Online Poker in Virginia - real money play is legal in 2023!

Can I play online poker in Virgnia? The answer is yes!

Is it legal to play online poker in Virginia? The answer to this is also yes!

Those who make Virginia their home might live in a state that is not friendly toward gambling with many stiff laws in place to discourage participation, but luckily, online poker in Virginia is not nearly as affected by these laws. Offshore sites have decided to still offer games to those in Virginia, and the choices for those players are numerous and great in nature.

It's critical to be aware that there are no federal laws that criminalize playing online poker. The Wire Act, UIGEA, and other statutes that the feds allege make real money internet gaming illegal only target the operators of the sites, not regular players, and it's not exactly clear that they apply to poker at all anyway.

So even though players won’t be getting regulated Virginia online poker any time soon, they can enjoy US-facing, real-money poker goodness no matter what their favorite games are and no matter what their state and the federal government think of the game! Below is a list of all the great sites that offer games to the state of Virginia!

It's the work of hours or days to investigate the various Virginia online poker entities out there to determine which are on the up and up and which are best avoided. You don't need to engage in this thankless task, however, because we've already done it for you. All the rooms in our list below are trustworthy, and they all pay out winnings fairly. No matter which one you choose, you'll appreciate the error-free software and professional customer service.

1

IGNITION

BONUS:

150% up to $1,500

★★★★★

4.5 / 5

BEST VA ONLINE POKER SITE WITH THE MOST TRAFFIC

NETWORK:

PAIWANGLUO

EXTRAS

CASINO

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Ignition appeals to Virginians because it has the most poker room traffic of any site available to them and thus the most games running simultaneously. These consist of micro-stakes, $0.02/$0.05, up to high-stakes games with blinds of $10/$20. You can try your hand at NL Hold'em, PL Omaha, and Limit Hold'em cash games, including fast-fold Zone Poker, and there's a full lineup of SNGs and lottery-style Jackpots too. The tournament scene is hopping here with a weekly $150,000 Guaranteed MTT and recurring series that hand out millions in prize money.

Ignition is compatible with Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, so you can play on whatever machine you possess. Upon making your first deposit, you will receive a 100% up to $1,000 poker bonus (150% up to $1,500 with Bitcoin) as well as a matching casino bonus too.

VISIT IGNITION POKER NOW

2

SB POKER

BONUS:

100% up to $1,000

★★★★★

4.4 / 5

BEST VA ONLINE POKER SITE FOR BAD BEAT JACKPOT

NETWORK:

CHICO

EXTRAS

CASINO, SPORTSBOOK

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SB Poker has games as high as $5/$10 in NLHE, PLO, and PLO/8, and there's a small range of stakes for 6+ Hold'em and a couple of other niche formats. At certain Hold'em tables, you could win a six-figure Bad Beat Jackpot prize! The poker lineup also contains fast-fold poker, lottery Windfall contests, normal Sit-N-Goes, and a growing selection of tournaments. Reload bonuses and other time-limited promos beckon from time to time.

Sportsbetting.ag Poker runs just fine on PCs, Macs, and mobile systems. New players get a 100% up to $1,000 bonus, and there are other offers for the attached casino and sportsbook.

VISIT SB POKER NOW

3

BETONLINE

BONUS:

100% up to $1,000

★★★★★

4.4 / 5

BEST VA ONLINE POKER SITE FOR MOBILE USERS

NETWORK:

CHICO

EXTRAS

CASINO, SPORTSBOOK

MORE INFO

READ REVIEW

BetOnline is a participant in the Chico Poker Network alongside SB Poker, which represents the third-largest U.S.-facing poker organization. The poker formats spread and the bonuses on offer are largely identical across both sites. BOL has existed for a bit longer than SB Poker and is highly regarded for its robust mobile applications and extensive gaming roster including a wide array of casino games and a top-tier sportsbook.

You can play poker here using any Mac, Windows, iOS, or Android device. You can look forward to a poker bonus equal to 100% of your first deposit of up to $1,000, and you may wish to check out the casino and sportsbook bonuses to take full advantage of the promotional offers here.

