For all of the state sanctioned types of gambling in Virginia, the legal gambling age is 18 years old. Casino gambling is not state sanctioned, but it can be presumed to share the same restrictions. What this means is that even if you are using an online casino, you should take pains to be over the legal age, which is not defined in Virginia law. What’s Virginia’s Minimum Legal Gambling Age? Virginia’s minimum gambling age is 18. Residential players and visitors who are 18 can participate in pari-mutuel wagering on horses, charitable gambling at bingo halls, raffles, lotteries, betting on duck races, and daily fantasy sports.

Legal Gambling Age by State Resources

What is the legal gambling age in Alabama? - The legal gambling age in Alabama is 21. Alabama residents will be entitled to gamble provided they break the age barrier of 21.

What is the legal gambling age in Alaska? - Alaska has a fairly low gambling age. You will be able to enjoy gambling at the age of 18.

What is the legal gambling age in Arizona? - Arizona carries a legal gambling age of 21, so you will be able to gamble legally as soon as this date arrives.

What is the legal gambling age in Arkansas? - Arkansas only requires you to be 18 for most forms of gambling, though online gambling will require you to be 21 to enjoy the games.

What is the legal gambling age in California? - For casino games and the like, the legal gambling age in the state is 21 or higher.

What is the legal gambling age in Colorado? - If you live in Colorado, you will be subject to an age requirement of 21 years of age in order to begin gambling.

What is the legal gambling age in Connecticut? - The gambling age in Connecticut is set firmly at 21 for most forms of gambling. Unless you are a lottery player, you will be stuck with a 21 year gaming restriction.

What is the legal gambling age in Delaware? - Delaware requires all of their gamblers to be 21 if they are going to take part in the action.

What is the legal gambling age in Florida? - Florida has a required gambling age of 18 for poker and 21 for casino games.

What is the legal gambling age in Georgia? - Georgia has an age limit of 21 for the legal gambling age. You will be required to adhere to this limit if you are going to engage in the games.

What is the legal gambling age in Hawaii? - Hawaii has a de facto age of 21 in order to legally gamble. Since online gambling is the only choice players will have for gambling, you must be twenty one to play.

What is the legal gambling age in Idaho? - Idaho requires players to be at least 18 years old in order to enjoy the games. You will have to surpass the age of majority in order to play.

What is the legal gambling age in Illinois? - Those who are 21 years of age or older will be able to enjoy legal gambling in their state.

What is the legal gambling age in Indiana? - Legal gambling ages in Indiana vary by game, but you will want to be at least 21 before you start playing any online games.

What is the legal gambling age in Iowa? - If you are turning to online gambling, then you will have to be at least 21 years of age in order to play the games at hand.

What is the legal gambling age in Kansas? - Kansas will require players to be at least 18 in order to join in on the gambling. Kansas gives players the opportunity to join in on the gambling before most other states.

What is the legal gambling age in Kentucky? - Kentucky requires players to be above the age of 21 - even if by a minute - in order to legally play the gaming through these online gambling sites.

What is the legal gambling age in Louisiana? - Louisiana gamblers must be at least 21 years old in order to enjoy the games without legal recourse.

What is the legal gambling age in Maine? - Maine requires players to be only 18 years old in order to jump into the gambling. Maine is one of the very few states with such a low age restriction.

What is the legal gambling age in Maryland? - Maryland requires all players to have surpassed their 21st birthday in order to legally gamble. The legal gambling age in Maryland is 21 years old.

What is the legal gambling age in Massachusetts? - Massachusetts gamblers must be aged 21 in order to freely gamble within the state, especially through online gambling options.

What is the legal gambling age in Michigan? - Michigan Gamblers must be at least 21 years old in order to move forward with gambling. Players beneath this age will be ejected from their choice of gambling site.

What is the legal gambling age in Minnesota? - Minnesota gamblers are required to be at least 18 in order to play the games. Players joining online gambling sites, or trying to enter land based gambling havens, must prove their age.

What is the legal gambling age in Mississippi? - The legal gambling age in Mississippi is 21, so all players who do not meet or surpass this age will not be eligible to join in on the games.

What is the legal gambling age in Missouri? - The 21st birthday of anyone living in Missouri is the day that they become legally able to gamble.

What is the legal gambling age in Montana? - Montana has one of the lowest gambling ages in the nation. Players will have to only wait until their 18th birthday to enjoy legal gambling.

What is the legal gambling age in Nebraska? - Nebraska has a legal gambling age of 18. If you exceed the 18th year of your life you will be good to go.

