Most of us were taught not to covet thy neighbor’s possessions. But what about your neighbor’s football team?
In Virginia, sports fans are prohibited from betting on in-state college sports. It’s also the largest state (in terms of population) without a team in any of the four major professional sports leagues. That means Virginia citizens can’t bet on Virginia college athletics, and they have to look to north, west, and south for pro sports betting options, typically teams like the Washington Football team, the Wizards of the NBA, the Capitals of the NHL, and the Baltimore Orioles in baseball.
With all those restrictions and lack of local options for sports bettors in the state, it’s no wonder that the University of Virginia has been ranked as the nation’s top party school in various polls.
How Virginia Laws Restrict Sports Betting
The U.S. Supreme Court removed the federal ban on sports gambling in May of 2018, yet it took until 2019 for lawmakers in Virginia to debate sports betting options. In April of 2020, Bills HB 896 and SB 384 passed the Virginia House and Senate, and were signed by the governor. Nine months later in January of 2021, delayed by regulation efforts and the pandemic, sports betting launched in the state.
But while bettors in Virginia are allowed to gamble on both professional and collegiate competitions, they are barred by Virginia state law from gambling on in-state schools. This ban was imposed by legislators and interest groups who were concerned about the integrity of college sports activities and the possibility of college students and irresponsible gambling.
Less than six months after legalizing sports betting, many in Virginia are calling for a lift of the in-school ban,
Virginia Bettors Shift Money to Out-Of-State Teams
Bettors within Virginia are hampered by the prohibition on in-state school gambling, but they also face the reality that they don’t have a local professional team to bet on. As a result, many gaming enthusiasts shift their attention and money to the Washington Football Team, which actually has their headquarters in Ashburn.
NFL fans in Virginia also have the option to support the Baltimore Ravens, who are only about 45 miles across the border in Maryland where sports betting is launching by the start of the NFL season. Regardless of their allegiances, fans in Virginia have fewer options than any state their size when it comes to legal sports betting.
Illinois and New Jersey May Remove Ban on In-State College Betting
State legislators in Illinois and New Jersey are making efforts to pass laws that will enable their citizens to bet on in-state schools. This legislation could be enacted into law before the college football season this fall. In both states there is a groundswell of support for these measures.
Should the ban on in-state school betting be lifted in those states, pressure could mount on lawmakers in Virginia to follow suit.