VISIT BETONLINE NOW

4

BOVADA

BONUS:

100% up to $500

★★★★★

4.3 / 5

BEST VA ONLINE POKER SITE FOR SPORTS & CASINO

NETWORK:

PAIWANGLUO

EXTRAS

CASINO, SPORTSBOOK

MORE INFO

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Bovada.lv is a sister site of Ignition, and so it benefits from the same high level of poker traffic and has access to the same poker tables. What makes Bovada different, though, is that it has a sportsbook, which Ignition lacks. Here, you can bet on contests for some of the most popular leagues in the world, like NFL, MLB, NBA, and EPL. The sportsbook also carries eSports matches and a few political and novelty betting markets.

Bovada has downloadable client software for Mac and Windows along with a web-based interface that works with phones and tablets. The standard poker bonus is 100% up to $500, and there's also $3,000 to claim in the casino and another $250 for sports. Bigger bonuses await bitcoiners.

VISIT BOVADA NOW

5

ACR POKER

BONUS:

100% up to $2,000

★★★★★

4.1 / 5

BEST VA ONLINE POKER SITE WITH FREE BANKROLL BONUS

NETWORK:

WINNING

FREE

$10

MORE INFO

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ACR Poker's claim to fame is as the home of the largest tournaments available to U.S. players. The recurring Venom event guarantees no less than an amazing $5 million, and there are also frequent tournament series that often feature $1 million tournaments. Of course, you also have a full plethora of ring games, including fast-fold Blitz, sit n' gos, and lottery poker products to choose from. Leaderboards reward the top cash and SNG grinders every week.

ACR Poker supports Windows and Mac, and a mobile client exists although with only a few poker formats present. Use the exclusive ACR bonus code PRB10FREE to redeem a $10 no deposit bonus. You will still be able to claim the 100% up to $2,000 initial deposit bonus.

VISIT ACR POKER NOW

6

COIN POKER

BONUS:

100% up to $700

★★★★★

4.0 / 5

BEST VA CRYPTO-ONLY ONLINE POKER SITE

NETWORK:

STANDALONE

EXTRAS

33% RAKEBACK

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CoinPoker is the most popular crypto-focused online poker room available to players in Virginia. All play at the tables here is exclusively denominated in Tether (USDT), although players can utilize a few additional cryptos to facilitate deposits and withdrawals. In addition to NL Hold'em and PL Omaha, this site also spreads Open Face Chinese and 5 Card Omaha. You can also look forward to leaderboards every week for the truly dedicated SNG and cash game grinders.

CoinPoker is compatible with a wide range of devices including PC, Mac, iOS, and Android machines. You'll receive three different bonuses upon depositing here including a 100% offer worth up to $700, a 100% offer worth up to $300, and a 100% offer worth up to $100. In addition, you will have the ability to earn 33% rakeback as long as you are willing to hold a balance of CHP, its unique crypto token.

VISIT COIN POKER NOW

7

EVERYGAME

BONUS:

200% up to $1,000

★★★★★

3.9 / 5

BEST VA ONLINE POKER SITE FOR RAKEBACK

NETWORK:

HORIZON

EXTRAS

CASINOS, SPORTSBOOK

MORE INFO

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Everygame is fairly small compared with our other recommended sites, but it compensates for this with a robust promotional schedule. You'll get 36% rakeback when you sign up through our links and will be able to supplement this with a welcome bonus, weekly rake races, a loyalty tiers system, freerolls, and casino + sports promos.

The standard Everygame poker client only runs on Windows systems, but Instant Play functionality over the web means that you can access the games from mobiles and Macs as well. Upon making your first deposit, you'll get a 200% up to $1,000 bonus as well as 25 free spins on the slots.

