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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>67888</law_id><section_number>58.1-4030</section_number><catch_line>Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>11-16.2</reference><reference>18.2-334.3</reference><reference>4.1-100</reference><reference>52-53</reference><reference>58.1-4002</reference><reference>58.1-4006.1</reference><reference>58.1-4007</reference><reference>58.1-4015.1</reference><reference>58.1-4027</reference><reference>58.1-4039</reference><reference>58.1-4100</reference><reference>59.1-364</reference><reference>59.1-542.1</reference><reference>59.1-569</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="58.1">Taxation</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="IV">Other Sources of State Revenue</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="40">Virginia Lottery Law; Sports Betting</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="2">Sports Betting</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Adjusted gross revenue</span>&#x201D; means gross revenue minus:</p></section>
						<section id="1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> All cash and the cash value of merchandise paid out as winnings to bettors, and the value of all bonuses or promotions provided to patrons as an incentive to place or as a result of their having placed Internet <span class="dictionary">sports betting</span> wagers; <a id="paragraph-245861" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/58.1-4030/#1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Uncollectible gaming receivables, which shall not exceed two percent, or a different percentage as determined by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> pursuant to subsection F of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Powers of the Board" href="/58.1-4007/">58.1-4007</a>, of gross revenue minus all cash paid out as winnings to bettors; <a id="paragraph-245862" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/58.1-4030/#2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="3"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> If the <span class="dictionary">permit holder</span> is a significant infrastructure limited licensee, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/59.1-365/">59.1-365</a>, any funds paid into the horsemen&#x2019;s purse account pursuant to the provisions of subdivision 14 of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Powers and duties of the Commission" href="/59.1-369/">59.1-369</a>; and <a id="paragraph-245863" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/58.1-4030/#3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="4"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> All excise taxes on sports betting paid pursuant to federal <span class="dictionary">law</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Amateur sports</span>&#x201D; means any sports or athletic event that is not <span class="dictionary">professional sports</span>, college sports, <span class="dictionary">Virginia college sports</span>, or <span class="dictionary">youth sports</span>. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Amateur sports</span>&#x201D; includes domestic, international, and Olympic sports or athletic events. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Amateur sports</span>&#x201D; does not include charitable gaming, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/18.2-340.16/">18.2-340.16</a>; fantasy contests, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/59.1-556/">59.1-556</a>; or horse racing, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/59.1-365/">59.1-365</a>.
			&#x201C;College sports&#x201D; means an athletic event (i) in which at least one participant is a team from a public or private institution of higher education, regardless of where such institution is located, and (ii) that does not include a team from a Virginia public or private institution of higher education.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Covered persons</span>&#x201D; means athletes; umpires, referees, and officials; personnel associated with clubs, teams, leagues, and athletic associations; medical professionals and athletic trainers who provide services to athletes and players; and the immediate family members and associates of such persons.
			&#x201C;Gross revenue&#x201D; means the total of all cash, property, or any other form of remuneration, whether collected or not, received by a permittee from its sports betting operations.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Major league sports franchise</span>&#x201D; means a professional baseball, basketball, football, hockey, or soccer team that is at the highest-level league of play for its respective sport.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Motor sports facility</span>&#x201D; means an outdoor <span class="dictionary">motor sports facility</span> that hosts a National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) national touring race.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Official league data</span>&#x201D; means statistics, results, outcomes, and other data relating to a <span class="dictionary">professional sports</span> event obtained by a <span class="dictionary">permit holder</span> under an agreement with a <span class="dictionary">sports governing body</span> or with an entity expressly authorized by a <span class="dictionary">sports governing body</span> for determining the outcome of tier 2 bets.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Permit holder</span>&#x201D; means a person to which the <span class="dictionary">Director</span> <span class="dictionary">issues</span> a permit pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Application for a sports betting permit; penalty" href="/58.1-4032/">58.1-4032</a> and <a class="law" title="Renewals of permits" href="/58.1-4033/">58.1-4033</a>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Personal biometric data</span>&#x201D; means any information about an athlete that is derived from his DNA, heart rate, blood pressure, perspiration rate, internal or external body temperature, hormone levels, glucose levels, hydration levels, vitamin levels, bone density, muscle density, or sleep patterns, or other information as may be prescribed by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> by regulation.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Principal</span>&#x201D; means any individual who solely or together with his immediate family members (i) owns or controls, directly or indirectly, five percent or more of the pecuniary interest in any entity that is a <span class="dictionary">permit holder</span> or (ii) has the power to vote or cause the vote of five percent or more of the voting securities or other ownership interests of such entity. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Principal</span>&#x201D; includes any individual who is employed in a managerial capacity for a <span class="dictionary">sports betting platform</span> or <span class="dictionary">sports betting facility</span> on behalf of a <span class="dictionary">permit holder</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Professional sports</span>&#x201D; means an athletic event involving at least two human competitors who receive compensation, in excess of their expenses, for participating in such event. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Professional sports</span>&#x201D; does not include charitable gaming, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/18.2-340.16/">18.2-340.16</a>; fantasy contests, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/59.1-556/">59.1-556</a>; or horse racing, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/59.1-365/">59.1-365</a>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Prohibited conduct</span>&#x201D; means any statement, action, or other communication intended to influence, manipulate, or control a betting outcome of a <span class="dictionary">sports event</span> or of any individual occurrence or performance in a <span class="dictionary">sports event</span> in exchange for financial gain or to avoid financial or physical harm. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Prohibited conduct</span>&#x201D; includes statements, actions, and communications made to a covered person by a third <span class="dictionary">party</span>. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Prohibited conduct</span>&#x201D; does not include statements, actions, or communications made or sanctioned by a sports team or <span class="dictionary">sports governing body</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Proposition bet</span>&#x201D; means a bet on an individual action, statistic, occurrence, or non-occurrence to be determined during an athletic event and includes any such action, statistic, occurrence, or non-occurrence that does not directly affect the final outcome of the athletic event to which it relates.