What is the legal gambling age in Nevada? - The legal gambling age in Nevada is affixed at 21. If you are under 21, you may as well stop trying - for now.

What is the legal gambling age in New Hampshire? - New Hampshire has a legal gambling age of 21. You may, however, play the lottery if you are at least 18 years old.

What is the legal gambling age in New Jersey? - New Jersey residents must have passed their 21st birthday, otherwise they do not meet the legal gambling age in the state.

What is the legal gambling age in New Mexico? - If you are 21 years old, then you can gamble in New Mexico without any fear of legal trouble.

What is the legal gambling age in New York? - New Yorkers can gamble as soon as they hit 18, which is not something many states can answer when asked what is the legal gambling age in their state.

What is the legal gambling age in North Carolina? - North Carolinians must be at least the age of majority to gamble, so 18 is the legal gambling age in North Carolina.

What is the legal gambling age in North Dakota? - North Dakota residents enjoy the comforts of online gambling especially when the snow is deep and the weather is cold, as long as they're 21 years old.

What is the legal gambling age in Ohio? - Ohioans must have reached the ripe age of 21 in order to legally gamble through casino type games, as well as online gambling venues.

What is the legal gambling age in Oklahoma? - In order to gamble in Oklahoma, you will probably want to be at least 18. The tribal lands are entitled to decide their own ages, however.

What is the legal gambling age in Oregon? - Oregonians have a gambling age restriction of 21. If you have not surpassed your 21st birthday then you are ineligible for gambling.

What is the legal gambling age in Pennsylvania? - Pennsylvania has a strict age limit of 21 in order to gamble. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board does not take this lightly.

What is the legal gambling age in Rhode Island? - Rhode Island is one of the few states that will allow gamblers to place wagers at the age of 18.

What is the legal gambling age in South Carolina? - South Carolina hardly takes a pro-gambling stance, but for the sake of the argument we shall say that the legal gambling age is 18.

What is the legal gambling age in South Dakota? - Those who reside in South Dakota must be at least 21 years old in order to gamble, otherwise there will be problems.

What is the legal gambling age in Tennessee? - The def facto gambling age in Tennessee is 21.

What is the legal gambling age in Texas? - Texas has imposed an age limit of 21 in order to enjoy gambling. Players under this age face fines or worse.

What is the legal gambling age in Utah? - Utah is a very strict anti-gambling state. As such, there will a de facto gambling age of at least 21.

What is the legal gambling age in Vermont? - Vermont players are subject only to an 18 year old limitation on their gambling. Those players above this age limit will be free to gamble as they please.

What is the legal gambling age in Virginia? - Virginians must be at least 21 in order to play gambling games in the state. If you do not meet 21, you will not be entitled to gambling.

What is the legal gambling age in Washington? - Washingtonians have the luxury of gambling as soon as they reach their 18th birthday. Provided you can prove that you are 18, you are ready to gamble as you wish.

What is the legal gambling age in West Virginia? - West Virginia's few land based casinos require that you be at least 21 in order to play the games, or even be on the gaming floor.

What is the legal gambling age in Wisconsin? - Wisconsin residents have a 21 year legal gambling age. Players must meet this requirement in order to make the cut.

What is the legal gambling age in Wyoming? - Wyoming is the final of the few states with an age of at least 18. Even if you are 18 and a day, you breach the legal gambling age in Wyoming.

• Year Virginia Regulated Gambling: Bingo (1973), Lottery (1987), Horse racing (1997), Daily Fantasy Sports (2016)
• Estimated Tax Revenue from Gambling: $487 million
• Estimated Gambling Revenue: $1.6 billion
• Virginia Gambling Age: 18 for all forms
• Smoking ban: Virginia does not ban smoking in establishments that ban minors
• Virginia Online gambling: Horse racing and Daily Fantasy Sports

Virginia gambling leaves its residents with hardly any options to choose from. Even though there are no Virginia casinos, there are services that will transport gamblers to other states. There are only three legalized forms of live gaming available in the state. One no longer operates due to a lack of demand.

Despite the fact that there are not Virginia casinos within state borders, there are always other options. Anyone that wants the gambling experience can always rent casino games (with strict rules of how to operate them). They can also go to “party casino” establishments, where all games are just like casino games, without having real money involved. The last way Virginia casino gamblers can have their fun is by actually taking a bus ride to other states. There is always the option to get on a cruise casino and sail out to international waters and gamble.

Below you will find a simply map and guide to some of these Virginia casinos alternatives.