VISIT EVERYGAME NOW

8

SWCPOKER

BONUS:

NONE

★★★★★

3.6 / 5

BEST VA ONLINE SITE FOR RARE POKER VARIANTS

NETWORK:

STANDALONE

EXTRAS

FREEROLLS

MORE INFO

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SwCPoker is a crypto-only poker site that used to be called Seals with Clubs. SwC runs its poker operations using Bitcoin (BTC) and more recently, Bitcoin Cash (BCH). SwC is known for offering a plethora of poker variants including Hold'em, Omaha, Open Face Chinese, Razz, and HORSE. Micro-stakes games up to $0.10/$0.20 blinds won't pay any rake whatsoever and numerous freerolls are on offer to increase your profits.

The SwCPoker software is compatible with a wide selection of devices including iOS, Android, Mac, and PC systems. There isn't any deposit bonus available here, although you will be able to earn up to 50% rakeback through your ongoing poker play.

VISIT SWCPOKER

9

NITROBETTING

BONUS:

100% up to 25 mBTC

★★★★★

3.3 / 5

BEST VA ONLINE POKER SITE FOR BITCOIN USERS

NETWORK:

STANDALONE

EXTRAS

CASINO, SPORTSBOOK

MORE INFO

READ REVIEW

Unlike numerous other crypto poker rooms, Nitrobetting only utilizes Bitcoin for its cashier functions and poker play at the tables. You'll be able to withdraw, deposit, and play here directly using mBTC, or 1/1000th of 1 BTC. The BTC-only experience makes for an easy cashier experience featuring extremely fast withdrawals. There are a number of poker variants here including Hold'em, Omaha, and Six Plus Hold'em. You'll also have the opportunity to participate in daily freerolls as long as you play enough volume.

The Nitrobetting poker software works directly in any web browser so you can enjoy the poker action using any PC, Mac, iOS, or Android machine. New users receive a poker bonus equal to 100% of their first deposit of up to 25mBTC. Head over and check out the attached sportsbook and casino to take advantage of additional bonus value.

VISIT NITROBETTING NOW

How to Choose the Best Virginia Poker Site For Your Style of Play

Although all of the sites discussed above are top-notch operators, one or a couple of them may be better for you personally than the others. You'll have to make a choice based upon your own playing habits and what you are specifically looking for in a poker room. It's beyond our purview to tell you where to play for real money, but we can give you guidance on some of the important matters to think about before making your final decision.

How Do I Receive Withdrawals and Payouts?

There are several processors supported for putting money onto these sites and receiving your payouts. Checks, money transfer services, and credit cards are just a few. You may do better by using Bitcoin than any of the more old-school methods because it has low fees and speedy results. All of the sites we advise you to join support this digital cryptocurrency. If you're a BTC novice, and you're not exactly sure how it works, then we have a thorough guide to getting started in Bitcoin that you might wish to browse through.

Alternatives to Registering Your Poker Account in Virginia

Perhaps you are fortunate enough to possess another address in a nearby state, be it your business address, summer home, second apartment, family estate, etc. If so, you may have other online poker options available to you. Here is a list of the states that border Virginia and Professional Rakeback's review on each of them: Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. For a broader overview of the poker scene online for U.S. players, check out our guide to U.S.-friendly online poker.

There's a lot of doubt and misinformation around internet poker in Virginia. If you have friends or family who love poker, but you think that they may not know much about their options for enjoying it online, please consider sharing this page with them and thereby spreading knowledge about this wonderful game.

Facts About the Virginia Poker Industry

The sections below will provide factual information about the legality of online poker, live gambling options, state regulation, the history of poker and gambling, and famous poker players from Virginia.

The Legality of Playing Poker Online in Virginia

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:

1. "Illegal gambling" means the making, placing or receipt of any bet or wager in the Commonwealth of money or other 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.

This wording is quite sweeping and seems to include poker along with many other forms of activity. However, there is an exemption for skill games in § 18.2-333:

Nothing in this article shall be construed to prevent any contest of speed or skill between men, animals, fowl or vehicles, where participants may receive prizes or different percentages of a purse, stake or premium dependent upon whether they win or lose or dependent upon their position or score at the end of such contest.

