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ZenSports, an online sportsbook from Tennessee, might soon extend its operations to West Virginia and add an online casino platform to the mix in the process. VIP Play, Inc., the company behind ZenSports, has announced that it has obtained an interim license to offer online gambling products in the Mountaineer State.
The West Virginia license represents VIP Play’s first foray outside of Tennessee and the first indication that it is interested in the online casino vertical. West Virginia represents a low-stakes proving ground for a new online casino platform, as it is the smallest of the multi-license iGaming markets, so competition isn’t quite as fierce as it is in New Jersey or Pennsylvania.
VIP Play announces US expansion
An April 2 press release from VIP Play denotes the reception of the interim license from the West Virginia Lottery. The company’s foray into West Virginia comes on the heels of a partnership with Wheeling Island Casino in Wheeling, West Virginia.
Currently, VIP Play’s ZenSports sports wagering platform is only available online in Tennessee. ZenSports initiated its operations in Tennessee in June 2023.
At this time, VIP Play has no other gambling products in operation and the release does not specify whether the company will simply extend the ZenSports brand to West Virginia. The release does not specify an expected launch date for its West Virginia offerings, either, merely stating that the company “expects to begin serving West Virginia customers in the coming months.”
During that time, VIP Play may build out its iGaming platform. Despite its late entry into the market, West Virginia could be a good fit for the company.
West Virginia’s status as test market for VIP Play online casino
In the regulated US online casino landscape, there are the “Big Three” states and the other four. iGaming revenue in Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania dwarfs online casino winnings in Connecticut, Delaware, Rhode Island, and West Virginia due to their larger populations and more competitive frameworks.
Connecticut is a tribal duopoly for iGaming while both Delaware and Rhode Island have state-sanctioned monopolies for legal online casino play. Therefore, West Virginia represents a lower barrier to entry for VIP Play despite its smaller upside.
Even though the cost to get into West Virginia is probably lesser than the startup costs in any of the Big Three states, VIP Play is still coming in at a disadvantage. Established brands like BetMGM Casino and FanDuel Casino have a strong hold on market share leads and it will be difficult to wrestle that away.
Considering all those factors, expectations at VIP Play for an initial online casino product in West Virginia are likely low in terms of market share. However, even a few percentage points of the action could represent much more revenue for VIP Play than its share of Tennessee sports betting winnings.
For example, iGaming produced more than $26.2 million in winnings for licensees in February 2025. Even a 2% cut of that total amounts to over half a million dollars.
More details about VIP Play’s West Virginia entry should be available over the coming months. For West Virginia gamblers, it could represent the first new iGaming option in the state in years.
