888 Holdings awarded provisional Virginia sports betting license

888 Holdings Secures Sports Betting License in Virginia

888 Holdings is getting ready to enter the Virginia sports betting market. Earlier this week, the company announced it had been granted a provisional sports wagering license from the Virginia Lottery. Virginia will become the ninth state 888 Holdings will have market deals or hold licenses. 888 Holdings runs the Sports Illustrated Sportsbook, which launched in Colorado in September. Bettors in Virginia can expect to place wagers on the Sports Illustrated book sometime in 2022.

Yaniv Sherman, SVP, Head of US at 888, said they are “delighted to have been awarded our license by the Virginia Lottery.” Sherman described it as an important milestone for 888, which expands their presence in the US online sports betting and iGaming market. Sherman stated there is a “growing sports betting fanbase in the state” and added that the SI Sportsbook, supported by Sports Illustrated, will offer a unique experience to their customers which will “be well-received.”

The sports wagering industry has continued to grow and develop in Virginia. According to figures posted by the Virginia Lottery, over $1.95 billion has been bet on sporting events so far. During September, the Old Dominion State took in $294 million in bets, mainly down to NFL betting and college football betting.

The handle numbers in Virginia will likely continue to grow with the NHL and NBA regular seasons, in addition to college basketball.

Bally Bet to Join Virginia Betting Market

The Virginia Lottery has been busy granting licenses and launching new online sportsbooks. Bally Bet launched in time for Thanksgiving Day betting, making it the 10^th sports betting platform to begin accepting wagers in the state.

Virginia marks the third state for Bally Bet. It is also live in Iowa and Colorado, and according to its website, it is planning to launch in Indiana. New players on Bally Bet are eligible for a $100 free bet welcome bonus, in addition to a risk-free bet worth up to $550.

More Operators in Virginia

At the end of a meeting in October, the Virginia Lottery announced more sportsbooks would go live in the coming months. The Digital Gaming Corporation and PointsBet each had their temporary permits approved on November 24 and November 22, so those sportsbooks could launch soon.

The PointsBet Sportsbook gained market access via a deal with the Colonial Downs Group, which is an approved permit holder. The gambling laws in Virginia allow for at least 18 online sports betting licenses.

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