Virginia Casinos Map & Event Guide

• None

• Number of B&M Casinos: 0
• Number of Poker Rooms: 0
• Number of Indian Casinos: 0

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Types of Virginia Online Gambling Allowed

Off-track betting is legal over the Internet and on mobile devices in Virginia. The problem is that there are no tracks to partner with so no sites operate. As of now, online casino gambling is not legal in Virginia.

Daily fantasy sports sites are explicitly legal in Virginia. DraftKings and FanDuel are licensed to operate in the state.

Types of Live Virginia Gambling

• Casino Games: No
• Horses: Yes
• Lottery: Yes

There are three types of legalized Virginia gambling options. The state lottery may sell scratch-off and lotto tickets. There are thousands of retailers. Charities may offer bingo games. There are nearly 600 bingo halls in the state. Live horse racing is legal in Virginia. There are no active tracks. Colonial Downs held its last race in 2014. Its simulcast betting shops shuttered in April 2015.

There is charity bingo, which is a booming business in Virginia due to the lack of other options. There is also a state lottery that sells scratch-off and lotto tickets.

Horse racing is legal but there are no active tracks. Off-track betting is permitted by advance deposit wagering companies if offered over the Internet. Since Colonial Downs shuttered, it cannot offer off-track betting so there is no way to play the ponies in Virginia these days, even though it is legal to do so. This includes betting apps and websites.

Virginia casino gambling is not legal. Players in the west part of the state can go to West Virginia or Cherokee, North Carolina for casino action. Those in the east part of Virginia will probably prefer going to Maryland and Delaware.

Daily fantasy sports contests were legalized in Virginia in March 2016. Sites like DraftKings and FanDuel are licensed to operate in the state.

Virginia Gambling Laws

Virginia requires gambler to be at least 18 years of age. Only bingo, a state lottery, horse racing and daily fantasy sports are considered legal in the state. Virginia law exempts any gambling that occurs in a private residence as long as it is not considered a commercial operation. This includes home poker games and casino nights among friends.

Gamblers that enter into a payment agreement cannot enforce it. Losers of money on games that involve an element of chance may recover that cash through legal means.

Most gambling crimes are misdemeanors. An operator of an illegal gambling enterprise that runs for 30 days or has $2,000 in revenue in a single day is a felony.

Daily fantasy sports sites are permitted to operate in the state if they receive a license. Registration costs $50,000 per year. The state must receive an independent auditor’s report annually.

Horse racing is legal in Virginia. There was only ever one licensed track. It failed in 2015. Off-track betting is legal in Virginia. It requires a licensed facility. Mobile betting on horses is also legal but it requires a partnership with a licensed track. There are none so there is nowhere to make these bets legally in Virginia.

Where to Gamble in Virginia

There are about 600 bingo halls in Virginia. There is never a problem finding a game. There are thousands of lottery retailers. These businesses sell instant games and tickets for lotto drawings. Casino players must go to West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware or North Carolina for action.

Virginia Gambling History

Horse racing dates back to the colonial days of Virginia. Historians note that races took place at underground operations from the 1500’s all the way until 1897. That is when the state specifically outlawed horse racing. It did not stop the activity in all counties. It simply drove the gaming underground.

Legal Gambling Age In Virginia Unemployment

The state legislature decided to legalize live and simulcast betting in 1997. This created pari-mutuel pools on races. Colonial Downs opened on September 1, 1997. There were 13,000 fans in attendance. The track ran into financial difficulties in the late 2000’s and started to trim live racing days. In 2013, the last thoroughbred race was held. That type of racing ended due to a dispute with the horsemen.

Harness racing continued at Colonial Downs into 2014. The track relinquished its live racing license in 2014. The off-track betting shop was closed in April 2015. There were OTBs in other parts of the state that shuttered in November 2014. Colonial Downs is likely closed forever. There are plans to develop a gold course on the land.

Bingo was approved through a constitutional amendment in November 1973. The first bingo games were held within months. Voters approved a state lottery in November 1987. The first ticket was sold on September 20, 1988.

Virginia Casinos & Gambling FAQ

The minimum Virginia gambling age is 18 for all forms.

Yes, but there are no tracks.

Yes, but there are no betting shops open. Internet companies are not licensed due to a lack of track partners.

Legal Gambling Age In West Virginia

Yes. Virginia is the first state to license daily fantasy sports.

DraftKings and FanDuel are the main licensed operators.

Yes. It sells scratch-off and lotto tickets.

Yes, but only if operated by a registered charity.

Legal Gambling Age In Virginia 2020

No. None of these types of sites are licensed to operate in the state and are illegal.

Virginia residents in the Appalachian area can choose between casinos in West Virginia and Cherokee, North Carolina. Those closers to Washington D.C. will find Maryland casinos to be closer.