The health precautions taken nationwide have impacted so many individuals as well as businesses across the US. None might be feeling the negative ramifications more than retail casinos and sportsbooks.
Like the majority of them around the country, West Virginia casinos closed their doors on March 17. WV Gov. Jim Justice made an announcement that night that the executive order would go into effect at midnight.
It possesses more than 1,000 slot machines featuring 70 classic and popular games as well as the latest ones. You can try the casino slot games located outdoor! With about 30 gaming tables this casino is the perfect place to have fun and enjoy popular games like Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Big 6 and poker card games such as 3 Card Poker, 4 Card. With the hottest slots in West Virginia, the Wheeling Island Hotel Casino Racetrack gaming floor will put you in your happy place. The casino floor features over 1,100 slot machines of various themes, betting capabilities and chances to win. Make your next gaming visit to Wheeling Island and play the most popular slot machines around.
Now a month later, even though there are rumblings of reopening the country, there still isn’t an end in sight. None of the major sports leagues have started playing again and most states have a stay-at-home order in place.
While gambling might not be the most important thing, the Mountain State is certainly losing money during this trying time. It’s almost guaranteed that the state budget will be negatively impacted by the COVID-19 shutdown.
Casino and sportsbook revenue have both been almost completely cut off the last month.
Unfortunately, WV doesn’t feature any online casino betting apps at the moment. While the law has passed in the state, casinos haven’t been able to submit for a mobile application yet.
On a positive note, online sportsbooks in WV are still open for betting. Even though there aren’t many sports currently playing, the apps do have plenty of options available for bettors to bet on right now.
No one really knows when normalcy will resume in the US, but the casinos in the state are prepared for when the time comes.
WV Coronavirus Update
Every US resident is looking forward to things getting back to normal, but it’s very difficult to say when that will be. Both the government officials, as well as Gov. Justice, addressed the public Thursday, discussing health guidelines moving forward.
At the moment, there’s been no change in regards to WV’s stay-home order. It remains in effect until further notice.
WV residents might view this as a bad sign, but overall, the state is doing much better than others.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Thursday that he decided to extend the state’s shelter-in-place order until at least May 15. NY has been one of the most affected areas in the country.
While New Yorkers might be a ways out from returning to work, WV could be a lot closer.
It’s been reported that the COVID-19 pandemic has killed more than 32,000 people in the US, and over 142,000 worldwide.
Fortunately, WV is only a small part of that tragic figure. The state has 739 total positive cases and 13 resident deaths since tracking began.
The Mountain State was the last one in the US to report a confirmed case of coronavirus. If things don’t get any worse in the near future, it could be one of the first to get back to normal.
In its daily briefing, the coronavirus task force talked about the “Opening up America Again” guidelines.
“Some states will open sooner than others. Some states are not in the kind of trouble that others are in. Now that we have passed the peak in new cases, we’re starting our life again. We’re starting rejuvenation of our economy again in a safe and structured and very responsible fashion.”
Hopefully, this means that WV is on the cusp of opening businesses back up with residents going back to work.
WV Casinos Get Ready For Reopening
Some businesses eager to return are casinos and sportsbooks. A large number of establishments that feature Limited Video Lottery games are also among those looking to reopen.
Every retail casino in WV posted an update regarding their status during this time. You can find information for each of them through either their websites or social media pages.
All of them are working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to determine their plans of action. They are focused on opening their doors in the safest way possible.
President and CEO of Penn National Gaming, Jay Snowden, released a statement in regards to the steps Hollywood Casino has been taking. Snowden said:
“The health and well-being of our guests and team members will always be our paramount concern. Since the coronavirus threat began, we have implemented stringent CDC-recommended protocols throughout our enterprise, including increased daily cleaning regimens, maximizing air circulation, cancelling or postponing all live events, and we’re in the process of reducing the number of chairs at our dining facilities, table games and poker rooms, as well as the number of slot machines in play at any one time, to increase social distancing, among other initiatives.”
Although every WV casino is excited to start accepting wagers again, it won’t be an easy process. They will each have to rehire a lot of staff members, as well as ensure their facilities are cleaned and free of any toxins.
Many of these casinos and sportsbooks have tried to help their employees by continuing to pay and provide benefits. However, casinos could only afford to do this for a certain period of time.
Once they’ve all reopened, thousands of WV residents will have jobs and start receiving a regular paycheck again.
WV Online Sportsbooks
Gamblers in WV have limited betting options at the moment, but there are still three online sports betting apps. They include:
While a typical April would feature plenty to bet on, only a few markets remain due to the sports stoppage.
A lot of bettors are ready for next week’s NFL Draft. The event will take place between April 23-25.