			&#x201C;Sports betting&#x201D; means placing wagers on <span class="dictionary">professional sports</span>, college sports, <span class="dictionary">amateur sports</span>, <span class="dictionary">sporting events</span>, or any other event approved by the <span class="dictionary">Director</span>, and any portion thereof, and includes placing wagers related to the individual performance statistics of athletes in such sports and events. &#x201C;Sports betting&#x201D; includes any system or method of wagering approved by the <span class="dictionary">Director</span>, including single-<span class="dictionary">game</span> bets, teaser bets, parlays, over-under, moneyline, pools, exchange wagering, in-<span class="dictionary">game</span> wagering, in-play bets, <span class="dictionary">proposition bets</span>, and straight bets. &#x201C;Sports betting&#x201D; does not include participating in charitable gaming authorized by Article 1.1:1 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="State control of charitable gaming" href="/18.2-340.15/">18.2-340.15</a> et seq.) of Chapter 8 of Title 18.2; participating in any <span class="dictionary">lottery</span> <span class="dictionary">game</span> authorized under Article 1 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Short title" href="/58.1-4000/">58.1-4000</a> et seq.); wagering on horse racing authorized by Chapter 29 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Control of racing with pari-mutuel wagering" href="/59.1-364/">59.1-364</a> et seq.) of Title 59.1; or participating in fantasy contests authorized by Chapter 51 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/59.1-556/">59.1-556</a> et seq.) of Title 59.1. &#x201C;Sports betting&#x201D; does not include placing a wager on a college <span class="dictionary">sports event</span> in which a Virginia public or private institution of higher education is a participant.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Sports betting facility</span>&#x201D; means an area, kiosk, or device located inside a <span class="dictionary">casino gaming</span> establishment licensed pursuant to Chapter 41 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/58.1-4100/">58.1-4100</a> et seq.) that is designated for sports betting.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Sports betting permit</span>&#x201D; means a permit to operate a <span class="dictionary">sports betting platform</span> or <span class="dictionary">sports betting facility</span> issued pursuant to the provisions of &#xA7;&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Application for a sports betting permit; penalty" href="/58.1-4032/">58.1-4032</a>, <a class="law" title="Renewals of permits" href="/58.1-4033/">58.1-4033</a>, and <a class="law" title="Duties of permit holders" href="/58.1-4034/">58.1-4034</a>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Sports betting platform</span>&#x201D; means a website, app, or other platform accessible via the Internet or mobile, wireless, or similar communications technology that <span class="dictionary">sports bettors</span> use to participate in sports betting.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Sports betting program</span>&#x201D; means the program established by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> to allow sports betting as described in this article.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Sports bettor</span>&#x201D; means a person physically located in Virginia who participates in sports betting.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Sports event</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">sporting event</span>&#x201D; means <span class="dictionary">professional sports</span>, college sports, <span class="dictionary">amateur sports</span>, and any athletic event, motor race event, electronic <span class="dictionary">sports event</span>, competitive video <span class="dictionary">game</span> event, or any other event approved by the <span class="dictionary">Director</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Sports governing body</span>&#x201D; means an organization, headquartered in the United States, that prescribes rules and enforces codes of conduct with respect to a <span class="dictionary">professional sports</span> or college <span class="dictionary">sports event</span> and the participants therein. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Sports governing body</span>&#x201D; includes a designee of the <span class="dictionary">sports governing body</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Stadium</span>&#x201D; means the physical facility that is the primary location at which a <span class="dictionary">major league sports franchise</span> hosts athletic events and any appurtenant facilities.
			&#x201C;Tier 1 bet&#x201D; means a bet that is placed using the Internet and that is not a tier 2 bet.
			&#x201C;Tier 2 bet&#x201D; means a bet that is placed using the Internet and that is placed after the event it concerns has started.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Virginia college sports</span>&#x201D; means an athletic event in which at least one participant is a team from a Virginia public or private institution of higher education.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Youth sports</span>&#x201D; means an athletic event (i) involving a majority of participants under age 18 or (ii) in which at least one participant is a team from a public or private elementary, middle, or secondary school, regardless of where such school is located. However, if an athletic event meets the definition of college sports or <span class="dictionary">professional sports</span>, such event shall not be considered <span class="dictionary">youth sports</span> regardless of the age of the participants. An international athletic event organized by the International Olympic Committee shall not be considered to be <span class="dictionary">youth sports</span>, regardless of the age of the participants. <a id="paragraph-245864" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/58.1-4030/#4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2020, cc. 1218, 1256; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 351, 352.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
