DraftKings Sportsbook Virginia Launches; Joins FanDuel With VA Online Sports Betting

DraftKings Sportsbook is now live in Virginia and has launched as the second sportsbook operator in the commonwealth.

DraftKings officials on Sunday announced their long-awaited Virginia debut, just hours before the day’s NFL playoffs with the AFC and NFC Championship games.

The Virginia Lottery formally approved Crown Virginia Gaming, LLC (d/b/a DraftKings) for a temporary permit earlier in the day. BetMGM also received a license to operate, but was not yet live.

DraftKings Sportsbook Joins FanDuel

DraftKings is now the second sportsbook behemoth operating in Virginia.

On Friday, VA Lottery officials, who regulate sports betting in the Old Dominion, issued the first permit to FanDuel Sportsbook. However, DraftKings is now operational just 48 hours later.

FanDuel got a head start via its partnership with the Washington Football Team. When the Virginia General Assembly legalized sports betting in 2020, they reserved “substantial and preferred consideration” to sportsbook operators that partner with pro sports teams that have a Virginia presence or planned to relocate there. (The WFT is based in the Washington, DC, suburb of Ashburn in Virginia.)

FanDuel and DraftKings will blaze the trail for a sports-betting market that initially will be online-only. However, Virginia could eventually have brick-and-mortar sportsbooks when the first Virginia casinos begin to open in 2022 and 2023.

“Just in time for Super Bowl LV, we are thrilled to bring the DraftKings sports betting experience to Virginia with an abundance of betting options for fans,” DraftKings CEO Jason Robins said in a statement. “With our customer-first approach, we hope to be the sportsbook of choice for Virginians who enjoy having skin in the game.”

DraftKings Sportsbook Empire Expands

By Sunday at 1 p.m., DraftKings Sportsbook players in Virginia were reporting via social that they had successfully placed wagers via the company’s mobile app and desktop site.

With its Virginia debut, DraftKings Sportsbook is now accepting wagers in 12 US states overall.

DraftKings is known for a wide variety of betting options on sports leagues and events across the globe. Sunday’s launch proved especially fortuitous, given the NFL slate of games, as well as NBA, NHL, NCAA basketball, PGA Tour and other offerings.

In all, the Virginia Lottery could issue permits to up to 12 total sportsbook operators in the coming weeks. Officials told Play Virginia multiple sportsbooks should be online and accepting wagers in Virginia by Super Bowl LV on Feb. 7.