This opens up the whole skill vs. luck in poker debate. The stipulations about receiving different percentages of a purse based on participants' finishing positions seem especially applicable to tournament poker specifically. There have actually been a few Virginia court cases that relate to this subject.

In 2010, the authorities in Portsmouth started closing down poker halls, claiming that Texas Hold'em was prohibited by law. One of the owners of a hall that had not yet been targeted, Charles Daniels, went to court to have the issue of whether or not poker was considered a skill game decided. 2004 WSOP Main Event champ Grey Raymer actually testified on Daniels' behalf. A lower court rejected his claims, but then the case went to the state's Supreme Court. The court threw the case out, saying that Daniels didn't have standing because his establishment had not had charges filed against it, so it was inappropriate for the court to make a ruling. In 2012, a restaurant owner named George Pitsilides was charged with felony gambling offenses for running poker games, and he initially expressed his belief that poker was a game of skill and thus permitted under § 18.2-333. However, he eventually accepted a plea deal so as to not be caught up in lengthy courtroom proceedings, and so there was no ruling on the legality of poker in this case either.

While hopes were raised in both of these instances that the judiciary would decide in favor of poker being a contest of skill, there was ultimately no resolution on this point. Courts in other areas of the United States have weighed in on this subject, like when Federal Judge Jack Weinstein decided that poker was a game of skill. We don't know how Virginia's judges would make up their minds on this matter if they had to, but they might be swayed by Weinstein's reasoning and therefore conclude that poker is more skill than luck.

Anyway, back to Virginia law and the penalties for illegal gambling, which are listed in § 18.2-326:

Except as otherwise provided in this article, any person who illegally gambles or engages in interstate gambling as defined in § 18.2-325 shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor. If an association or pool of persons illegally gamble, each person therein shall be guilty of illegal gambling.

Class 3 misdemeanors subject the guilty party to a fine of up to $500, and there's no jail time involved. Even in the unlikely event that online poker is illegal, and you're arrested, charged, and convicted for playing it, the maximum liability you face is $500, which is a pretty minor punishment all things considered. This law is never enforced against individual players engaging in card games over the internet. Its main function is to allow officers to go after illicit brick-and-mortar gambling rings and facilities. As far as the realities on the ground go, you're completely in the clear partaking in online poker in your own house.

§ 18.2-326 goes on to state that those who gamble on horse races without going through the properly licensed channels in Virginia are guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor and face stiffer punishments: fines as high as $2,500 and/or incarceration for as long as a year.

Private home games appear to be OK under §18.2-334 as long as nobody is acting as an “operator,” which is “any person, firm or association of persons, who conducts, finances, manages, supervises, directs or owns all or part of an illegal gambling enterprise, activity or operation.”:

Nothing in this article shall be construed to make it illegal to participate in a game of chance conducted in a private residence, provided such private residence is not commonly used for such games of chance and there is no operator as defined in subsection 4 of § 18.2-325.

Interestingly, the Old Dominion has a specific charge dealing with cheating, § 18.2-327 - Winning by fraud:

If any person while gambling cheats or by fraudulent means wins or acquires for himself or another money or any other valuable thing, he shall be fined not less than five nor more than ten times the value of such winnings. This penalty shall be in addition to any other penalty imposed under this article.

People who actually oversee unauthorized real money gaming can face felony convictions, fines of up to $20,000, and sentences of up to 10 years. Other infractions, with lesser penalties, including possession of a gambling device, owning a gambling place, and being an accessory to an illegal gambling enterprise. None of these punishments seem to have deterred offshore sites from the VA market because almost all of them that accept customers from other states also operate in Virginia too. There are additional parts of the law that regulate charitable gambling, horse racing, the state lottery, and daily fantasy sports.

Land-Based Gambling

There are very few opportunities for land-based gambling in The Mother of Presidents state. There are neither commercial nor tribal casinos, and the only licensed racetrack closed its doors in 2014.

