West Virginia Welcomes Online Poker Law
The United States online poker landscape has this April received the latest addition to its fully legalized scope as West Virginia becomes the fifth state to pass an online gambling bill.
Having successfully passed by the House and Senate, the Bill HB2934 was given the all-clear to become law on March 29 with governor Jim Justice electing not to veto the bill.
The governor used the same model that was adopted last year with sports betting after the US Supreme Court hit the long-standing laws preventing sports betting spread outside Nevada.
Under the stipulations of the new law, each of West Virginia’s five casinos – Hollywood Casino Charles Town, Casino Club at The Greenbrier, Mardi Gras Casino & Resort, Wheeling Island, and the Mountaineer Casino – will have licenses set aside with $250,000 fee required for a five-year license. The renewal will be available at further $100,00 for another five years, whereas online gaming will be under a 15% tax rate.
The law will be fully effective as of 7th June 2019, which is the date that marks full 90 days since the bill’s passage through the legislature.
Despite the fact law will come into full effect this summer, online regulations and licenses are unlikely to be completed by the end of the year.
The official beginning of the new chapter in state’s gambling history will, therefore, most likely begin in 2020 when all aspects of West Virginia online gambling are expected to be gelled into place.
West Virginia online gambling law will fall under the authority of the West Virginia Lottery Commission. The organization will be responsible for administering regulations, license issuing, a collection of taxes and fees.
