WV Legislature Proposes Updated Bill To Expand Legal Betting

Written By Chris Imperiale on March 15, 2021 – Last Updated on April 4, 2021

The recent revision of West Virginia Senate Bill 603 aims to potentially broaden the scope of legal sports betting and interactive wagering within the state.

The latest adjustment, sponsored by Senator Mike Maroney, aims to enable West Virginia’s hospitality industry, encompassing bars and restaurants, to offer online sports betting applications.

Sports betting is currently limited to only the four racetrack locations and The Greenbrier under the existing law.

One portion of the update mentions:

The Legislature determines that the dominance of out-of-state companies in sports wagering should not prevail, and instead believes that local, particularly new small businesses, should also be given the chance to partake in sports wagering.

In order for businesses to provide wagering services, they need to establish a contractual agreement with a new market entrant, granting them the authority to operate an online sportsbook.

The announcement would undoubtedly be fantastic for bettors in the state and would have a significant positive impact on the overall WV sports betting market.

WV sports betting expansion

Several industries would be impacted by the latest amendment to the sports betting bill in West Virginia.

One of the significant aspects of the proposed changes is the mandate that all betting providers must be newcomers to the market.

No new platform can be licensed for sports wagering in any other jurisdiction, nor can it be owned by any individual or entity already licensed for sports betting elsewhere.

According to this legislation, a fresh participant has the opportunity to acquire a West Virginia Lottery sports betting operator’s license by paying a $10,000 application fee. These licenses will be valid for five years and can be extended for an additional fee of $10,000.

Although certain establishments will be required to obtain a supplier license in order to provide sports betting services, those holding a liquor license are already exempted.

The bill reads:

A holder of a Class A license issued by the West Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Administration who partners with a new market entrant to advertise or promote sports betting at their restaurant is exempt from needing a license as a supplier under this article.

Once this bill is approved, sports bettors in WV will benefit from an abundance of options for placing wagers. Although the duration of this process is uncertain, it is expected to lead to the availability of numerous additional mobile platforms for betting.

The state and its residents both benefit from this. The presence of additional online sportsbooks provides bettors with more opportunities to benefit from promotions and deals.

In general, when there is increased competition within a state, sportsbooks tend to become more assertive in their efforts to attract customers.

Additionally, an increase in betting would lead to a greater influx of revenue and funding for the state, particularly for critical areas like education.

Betting on esports

Another significant aspect of this update is the inclusion of esports in WV sportsbooks. Presently, individuals within the state are unable to place bets on these events, but there is potential for that to change in the future.

Some of the most favored esports to place bets on include: