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Best Online Poker Sites in Virginia 2025
Even though poker is massively recognized in the US, not every state considers this game legal, especially in an online format. For example, you can’t legally play poker in Virginia for real money at any poker site. However, due to the intricacies of the law that Worldpokerdeals team has found, there are several ways to enjoy a card game without facing legal consequences. This page explains how. More so, we'll guide you to the best poker sites for Virginia poker players and explain their legal status.
Top VA poker sites: where to play at 2025
Offshore sites are the only poker platforms you may access from Virginia. Our team has skimmed through the online poker market, and we’re ready to present you with poker portals that won’t steal your data and bankroll while offering you some of the best playing conditions:
VA poker site | Bonuses | Rakeback |
---|---|---|
BetOnline Poker | 100% up to $1,000 | VIP |
ACR Poker | 100% up to $2,000 | 27% flat or up to 65% |
Ignition Poker | up to $3,000 | up to 20% |
CoinPoker | 150% up to $2,000 | 33%+ |
Everygame Poker | 200% up to $1,000 | 36% |
BetOnline
BetOnline Poker is the gateway to very soft games cash games with opponents from the United States, and traffic that coincides with the time zone in Virginia. In this Chico Poker Network skin, you will find 6- and 9-max Texas Holdem and Pot Limit Omaha tables from NL/PLO$10 up to $5k, MTT tournaments, Spin&Go, SnG, and more.
When you sign up at BetOnline you will receive a 100% first deposit bonus up to $1,000 and a welcome package from our website.
CoinPoker
CoinPoker has become the largest cryptocurrency poker site, with games ranging from freerolls to nosebleeds in NLH and PLO, PLO5, and multi-table tournaments. It is a great alternative for online poker enthusiasts from VA who prefer to use cryptocurrencies such as USDT or BTC to deposit, play and withdraw.
All players who sign up at CoinPoker will receive a 150% welcome bonus up to $2,000 and 33% fixed rakeback every week, plus exclusive promotions such as rake chase.
Bovada
Virginia is one of the few states that has access to Bovada Poker, one of the most attractive poker sites in the world. At Bovada Poker you will find cash game Texas Holdem and Omaha tables, a speed poker zone, millionaire tournaments, Spin&Go. The software is designed to make recreational players feel comfortable.
The welcome bonus for new players is 100% up to $1,000 and as you play at the poker tables you will receive prizes that can be redeemed in the casino and sportsbook.
Online poker in Virginia
Virginian online poker is currently in a gray legal zone. The state doesn’t prohibit such sites directly, but it considers them illegal according to the general law provisions you may find further on this page. Therefore, Virginia doesn’t allow local online poker sites and prosecutes them when they appear.
The only type of real-money poker sites that you can access from your state are offshore poker sites. Those are international platforms commonly licensed under Curacao laws. As long as the poker room has a valid licence, you can be sure that it's safe and secure.
Another attestation to offshore poker sites’ safety is their backgrounds. Some have been operating for more than twenty years and have accumulated a large number of player reviews. You may find such easily on Reddit, Trustpilot, and similar resources.
Sweepstakes poker sites are an alternative to offshore sites. According to the legal intricacies we share below, the sweepstakes format isn’t considered forms of gambling and is 100% allowed in Virginia.
Is online poker legal in Virginia?
As of the beginning of 2025, online poker isn’t legal in Virginia. We’ve determined that via the state’s criminal code, whose § 18.2-325 states the following: “the making, placing, or receipt of any bet or wager of money or other thing of value made in exchange for a chance to win a prize, stake, or other consideration.” Although this law doesn’t directly address online poker, it surely touches on it, as poker rounds are largely impacted by chance.
More so, according to the state’s § 18.2-326 from the legal code, engaging in online poker activities is considered a class 3 misdemeanor. It entails a fine of up to $500. Those who attend operating poker sites in Virginia are risking to receive more severe penalties, like felony charges.
So, drawing on these provisions, it’s fair to say that everyone joins offshore poker sites at their own risk. Even though prosecutions of online poker players are quite rare, they still may occur if your poker engagement happens to be explicit.
Besides playing at regulated casinos, the only other legal poker type in Virginia is the one conducted in sweepstakes format. For example, Global Poker, Stake US, and Clubs Poker are social poker sites that allow players to play for free tokens, which will enable them to circumvent § 18.2-325 of the Penal Code.
