Virginia Sweepstakes Casino Online: How Does Virginia Gaming Laws Work & Is It Legal To Play Real Money Online Casino in VA?

Is it legal to play at online casinos in Virginia?

Online casinos are illegal in Virginia and have been so for a long time. We reviewed the state's legal code and found that it is explicitly prohibited to play gambling games through internet access.

As per Virginia Law - § 18.2-325:

“1. "Illegal gambling" means the making, placing, or receipt of any bet or wager in the Commonwealth of money or other consideration or thing of value, made in exchange for a chance to win a prize, stake, or other consideration or thing of value, dependent upon the result of any game, contest, or any other event the outcome of which is uncertain or a matter of chance, whether such game, contest, or event occurs or is to occur inside or outside the limits of the Commonwealth.

For the purposes of this subdivision and notwithstanding any provision in this section to the contrary, the making, placing, or receipt of any bet or wager of money or other consideration or thing of value shall include the purchase of a product, Internet access, or other thing made in exchange for a chance to win a prize, stake, or other consideration or thing of value by means of the operation of a gambling device as described in subdivision 3 b, regardless of whether the chance to win such prize, stake, or other consideration or thing of value may be offered in the absence of a purchase.”

As you can see in the definition above, the state law explicitly mentions internet gambling as an offense, so there is no scope to interpret the law differently.

Which forms of gambling are allowed in Virginia?

Just because online casinos in Virginia are illegal doesn't mean that there are no legal forms of gambling that you can engage in in the state.

Actually, there are quite a few different forms of gambling that are legal in Virginia, including actual casinos on land:

Given that both casino gaming and sports betting were legalized fairly recently, one can still hope that the revenue potential from these legalizations will also propel lawmakers to legalize online casinos in the future.

Is it legal to play at sweepstakes casinos in Virginia?

Not only is it perfectly fine to play at sweepstakes casinos in Virginia, but it has also become quite a phenomenon amongst residents of the state. In the absence of real-money online casinos with no deposit bonuses in Virginia, residents of the state have increasingly turned to sweepstakes casinos as an alternative.

Virginia Legal Code § 18.2-334.6., on ‘Exemptions to article; amusement devices’, makes a case for exempting

“Amusement devices" from the state’s anti-gambling laws. An ”’Amusement device’ means a game that is activated by a coin, token, or other object of consideration or value.”

Sweepstakes casinos can operate in Virginia as long as they don’t charge an entry fee or similar consideration. Virginia sweepstakes casinos have to comply with sweepstakes casino laws, especially about the kind of rewards they can give out.

The law states:

‘"Appropriate reward" means a noncash merchandise prize

1. the value of which does not exceed the cost of playing the amusement device or the total aggregate cost of playing multiple amusement devices,
2. that is not and does not include an alcoholic beverage,
3. that is not eligible for repurchase, and
4. that is not exchangeable for cash or cash equivalents.’

Do sweepstakes casinos operating in the state of Virginia need to be licensed?

There are several new sweepstakes casinos in Virginia and many that have been around for years. These websites are all following sweepstakes rules set by the state. However, since these are not gambling entities, they do not need any specific license or prior authorization to be operating in Virginia.

On the other hand, the land-based casinos in the state do need a license to open up shop. That is because gambling is regulated much more strictly than online gaming; that does not include any consideration.

We also found that there are no strict regulatory watchdogs that are monitoring online gaming in Virginia like there are in Michigan. So you can rest assured that your favorite sweepstakes casinos are not going to receive a cease and desist order anytime soon.

How do you identify which sweepstakes casinos are legitimate?

If you haven’t played at sweepstakes casinos before or are looking to widen your network of sweepstakes casinos, this section could be helpful for you.

Today, there are several sweepstakes casinos out there and it can be overwhelming to decide which one is worth your time. Additionally, you need to be careful and protect yourself against scam sites and malicious sites, which are simply a front to hack into your system.

If you want to place sweepstakes slots games in Virginia and want to do it on a site that is safe and well-reputed, please keep the following tips in mind:

Before you sign up to any Virginia sweepstakes casino, we advise you to conduct your due diligence and make sure that the site is safe, well reputed, and worth your time.

What potential future updates on online casinos in Virginia can the people expect?

When it comes to sending cease-and-desist letters to illegal online gambling sites that are operating in Virginia, the state is not playing around.

• Crackdown on illegal gambling sites: We found many instances where few online gambling services that were operating illegally and under the radar in Virginia received legal notices to halt their operations immediately. With the strict regulatory climate that we are seeing around online gambling, it is unlikely that a move to legalize will appear any time in the future.
• Sports Betting Legalization Effect: Experts believe that the states that have legalized sports betting might wake up to the revenue potential of online gambling and also subsequently legalize online casinos. Given that sports betting was legalized in Virginia in 2020, one can hope that in the following years, the state might take a more accommodating approach towards online casinos as well.

Until that day arrives, residents of the state can play at Virginia sweepstakes casinos using no deposit bonuses and enjoy online casino games from the comfort of their homes without breaking any laws.

No-deposit bonus playthrough requirements in Virginia

If you are signing up for sweepstakes casinos in Virginia for the first time, then you should review the bonus playthrough requirements we have below for you. Do not be misled by the promise of SC coins and how they can be redeemed for gift cards and cash prizes.

While it is true that you can redeem your SC coins for gifts, you must fulfill all the eligibility requirements beforehand. All bonuses come with playthrough requirements at most of these sweepstakes casinos, so you cannot immediately redeem the SC coins that you received as a bonus.

Take a look at the table below to find out the playthrough requirements for welcome bonuses at Virginia sweepstakes casinos

What are users saying about playing online casinos and sweepstakes casinos in Virginia?

When we looked into the online charter about the legalization of online casinos in Virginia, we found that there are people who have been playing on illegal online poker sites for a long time. However, the biggest risk of playing at these online sites illegally is that they can be shut down anytime and you can lose all of your money.

When online sports betting was legalized in Virginia, a lot of people were very happy because finally, they could bet on sports legally on online sportsbooks. However, what we also found in these posts was that people wanted the same legalization for online casinos as well.

A common theme that we have noticed in many other states. Netizens online are angry that sports betting was legalized but online casinos were not and thought that it was a double standard and that it did not make sense.

Alongside sports betting, the legalization of casinos in Virginia also drew a lot of enthusiasm and excitement from residents of the state.

Similarly, sweepstakes casinos, which have been around in the state for a long time, have received a lot of love and support from residents of Virginia, who like the opportunity of being able to play online casino games without any of the risks.

Final thoughts on online casinos and sweepstakes sites in Virginia

Online casinos are not legal in Virginia at the moment, and there are no strong indicators that it will be legalized anytime soon. However, you can play online sportsbooks since sports betting was legalized in the state back in 2020.Sweepstake sites are also legal in Virginia, as long as they follow the state’s rules about such entities. They are not allowed to charge an entry fee or a consideration, and they are not regulated or taxed the same way as online casinos would be if they were legal.

Virginia Legal Sweepstakes Casino FAQ

Disclaimer: Kindly note that we are not legal or tax experts. While we always strive to present the most accurate information, this is not binding legal advice. Always reach out to a licensed lawyer or tax advisor when in doubt.