There are currently five casinos in West Virginia offering over 10,500 of the latest slot machines**, video poker games, and electronic table games.**
Elsewhere in the state, three more casino resorts are waiting for the rules around sports betting and table games to be finalized before they can open their own gaming floors to customers.
For now though, if you want to play blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and other classic tablace games in WV, you’ll need to do so at one of these three casinos. Here’s a guide to help you get the most out of your next trip to each venue.
Delaware Park Racetrack & Casino
- 2300 Fairway Village Square | Wilmington, DE 19808
- (302) 994-2600
- Open 24 Hours
Just over the state line in Wilmington, DE, is Delaware Park Racetrack & Casino. The casino is only 90 miles from Wheeling but is also conveniently located from Charleston, Parkersburg, Morgantown, and Beckley.
The closest major airports are Pittsburgh (120 miles), Baltimore (140 miles), and Washington Dulles (200 miles.) Delaware Park has plenty of amenities beyond its 2,500 slot and video poker machines. It also offers 40 table games including Blackjack, Caribbean Stud, Foure Card Poker, Pai Gow, Spanish 21, and more.
If you’ve never played a table game before, this is a great place to learn. Their knowledgeable dealers run frequent open lessons where anyone can learn the basics for free. They also offer a range of promotions every day of the week to maximize your winnings and comp points to use in the award-winning Betsy Ross Restaurant or the Upoco Italian Kitchen.
Mardi Gras Casino & Resort
- 7500 Shelter Cove Way, N, Phillips, MD 21110
- (410) 535-7C00
- Open 24 hours
Located just 15 miles from Downtown Washington DC, Mardi Gras is the largest casino in Maryland with over 3,000 slots and video poker machines. But that’s not the main reason West Virginians visit.
On weekdays, it’s often possible to drive there, play for four or five hours, and be back in WV in time for bed. Table games include Blackjack, Roulette, Craps, and Texas Hold’em. Plus there’s a full race book and self-serve sports betting kiosks.
If you want to make a day (or night) of it, there are dozens of restaurants within a few minutes’ walk of the front door. Alternatively, the casino has two excellent eating options in the Bayou Buffet and the Seafood City Cafe. Both serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days per week.
Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races
- 750 Hollywood Dr, Charles Town, WV 25414
- (304) 725-2800
- Open 24 hours
As the biggest casino in West Virginia, Hollywood Casino draws players from across the Midwest. It’s located just off I-81 between Hagerstown and Winchester. From Parkersburg, it’s only about 35 miles due west on US-50.
Inside, you’ll find 2,700 slot machines, countless video poker machines, and 100+ table games including Blackjack, Spanish 21, and American Roulette. There’s also a high-limit VIP lounge with additional tables stakes ranging from $5 to $10,000.
Additionally, the racebook takes bets on live meets from around the country as well as international races. The sportsbook opened on Taylor Swift’s 31st birthday (12-13-2019) and features odds on everything from NFL games to X Factor contests.
New players will appreciate the easy-to-use PRO LINE Terminals. Anyone over 21 is free to place bets of up to $10,000 on any contest without having to interact with a teller. If you need assistance, friendly staff members are always on hand. And during big games, knowledgeable handicappers provide expert picks and parlay boosts.
US States Without Commercial Casinos - CasinoWheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Race Track
- 1 South Wheeling Island, Wheeling, WV 26003
- (877) WIN-ISL or (304) 232-5050
- Open 24 hours
Technically an island, Wheeling Island is connected to the West Virginia mainland by a pair of bridges. From I-78, take Exit 1A to WV-2 and follow signs for Wheeling Island. Parking is free and available both indoors and outdoors.
Today, the casino floor features 1,150 slot machines, 34 table games, and historic wheel of fortune. In addition to traditional slot machines, you’ll find new generation titles linked to sports like football, baseball, and soccer. As you might expect, these games really come alive during major competitions.
Every month, Wheeling Island hosts a series of tournaments for slots, video poker, and Texas Hold’em. Participation is free but earns you a number of tickets that can be used to win incredible prizes.
The casino restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner while the Lighthouse Lounge provides drinks and appetizers 24/7. For a special occasion, consider reservations at The Peninsula Tavern in Wheeling’s historic district. It’s about a 10-minute drive from the casino or a nice 20-minute walk along the riverfront Ohio River Islands Trail.
THE WEST VIRGINIA CASINO INDUSTRY
West Virginia voters approved Racetrack Machine Act in 1994. This allowed the installation of up to 4,000 video lottery-style machines at the state’s four racetracks.
State lawmakers later amended the bill to allow an additional five standalone casinos. The first of which opened in 2006.
Initially, everything was going according to plan. By 2007, total revenues topped $2.2 billion, of which $36.6 million was kept by the state lottery to fund education, senior services, and tourism. That equates to a whopping 1.65% tax rate.
new michigan casinoThen the US economy took a turn for the worse and, in 2009, revenues plummeted to $1.55 billion. Things got even worse when several new casinos opened in nearby states. So lawmakers increased machine taxes and reduced revenues to $970 million in 2015.
Things were looking up again until February 2019 when revenues dropped 6.5% year-on-year. However, that could change quickly if the four newest casinos - Wheeling Island, Mardi Gras, Delaware Park, and Horseshoe Hammond – are allowed to offer table games and sports betting.
The West Virginia Lottery Commission has until October 2019 to establish the regulations for these verticals. So it could be late 2019 or early 2020 before those venues are able to offer a full service.