Sweepstakes poker games have two types of buy-ins. The first is gold coins, tokens you may purchase and use to play for fun. The second type is sweeps coins. You get those for various promotions and can use them to play games for coupons redeemed for gift cards or real money.
Type of gambling | Is Eligible? |
---|---|
Online poker sites | ❌ Not eligible (only offshore and sweepstakes poker sites) |
Online casinos | ❌ Not eligible |
Land-based poker rooms | ✅ Eligible (if operating in licensed casinos) |
Sports betting | ✅ Eligible |
Casino | ✅ Eligible |
State lottery | ✅ Eligible |
Charitable gaming (bingo, raffles) | ✅ Eligible |
Horse pacing, Pari-mutuel | ✅ Eligible |
Regulation prospects
In 2022, Virginia lawmakers attempted to amend the state’s laws, addressing online poker with House Bill 77. It sought to exempt Internet poker games conducted in private residences from the definition of illegal gambling. Unfortunately, the bill hasn’t passed.
As of 2025, the state doesn’t discuss online poker games. However, considering the bill mentioned and the recent introduction of land-based casinos, online poker in Virginia has every chance of being legalized.
Payment methods at VA Online Poker Sites
If you want to join poker sites from Virginia, crypto payments are the only option available to you. Therefore, you must acquire a crypto wallet. What’s good about coin payments is the fact that they’re very quick and charge minimal fees.
Other deposit options like Skrill and Neteller are unavailable. These e-wallets comply with local laws, which is why they won’t allow transactions on illegal gambling sites.
Live poker in Virginia
Another poker-playing option that is legal in Virginia (as long as you’re 21 years old) is land-based casinos. The state has recently authorized a limited number of them:
City | Live Casinos | Number of Poker Tables |
---|---|---|
Portsmouth | Rivers Casino Portsmouth | 24 |
Danville | Caesars Virginia | 21 |
Richmond | Pop's Poker | 10 |
Playing in a room against real people entails several benefits that are unavailable during the online experience. For example, you can use your body language to bluff. It provides an extra layer to your playing, allowing you to multiply your income with a smart approach.
Virginia's poker and gambling history
The history of Virginian gambling is rooted in the beginning of the 20th century. Back then, all states were very quite conservative, which is why gambling was taboo in the country. However, some events that occurred in the second half of the century have changed the situation:
- 1987: The state introduced a lottery, which became the first legalized gambling type. Lottery revenue was spent on educational programs and other public incentives, which made gambling socially accepted.
- 1990s: Bingo and pull-tab games were added to the types of charitable gambling, expanding the betting assortment.
- 2020: Charitable organizations gained the legal right to conduct poker tournaments without profit goals. This year also saw the legalization of land-based casinos, which enabled the launch of Rivers Casino Portsmouth and Caesars Virginia establishments in 2023.
- 2021: Sports betting was legalized online and in-person.
This tendency attests to Virginia’s evolution in attitude toward gambling. Therefore, the chances of legalizing online poker are growing every day.
Best VA poker players
Justin Bonomo is Bryn Kenny's main rival for the title of the world's most successful tournament player. At the start of 2025, the Fairfax native has more than $64 million in earnings to his name.
Justin is one of those poker players who started his online poker career playing at the lowest stakes and went on to become a top high roller.
Justin won his first bracelet in 2014 in a $1,500 tournament for fifteen hundred entrants. The most successful year of the player's career was 2018. It earned Bonomo $25 million:
- $10,000,000 in The Big One for One Drop for $1M at the WSOP.
- 5,000,000 in the Super High Roller Bowl for $300K.
- 4,823,077 in the Super High Roller Bowl China.
Bonomo's closest competitor in the Virginia state rankings is John Patgorski. In 2019, he took home $5,821,826 for 1st place at the Triton Poker Series tournament in London.
Conclusion
As you can see from our analysis, the legal landscape of online poker in Virginia is rather complicated – you can play poker for money only at off-shore sites. They aren’t completely safe. Legal poker is currently available only at sweepstakes sites and land-based casinos. However, changes in gambling legislation over the last 30 years indicate that online poker will be legalised in the coming years.
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