Virginia’s sports betting market handled nearly $730 million in wagers during September, with mobile platforms accounting for most of the action. Virginia casinos also contributed through their retail sportsbooks, which accepted about $4 million in bets.
According to the Virginia Lottery, bettors placed $729,581,723 in wagers between September 1 and September 30. Ten mobile operators and three casinos were authorized to accept sports bets during the month.
The activity generated more than $9.2 million in state tax payments. This is on top of the strong month casinos in Virginia generated in September. But understanding those results requires separating the money wagered from the amount operators actually kept.
September Sports Betting Results at a Glance
The report breaks September’s activity into mobile betting and retail sports betting at casinos.
In September 2026:
Total wagers reached $729.58 million. Bettors placed $725.57 million through mobile operators and $4.01 million at casino retail sportsbooks.
- Bettor winnings totaled $660.98 million. Mobile operators paid $658.04 million, while casino sportsbooks paid $2.94 million.
- Other authorized deductions totaled about $6.82 million. This included $6.78 million for mobile operators and $37,646 for casino sportsbooks.
- Adjusted gross revenue reached $61.78 million. Mobile operators accounted for $60.75 million, while casino sportsbooks accounted for $1.03 million.
- Mobile betting accounted for about 99.5% of all wagers. Retail sportsbooks at Virginia casinos made up the remaining share.
That split shows how heavily the state’s sports betting market relied on mobile platforms during September. It does not measure casino attendance or spending on other forms of gambling.
That being said, The Live! Casino in Petersburg just hit a major construction milestone. In addition, Virginia casinos are putting up strong numbers, much like the ones we saw one year ago.
Approved Sports Betting Permit Holders in Virginia
The following operators are listed as approved permit holders in the information provided:
- Betfair Interactive US LLC, doing business as FanDuel, in conjunction with the Washington Commanders
- Crown Virginia Gaming, LLC (DraftKings)
- BetMGM, LLC
- Rivers Portsmouth Gaming, LLC, doing business as Rivers Casino Portsmouth
- Caesars Virginia, LLC
- Bally’s Interactive, LLC
- Penn Sports Interactive, LLC
- Colonial Downs Group, LLC
- HR Bristol, LLC
- Hillside (Virginia), LLC
Under the tax structure described in the supplied report, Virginia applies a 15% tax to each permit holder’s adjusted gross revenue, or AGR.
What the Numbers Mean for Virginia Casinos
The $729.6 million headline figure represents sports betting handle—the total amount wagered. It is not the amount operators earned.
Bettors received $660,981,300 in winnings during September. After those payouts, operators retained about $68.6 million before other authorized deductions.
That produced a combined hold of 9.40%. In simple terms, operators kept about $9.40 of every $100 wagered before those deductions.
The casino retail portion was much smaller than the mobile segment. Sportsbooks at the three authorized casinos accepted $4,011,894 in wagers and paid $2,943,772 in winnings. Their reported adjusted gross revenue came to about $1.03 million.
These figures describe sportsbook activity only. They should not be presented as the full gambling revenue of Virginia casinos.
Betting at a Casino in Virginia: What This Report Shows
For someone researching a casino in Virginia, the report offers a look at the in-person sports betting side of the market.
It does not provide a complete picture of an individual property. The supplied figures combine casino retail sports betting into one category, rather than showing how much each location handled.
That means the report cannot establish:
- Which casino accepted the most sports wagers.
- Which sportsbook attracted the most visitors.
- How much revenue came from other casino games.
- Which property performed best overall.
The Virginia Lottery maintains separate information for licensed casino operators and licensed sports betting operators, making its website a useful starting point for checking an operator’s status.
How Sports Betting Generated $9.2 Million in Taxes
AGR is calculated by subtracting bettor winnings and other authorized deductions from total wagers. It is different from both handle and operator profit.
For September, the report listed:
- $729.58 million in total wagers.
- $660.98 million in bettor winnings.
- $6.82 million in other deductions.
- No allowable bonus or promotional deductions.
- $61.78 million in reported AGR.
Ten operators reported positive AGR, contributing to $9,242,928.14 in tax payments for the month.
The distinction matters: Virginia did not collect a 15% tax on every dollar wagered. The tax was based on each permit holder’s taxable AGR.
Where Virginia’s Sports Betting Tax Money Goes
The supplied report states that 97.5% of sports betting tax revenue goes to Virginia’s General Fund. The remaining 2.5% goes to the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund, administered by the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.
September’s payments were divided as follows:
- Total: Sports betting tax payments for September 2026 totaled $9,242,928.14. This brought total collections for fiscal year 2027 through September to nearly $33 million ($32,961,025.75).
- General Fund: Of September’s payments, $9,011,854.94 went to the General Fund. Its fiscal year total through September reached $32,137,000.10.
- Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund: This fund received $231,073.20 in September, bringing its fiscal year total through September to $824,025.64.
Through September, reported sports betting tax collections for fiscal year 2027 had reached nearly $33 million.
What September’s Report Can—and Cannot—Tell Us
September’s results show a market driven largely by mobile betting, with retail sportsbooks at Virginia casinos playing a smaller role in total wagering.
However, one month of figures cannot establish whether the market is growing. That would require comparisons with earlier months or the same month in a prior year. The supplied report also does not explain why bettors wagered the amount they did.
For readers following Virginia casinos, the most useful takeaway is the difference between sportsbook activity and overall casino performance. September’s report measures sports wagers, payouts, taxable revenue, and related taxes—not the complete financial results of every casino in Virginia.