It is still possible to partake in pari-mutuel race wagering at one of a few off-track betting sites. You can play the Virginia Lottery, and there are limited charitable real money gaming events. Legalized sports betting is scheduled to begin in the coming months too.

None of these limited forms of gambling includes poker. If you want to play cards in a live casino setting, then you must head to neighboring West Virginia, Maryland, or North Carolina. There are plans to license up to five casinos inside the borders of Virginia, and these venues might host poker games, but this development has not yet taken place.

State Regulation

With a higher-than-average population and a fairly strong economy, Virginia might seem like a good candidate for regulated online poker. However, the state doesn't yet have any brick-and-mortar casinos, which typically precede any expansion into internet wagering. To date, there haven't been any attempts to introduce bills promoting licensed online poker in VA.

There's still hope though. The state's lawmakers have shown a willingness to add more forms of gambling as evidenced by their passage of S646 in 2016, which taxes and regulates daily fantasy sports sites. There was also legislation proposed in 2017 that would classify poker as a game of skill and allow poker tournaments to occur under the supervision of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Furthermore, land-based casinos are expected to arrive within the next few years under the provisions of a law passed in 2019. Licensed sportsbooks are also slated to go live fairly soon. Therefore, legislators appear to be breaking with tradition by expanding gaming within Virginia.

Taking all of this into consideration, we feel that licensed online poker won't be available in Virginia in the coming few years, but it will eventually be implemented.

Virginia Gambling History

The first permanent English colony founded in the New World was Jamestown in 1607, and from the start, its residents enjoyed gaming for money. The pastime is mentioned in laws dating back to the 1610s. At first, these were just small games played with dice and cards, but later on, as Virginia increased in prosperity, betting on horse races became popular. The latter part of the 1600s saw rich planters, who aspired to become a sort of landed aristocracy, engage in horse racing as a means of competition and a display of social status. Usually, one competitor would challenge the other, and they would agree upon an amount to wager. The races were held publicly, not only to allow spectators to place their own side wagers on the results but also to provide witnesses in the event of any disputes. In some cases, all the rules were spelled out elaborately in documents and agreed to by both parties. A surprisingly high number of horse races ended in lawsuits, and so the presence of witnesses and accurate records helped the courts determine what actually happened.

Ticket From the Mountain Road Lottery
Signed by George Washington

The other main focus of early Virginian gambling was the lottery. As early as 1612, in fact, King James I authorized a lottery to raise funds for the struggling Jamestown settlement. While this one was held in England, Virginia quickly became capable of hosting its own lotteries. They were used for public improvements, especially for educational institutions. Not only did the public authorities use them to raise money, but so did private individuals. George Washington was involved in a commercial project to build a road through the Allegheny Mountains, and he set up a lottery to raise capital for it. This proposal didn't bear fruit, but the lottery tickets signed by George Washington in 1768 have become rare collector's items. The deeply indebted Thomas Jefferson petitioned the Virginia legislature in 1826 to allow him to conduct a lottery to raise money by disposing of his property, and they allowed him to do so. However, the lottery failed to generate enough interest, and Jefferson passed his debts on to his heirs when he died later in 1826.

The state constitution of 1851 contained a ban on lotteries, and this was followed by an 1897 prohibition on racetrack betting. During the 1920s and '30s, Virginia was never really infested by mobsters to the same extent as some other states although there were some bootlegging operations in Arlington. Additionally, there was a concentration of illicit activity on the Potomac River within houseboats that secretly contained speakeasies, brothels, and gambling games. Under the law, most of the surface of the river was under Maryland jurisdiction, so Virginia could do nothing, and Maryland had little interest in policing it. These boating activities declined during the '50s.

In 1973, certain forms of charitable gaming were permitted, and in 1987, the Virginia Lottery was created. 1988 marked the return of legal wagering on horse races, and in 2016, Virginia made arrangements for a regulated daily fantasy sports market.

In 2019, SB1126 passed the Virginia legislature, allowing up to five land-based casinos to be built in designated locales within the state. Other legislation the next year authorized the creation of online sportsbooks.

