{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/18.2-326.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/18.2-326.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/18.2-326.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/18.2-326.html"}],"law_id":66964,"edition_id":1,"section_id":66964,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-326","catch_line":"Penalty for illegal gambling","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-316; 1960, c. 358; 1973, c. 463; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1992, c. 423; 2011, c. 732.","full_text":"Except as otherwise provided in this article, any person who illegally gambles or engages in interstate gambling as defined in \u00a7 18.2-325 shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor. If an association or pool of persons illegally gamble, each person therein shall be guilty of illegal gambling.\n\t\tHowever, if any person makes, places, or receives any bet or wager of money or other thing of value on a horse race in the Commonwealth, whether the race is inside or outside the limits of the Commonwealth at any place or through any means other than (i) at a racetrack licensed by the Virginia Racing Commission pursuant to Chapter 29 (\u00a7 59.1-364 et seq.) of Title 59.1 or (ii) at a satellite facility or through advance deposit account wagering, as those terms are defined in \u00a7 59.1-365, licensed by the Virginia Racing Commission pursuant to Chapter 29 (\u00a7 59.1-364 et seq.) of Title 59.1, such person shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. For the purposes of this paragraph, venue shall be in any county or city in which any act was performed in furtherance of any course of conduct constituting illegal gambling.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":242760,"text":"Except as otherwise provided in this article, any person who illegally gambles or engages in interstate gambling as defined in \u00a7 18.2-325 shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor. If an association or pool of persons illegally gamble, each person therein shall be guilty of illegal gambling.\n\t\tHowever, if any person makes, places, or receives any bet or wager of money or other thing of value on a horse race in the Commonwealth, whether the race is inside or outside the limits of the Commonwealth at any place or through any means other than (i) at a racetrack licensed by the Virginia Racing Commission pursuant to Chapter 29 (\u00a7 59.1-364 et seq.) of Title 59.1 or (ii) at a satellite facility or through advance deposit account wagering, as those terms are defined in \u00a7 59.1-365, licensed by the Virginia Racing Commission pursuant to Chapter 29 (\u00a7 59.1-364 et seq.) of Title 59.1, such person shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. For the purposes of this paragraph, venue shall be in any county or city in which any act was performed in furtherance of any course of conduct constituting illegal gambling.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14815,"edition_id":1,"name":"Gambling","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14022,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:50:07","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:50:07","permalink":{"id":167395,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14815,"identifier":"1","token":"18.2\/8\/1","url":"\/18.2\/8\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14022,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes Involving Morals and Decency","identifier":"8","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12972,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:37","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:37","permalink":{"id":167393,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14022,"identifier":"8","token":"18.2\/8","url":"\/18.2\/8\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12972,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes and Offenses Generally","identifier":"18.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","permalink":{"id":164139,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12972,"identifier":"18.2","token":"18.2","url":"\/18.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":74036,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-325","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/18.2-325\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-325","metadata":false},{"id":59721,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-325.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-325.1\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-325.1","metadata":false},{"id":66964,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-326","catch_line":"Penalty for illegal gambling","url":"\/18.2-326\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-326","metadata":false},{"id":58713,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-327","catch_line":"Winning by fraud; penalty","url":"\/18.2-327\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-327","metadata":false},{"id":68030,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-328","catch_line":"Conducting illegal gambling operation; penalties","url":"\/18.2-328\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-328","metadata":false},{"id":62357,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-329","catch_line":"Owners, etc., of gambling place permitting its continuance; penalty","url":"\/18.2-329\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-329","metadata":false},{"id":84536,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-330","catch_line":"Accessories to gambling activity; penalty","url":"\/18.2-330\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-330","metadata":false},{"id":67229,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-331","catch_line":"Illegal possession, etc., of gambling device; penalty","url":"\/18.2-331\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-331","metadata":false},{"id":76128,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-331.1","catch_line":"Operation of gambling devices at unregulated locations; civil penalty","url":"\/18.2-331.1\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-331.1","metadata":false},{"id":68753,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-332","catch_line":"Certain acts not deemed \"consideration\" in prosecution under this article","url":"\/18.2-332\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-332","metadata":false},{"id":66159,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-333","catch_line":"Exceptions to article; certain sporting events","url":"\/18.2-333\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-333","metadata":false},{"id":71922,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-334","catch_line":"Exception to article; private