Sportsbooks offer a wide variety of draft bets, including some interesting props. DraftKings actually has one specifically for Mr. Irrelevant, also known as the final pick of the draft.
DraftKings lists odds for you to decide which position the last selection plays. The online sportsbook currently shows the following odds:
- Offense -121
- Defense +100
- Kicker/Punter/Long Snapper +1400
Introduction to Virginia Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020
Virginia slot machine casino gambling does not exist … yet. Last year, the state legislature and Governor approved three new casinos, but each awaits approval by voters in their local municipalities.
This post continues my weekly State-By-State Slot Machine Casino Gambling Series, an online resource dedicated to guiding slot machine casino gambler to success. Now in its third year, each weekly post reviews slots gambling in a single U.S. state, territory, or federal district.
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Relevant Legal Statutes on Gambling in Virginia*
The minimum legal gambling age in Virginia depends upon the gambling activity:
- Land-Based Casinos: 21 (expected)
- Poker Rooms: Not available
- Bingo: 18
- Lottery: 18
- Pari-Mutuel Wagering: 18
On March 22, 2019, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed State Bill 1126 into law. This state law does not authorize casinos in Virginia. However, in effect, it establishes
- A Commission to study casino gaming regulations
- A framework for the Lottery Board to oversee gaming
- How eligible cities conduct a local casino approval referendum
Details of the state bill suggest eligible cities are Danville, Bristol, and Portsmouth. Regarding timing, the city of Bristol has scheduled their referendum for November 2020.
*The purpose of this section is to inform the public of state gambling laws and how the laws might apply to various forms of gaming. It is not legal advice.
Slot Machine Private Ownership in Virginia
It is legal to own a slot machine privately in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Gaming Control Board in Virginia
The framework included in the 2019 passing of Virginia State Bill 1126 includes giving oversight of sports betting regulations to the Virginia Racing Commission. This expansion of its responsibilities is in addition to its current responsibilities overseeing horserace pari-mutuel wagering.
The Virginia Lottery Board will obtain responsibility for casino gambling, but specific gaming regulations are not yet available. Establishing these gaming regulations is currently underway by Virginia’s Joint Legislative and Review Commission.
Casinos in Virginia
There are currently no casinos with slot machines in Virginia.
Commercial Casinos in Virginia
There are currently no commercial casinos in Virginia. However, three eligible cities may have casinos after approval by voters. The Bristol referendum occurs first in November 2020.
These three potential casino locations include the cities of:
- Danville located 144 miles southwest of Richmond near North Carolina
- Bristol located 113 miles northeast of Knoxville near Tennessee
- Portsmouth located 97 miles southeast of Richmond near Chesapeake
Tribal Casinos in Virginia
The Pamunkey Indian Tribe gained federal recognition in 2015 and is pursuing establishing a tribal casino. They intend to have improved educational and employment opportunities to ensure the long-term success of the tribe.
At this time, the tribe is searching for a suitable site for a casino resort located within Virginia. Potential sites for a tribal casino now include Richmond and Norfolk.
Continual and effective opposition of tribal casinos in Virginia comes from the casino operator of MGM National Harbor in nearby Maryland.
Other Gambling Establishments
As an alternative to enjoying Virginia slot machine casino gambling, consider exploring casino options in a nearby state. Bordering Virginia is:
- North: Maryland Slots and District of Columbia Slots
- East: The Atlantic Ocean
- South: North Carolina Slots and Tennessee Slots
- West: Kentucky Slots and West Virginia Slots
Each of the links above will take you to my blog for that neighboring U.S. state to Virginia.
Colonial Downs Racetrack offers slot-like historical horse racing (HHR) electronic gaming machines. This horseracing facility is in the eastern part of Virginia located 30 miles east of Richmond.
Our Virginia Slots Facebook Group
Are you interested in sharing and learning with other slots enthusiasts in Virginia? If so, join our Virginia slots community on Facebook. All you’ll need is a Facebook profile to join this closed Facebook Group freely.
There, you’ll be able to privately share your slots experiences as well as chat with players about slots gambling in Virginia. Join us!
Payout Returns in Virginia
As Virginia casinos await voter approvals, the state legislature is working to establish slot machine gaming regulations. Therefore, it is not yet known if Virginia will offer theoretical payout limits or return statistics.
Summary of Virginia Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020
Virginia slot machine casino gambling does exist but is now on the horizon. Commercial casinos are awaiting approval by voters in Bristol, Danville, and Portsmouth.
Annual Progress in Virginia Slot Machine Casino Gambling
Slot Machines In Virginia 2019
In the last year, there has been no change to the slots gaming industry in Virginia. However, potential changes are imminent.
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Have fun, be safe, and make good choices!
By Jon H. Friedl, Jr. Ph.D., President
Jon Friedl, LLC