West Virginia’s iGaming bill, already facing hurdles

The West Virginia Lottery has announced it won’t support a piece of online gaming legislation to be voted during the current session.

US.- The West Virginia Legislature has repeatedly rejected online gaming bills and it seems the current session may be no different, as West Virginia Lottery officials announced they won’t back such legislation. According to Lottery Director John Myers, who spoke before the House Finance Committee, they plan to support two bills to increase revenue but not an iGaming-related one.

“We certainly see the opportunity in iGaming… We fully intend to come back with that at some point,” Mr. Myers said. He explained that they would eventually look into online gaming legislation once they are finally able to roll out sports betting apps at the state’s five casinos.

Just two casinos have rolled out their own sports betting apps: Wheeling Island and Mardi Gras. Only after the remaining three (Hollywood Casino, Mountaineer Casino and Racetrack, and The Greenbrier) launch their own apps will the West Virginia Lottery move onto iGaming legislation.

“They stated early on they would do it after the first of the year,” Myers said of the three casinos without apps, which had launched their on-site sportsbooks last year.