit and time limits before your first bet, and never chase losses; every licensed sportsbook offers cool-off periods and self-exclusion. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-MY-RESET, the National Council on Problem Gambling helpline.
More Sportsbook Guides
- US sportsbooks hub: every state page, offers and reviews
- Sports betting apps compared: how the national apps stack up
- Other states: New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, North Carolina, Michigan, New Jersey, Arizona, Tennessee
- Prediction markets: event trading under federal rules