NEW CASINOS COMING TO WEST VIRGINIA
Sin City isn’t the only place new casinos are always springing up. Four more venues are on their way to West Virginia over the next couple of years.
Unmissable Real Money Live Dealer Poker Games OnlineHere’s a quick look at what’s coming and when…
Horseshoe Casino
- Hammond, Indiana
Indiana’s Horseshoe Hammond has owned by Cleveland casino owner Jack Kent Cooke since 1979 but is perhaps better known as the former home of Eric Clapton’s Christmas parties. Now Caesars Entertainment plans to return the property to sell it on to Twin River Management Group.
Provided all regulatory approvals are obtained, Twin River intends to shut the casino for up to two months in order to remove 1,174 slot machines and 38 table games. It will then replace them with an additional 1,150 slot machines, 30 table games, and a full sports betting operation.
Since West Virginia doesn’t currently allow table games , Twin River will pay a one-time fee to bypass this rule when it comes into force. The company expects to lose money in Hammond for the next few years but believes the long term prospects justify the investment.
Hard Rock Casino
- Cincinnati, Ohio
Earlier this year, Hard Rock International bought the Marietta Gaming Associates that owns and operates the Thistledown Racino in Warren, Ohio and the Century Casinos in Saint Clairsville and Wheeling, West Virginia.
Best Online Casinos with High Payout Rates in the US for 2023Hard Rock has since revealed plans to invest $150 million building a 125,000 square foot Hard Rock Casino in Cincinnati. The venue would have 2,000 slots and 100 table games plus multiple dining options and a world class entertainment schedule.
Ohio voters must approve any expansion of casino gaming under Initiative 19-01. If that passes in November 2019, Hard Rock hopes to start work on the casino in summer 2020. Assuming all goes to plan, it could open in late 2021 or early 2022.
This is bad news for Wheeling's Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Race Track because the Hard Rock would draw players from across western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, and the Northern Panhandle. On the plus side, it’s good news for gamblers who’d enjoy an expanded gaming floor and a much rockier experience than they get in Wheeling.
Real Money Gambling Games You Can Play Online For FreePenn National
- Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
Penn National Gaming announced plans to build a $111 million mini-casino in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania in October 2017. The venue will have 750 slots and 30-50 table games. There will also be eat-and-play areas, 300 electronic gaming terminals, and a 312 room hotel.
Under Pennsylvania law, cash-bonus slot machines will be prohibited and no game will have a denomination higher than $5. Penn National hopes to break ground in spring 2020 with an eye to opening in the summer of 2021. How this pans out remains to be seen because Oakland County, Michigan filed a lawsuit against the Commonwealth in January 2018.
online poker legal in arizonaMardi Gras Casino & Resort
- Gary, Indiana
Maryland Live! Casino & Hotel generated $775.6 million in gaming revenue in 2018. That made it the highest grossing casino in the state and 78th nationally. Unsurprisingly, its parent company, The Cordish Companies, has similar designs on the Gary, Indiana site currently occupied by Mardi Gras Casino & Resort.
An application to buy the property for $12 million was rejected last year because Mardi Gras is situated in a tax increment financing district. The city council is hoping to find a way for The Cordish Companies to partner with existing casino owners to create a $300 million resort. This would complement the region’s $500 million redevelopment project and create thousands of permanent and construction jobs.
Best High RTP Slots Online (Return to Player) 2023Even if a deal can’t be struck, Cordish will no doubt move forward with its Maryland casino. That puts pressure on Mardi Gras to secure its West Virginia table gaming license and expand as soon as possible.
ONLINE POKER AND CASINO GAMES IN WEST VIRGINIA
Betting on horses, dogs, and racinos is in the DNA of West Virginians. Sports betting has been legal for decades and, in recent years, online sites like TVG, HPI Racing, Xpressbet, BetAmerica Sport, and BetOnline have made it easier than ever to place a wager.
When the US Supreme Court ruled that states could set their own sports betting laws in May 2018, lawmakers moved quickly to legalize land-based and online sportsbooks. Today bettors aged 21+ with valid ID can wager cash or place pre-game and in-play sports bets via desktop, mobile web, and apps.
Casino Bonus Review - Promotions, Welcome Offer, and MoreIn contrast to sports betting, online casino and poker games remain illegal in West Virginia. State senators considered bills in 2017 and 2018 that would have created a licensing system for remote gaming sites, but neither made it onto the governor’s desk.
Instead, locals and visitors to WV turn to offshore operators that operate in a gray area of the law. These sites typically offer a mix of poker, slots, video poker, blackjack, roulette, and other table games. Some have downloadable software while others simply work in most internet browsers.
We can’t recommend or review online casinos and poker sites. But we can tell you that reputable offshore operators are fully secured, offer fair games, reliable customer support, and lots of payment options. Just remember that playing on offshore sites isn’t regulated in West Virginia and therefore there is no player protection if something goes wrong. So only risk what you can afford to lose.
BEST CASINOS IN WEST VIRGINIA ONLINE
To summarize, here is the full list of land-based casinos in West Virginia:
New Online Casinos in Michigan for 2023 (plus 6 moreComing Soon)- delaware park racing & entertainment center
- fairfield racecourse
- horseshoe hammond
- hollywood casino at charles town races
- mardi gras casino & resort
- wheeling island hotel, casino, & racetrack
There are plans in place to open four new casinos in West Virginia over the next couple of years. In the meantime, local players can enjoy a selection of online casinos and .