In an effort to summarize the history involving poker and gambling throughout the state, we have compiled a visual timeline consisting of every gambling-related event to occur within Virginia.

Famous Virginia Poker Players

Not a historically important state where poker is concerned, Virginia has nevertheless spawned a few skilled practitioners of the game. Perhaps the most notable of them is Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo.

Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo

Born in 1985 in Oaktown, Bonomo began playing card games competitively at an early age. At 9, he discovered Magic: The Gathering and became so good at it, over the next few years, that he eventually traveled to exotic cities to compete in major tournaments. It was from his contacts within the M: TG world that he discovered poker, which many Magic players had migrated to, attracted by the lure of bigger profits to be had.

First playing casually at Paradise Poker, he started to study the game more seriously, and in 2003 moved over to PartyPoker where his (in)famous “ZeeJustin” moniker was born. By 2004, he was playing in $200 SNGs and big online multi-tournaments, booking solid results throughout.

Unfortunately, Justin's time at the virtual tables was marred by scandal. He was caught multi-accounting (that is, playing in the same tournament with several screennames) in 2006 and banned from PartyPoker and PokerStars. At present, this is viewed as ancient history in the poker world, and only a very few still hold this incident against Bonomo.

Besides cleaning up at the online tables, Justin has also been a force to be reckoned with on the live tournament scene. His $49.1 million in offline MTT earnings is easily the highest among players from Virginia, and it's good for second place on the overall list too (behind Bryn Kenney).

Among Bonomo's live accomplishments are three WSOP bracelets, the most prominent of them being in the 2018 $1 million buy-in Big One for One Drop event. He picked up a cool $10,000,000 for his first-place finish. In that same year, Justin won the 2018 Super High Roller Bowl at the Aria in Las Vegas for $5,000,000.

Two other notable Virginians who have made their mark on online poker are the brothers Di “Urindanger” and Hac “trex313” Dang. They discovered the game while studying at the University of Virginia. Each of them has booked more than $8 million in online ring game winnings. They have since retired from poker to open and manage a chain of restaurants.

Other Types of Online Gambling

Although the primary topic of this article is poker, there are numerous other gambling options online like slots, table games, video poker, and sports betting. There are numerous online gambling operators, but with so many to choose from it can be difficult to decide. Below, our expert gamblers will provide our best recommendations for online casinos and sportsbooks.

Online Casinos

Offshore casinos provide an outlet for those who enjoy blackjack, roulette, slots, and similar games. This is all the more true in Virginia, which has yet to see its first land-based casinos appear. If you intend to dabble in this type of gaming, then we have identified three solid operators below:

1. Ignition Casino - Up to $1,500 Bonus and Weekly Reloads

2. Bovada Casino - $3,000 in Welcome Bonuses ($3,750 with BTC)

3. Sportsbetting Casino - $3,000 in Bonuses and 10% Weekly Rebate

There are many other internet casinos that are reputable, entertaining, and worth knowing about. If you’re looking to play casino games from within Virginia see the ProfessionalRakeback list of the most trusted online casinos for USA players.

Online Sportsbooks

Although licensed online sports betting is expected to arrive in Virginia before too long, we foresee the initial product offerings to be a bit scanty. If you wish to enjoy a broader betting experience, then we advise you to try out one of our recommended offshore sportsbooks.

1. Bovada Sports - 50% Bonus up to $250 (75% up to $750 for BTC)

2. Sportsbetting.ag - 50% up to $1,000 Bonus (100% Match for Bitcoiners)

3. Everygame Sports - Receive a $250 Bonus on Your First Three Deposits

Several other reliable bookmakers accept action from the Commonwealth of Virginia. Learn more about them in this guide to USA internet sportsbooks.

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We strive to maintain this information and update it frequently with our research. However, we are not immune to making mistakes or omitting information that you, dear reader, may find of use. If you have any further questions not addressed in this guide or have noted any discrepancies or inaccuracies we urge you to contact us with your questions and concerns so that we may swiftly address them!