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Gambling in the U.S. Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands
Legal Status
U.S. Virgin Islands
Gambling is legal and regulated in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The region has several casinos, particularly on St. Croix, which operate under strict regulations. The Virgin Islands Casino Control Commission oversees licensing and compliance to ensure fair play and integrity.
British Virgin Islands
The British Virgin Islands have more restrictive gambling laws. While there are no casinos, limited forms of gambling, such as lotteries and horse racing, are allowed. Lotteries and horse racing are regulated by their respective governmental bodies to ensure they comply with local laws and regulations.
Basic info about the USVI and the BVI
The United States Virgin Islands (USVI) and the British Virgin Islands (BVI) are both located in the Caribbean Sea. The USVI are an unincorporated and organized territory of the United States, while the BVI are a British Overseas Territory.
Together with the Spanish Virgin Islands, the USVI and the BVI make upp the Virgin Islands Archipelago, and they are all a part of the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles. The USVI are found west of the BVI, and are therefore comparatively closer to Puerto Rico.
The USVI consists of three main islands – St. Croix, St. John, St. Thomas – and 50 minor islands and cays. The capital, Charlotte Amalie, is found on St. Thomas. The largest of the islands are St. Croix.
The BVI consists of the four main islands Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, and Jost Van Dyke, plus over 50 minor islands and cays. The capital, Road Town, is on Tortola, which is also the largest of the BVI islands.
Types of Gambling in the USVI and the BVI
Casinos
Casinos are found in the U.S. Virgin Islands, offering a variety of games, including slots, poker, blackjack, and roulette.
The legal casino industry here was established in the 1990s, when the government passed the Virgin Islands Casino and Resort Control Act of 1995, hoping to stimulate the economy.
It is important to keep in mind that casinos are only permitted within the boundaries of St. Croix, the largest of the three main islands in the U.S. Virgin Islands, but slot machines and video lottery terminals (VLTs) are legal on the other two islands as well, i.e. on both St. John and St. Thomas. In the U.S. Virgin Islands, slots and VLTs are found at many entertainment places and retail locations.
Note: So called “racinos” are permitted at certain licensed racetracks in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Lotteries
Both the U.S. and British Virgin Islands offer lottery games, providing a legal form of gambling with government oversight.
Horse Racing
The British Virgin Islands dot not have any casinos, but horse racing is a well-established and very popular form of legal gambling here. More information about the races can be obtained from the BVI Horse Owner´s Association, an organization established to organize, promote and fund horseracing in the Britihs Virgin Islands.
It should also be noted that the U.S. Virgin Islands too has a horseracing community, and in April 2024, the organisation VIGL in St. Croix received a “racino” license and moved forward with their plans to build a “racino” at the track. At that point, horseracing had not taken place on St. Croix since 2017 when a major hurricane went through.
Conclusion
Gambling in the Virgin Islands varies significantly between the U.S. and British territories. While the U.S. Virgin Islands have a regulated casino industry, the British Virgin Islands is a great destination for gambling on horse races. Both regions ensure that legal gambling activities are conducted under strict regulatory frameworks to protect participants and maintain integrity.