residences","url":"\/18.2-334\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-334","metadata":false},{"id":82604,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-334.1","catch_line":"Defeated at referendum","url":"\/18.2-334.1\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-334.1","metadata":false},{"id":74691,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-334.2","catch_line":"Same; bingo games, raffles, duck races, and Texas Hold'em poker tournaments conducted by certain organizations","url":"\/18.2-334.2\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-334.2","metadata":false},{"id":56658,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-334.3","catch_line":"Exemptions to article","url":"\/18.2-334.3\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-334.3","metadata":false},{"id":83291,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-334.4","catch_line":"Exemptions to article; pari-mutuel wagering","url":"\/18.2-334.4\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-334.4","metadata":false},{"id":78964,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-334.5","catch_line":"Exemptions to article; certain gaming operations","url":"\/18.2-334.5\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-334.5","metadata":false},{"id":73596,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-334.6","catch_line":"Exemptions to article; amusement devices","url":"\/18.2-334.6\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-334.6","metadata":false},{"id":70558,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-335","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-335\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-335","metadata":false},{"id":73018,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-336","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-336\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-336","metadata":false},{"id":58107,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-337","catch_line":"Immunity of witnesses from prosecution","url":"\/18.2-337\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-337","metadata":false},{"id":58992,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-338","catch_line":"Enforcement of \u00a7 18.2-331 by Governor and Attorney General","url":"\/18.2-338\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-338","metadata":false},{"id":81435,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-339","catch_line":"Enjoining offenses relating to gambling","url":"\/18.2-339\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-339","metadata":false},{"id":61538,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-340","catch_line":"County ordinances prohibiting illegal gambling","url":"\/18.2-340\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-340","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":59721,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-325.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-325.1\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-325.1","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":58713,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-327","catch_line":"Winning by fraud; penalty","url":"\/18.2-327\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-327","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-326\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 5 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1960, chapter 358; in 1973, chapter 463; in 1975, chapters 14 and 15; in 1992, chapter 423; in 2011, chapter 732<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":74036,"section_number":"18.2-325","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-325\/"},{"id":80702,"section_number":"59.1-364","catch_line":"Control of racing with pari-mutuel wagering","order_by":null,"url":"\/59.1-364\/"},{"id":63550,"section_number":"59.1-365","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/59.1-365\/"}],"permalink":{"id":167405,"object_type":"law","relational_id":66964,"identifier":"18.2-326","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-326","url":"\/18.2-326\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-326\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-326","dublin_core":{"Title":"Penalty for illegal gambling","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-326","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Except as otherwise provided in this article, any person who illegally gambles or engages in interstate gambling as defined in \u00a7 18.2-325<\/a> shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor<\/span>. If an association or pool of persons illegally gamble, each person therein shall be guilty of illegal gambling.\n\t\tHowever, if any person makes, places, or receives any bet or wager of money or other thing of value on a horse race in the Commonwealth, whether the race is inside or outside the limits of the Commonwealth at any place or through any means other than (i) at a racetrack licensed by the Virginia Racing Commission pursuant to Chapter 29 (\u00a7 59.1-364<\/a> et seq.) of Title 59.1 or (ii) at a satellite facility or through advance deposit account wagering, as those terms are defined in \u00a7 59.1-365<\/a>, licensed by the Virginia Racing Commission pursuant to Chapter 29 (\u00a7 59.1-364<\/a> et seq.) of Title 59.1, such person shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor<\/span>. For the purposes of this paragraph, venue<\/span> shall be in any county or city in which any act was performed in furtherance of any course of conduct constituting illegal gambling.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPENALTY FOR ILLEGAL GAMBLING (\u00a7 18.2-326)\n\nExcept as otherwise provided in this article, any person who illegally gambles\nor engages in interstate gambling as defined in \u00a7 18.2-325 shall be guilty of a\nClass 3 misdemeanor. If an association or pool of persons illegally gamble, each\nperson therein shall be guilty of illegal gambling.\n\t\tHowever, if any person makes, places, or receives any bet or wager of money or\nother thing of value on a horse race in the Commonwealth, whether the race is\ninside or outside the limits of the Commonwealth at any place or through any\nmeans other than (i) at a racetrack licensed by the Virginia Racing Commission\npursuant to Chapter 29 (\u00a7 59.1-364 et seq.) of Title 59.1 or (ii) at a\nsatellite facility or through advance deposit account wagering, as those terms\nare defined in \u00a7 59.1-365, licensed by the Virginia Racing Commission pursuant\nto Chapter 29 (\u00a7 59.1-364 et seq.) of Title 59.1, such person shall be guilty\nof a Class 1 misdemeanor. For the purposes of this paragraph, venue shall be in\nany county or city in which any act was performed in furtherance of any course\nof conduct constituting illegal gambling.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-316; 1960, c. 358; 1973, c. 463; 1975, cc. 14, 15;\n1992, c. 423; 2011, c. 732.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}