After a record-breaking fiscal year, the West Virginia online gaming industry released its July overall numbers.
The state usually calculates its numbers weekly but since June and July are the last and first months marking the fiscal year, they are figured monthly.
West Virginia ended the financial year with its numbers from June (counted between May 30th and June 30th) with an iGaming handle of $255,820,886 and revenue of $8,295,743. Totaling the state’s fiscal year earnings to be more than $86 million in revenue from wagers totaling almost $2.6 billion.
The numbers from July (calculated between July 1st and July 30th) continued to grow. The state’s online gaming handle was up 8.4% more than in June totaling $277,285,728. Its revenue was $8,498,299, increasing 2.4% from the previous month. In addition to these figures, the state share of taxes from July was $1,072,698.
West Virginia is among the minority of states including Michigan, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, and Pennsylvania to allow online gambling websites and poker games.
West Virginia iGaming Options Extend
July was the first month where users could enjoy not one, but two live dealer iGaming options in their state.
BetMGM opened the first live tables in West Virginia at the end of June 2022. The company’s partnership with Evolution technology introduced games with live dealers including blackjack, various versions of roulette, and card games like Texas Hold’em poker. Evolution records its dealers in a studio for players to have live gameplay while playing on the BetMGM site. Live dealer games appeal to many players because it is similar to what one would experience at a land-based casino. Real dealers in real-time. This way of online gaming has become popular in other states including Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
Following BetMGM’s example, the state’s other online casino brand: DraftKings Casino launched its live dealer games around the same time. Their iGaming experiences include Baccarat, infinite blackjack, and roulette.
West Virginia’s Summer Sports Betting
There is an understandable lull in nationwide sports betting during the summer months because of its situation between two of the biggest sports betting seasons (NBA and NFL). It is not a shock that West Virginia followed suit in July, making it the state’s lowest gambling handle since August of last year.
West Virginia’s sports betting revenue increased while the mobile and overall handle decreased from June to July.
The Mountain States’ July sports betting revenue was $2.617 million (up 9.0% from June’s $2.400 million), its mobile sports betting handle was $21.024 million (down 22.9% from June’s $27.261 million), and its overall sports betting handle was $25.018 million (down 24.9% from June’s $33.301 million.
Although July’s handle numbers were lower than the previous month when compared to its numbers from last July, they have grown. West Virginia’s July 2021 total sports betting handle was $21.29 million and its mobile handle was $15.58 million. Resulting in this June’s handle figures increasing by 17.5% and 35%. Additionally, the state’s revenue in July 2022 was up 14% from its revenue of $2,295,743 in July 2021.
West Virginia’s share of taxes also grew, totaling $222,409 in July 2022.
After ringing in a successful 2021-2022 financial year, West Virginia seems to have a promising future in the coming fiscal year.
Mac Daniel is a South Carolina-based freelance writer for PlayOnlineCasino and PlayOnlineSportsBetting. He has experience writing about a wide variety of topics, including healthcare, tourism, non-profit organizations, and most recently casino and sportsbetting news. To check out more of his work, visit www.playonlinecasinomi.com or www.playonlinesportsbetting.comWednesday, July 13th