Senate gives West Virginia sports wagering bill the thumbs up

A bill seeking to legalize sports wagering in West Virginia sailed smoothly in the state Senate.

On Tuesday, Associated Press reported that West Virginia senators approved the state Lottery Commission-backed SB 415, which would allow wagering on both professional and collegiate sporting events in the event that the U.S. Supreme Court (SC) lifts the federal ban on sports betting.

In a 25-9 vote, the state senators decided to send SB415 to the House of Delegates for consideration.

SB 415 would give the West Virginia Lottery Commission the authority to regulate sports betting in the state, including the authorization of online and mobile betting. The legislation required that players be older than 20.