The rules for sports betting in West Virginia were approved Thursday in an emergency meeting of the West Virginia Lottery Commission.

The commission approved 20 pages of rules and regulations intended to allow wagering on sporting events such as football and basketball games by the start of football season this fall.

The Legislature this year approved sports betting contingent on the United States Supreme Court overturning the 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. The court in May overturned the act that prohibited state-sanctioned betting, except in Nevada.

Facilities eligible in West Virginia are the Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack, Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort, the Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in Ranson, W.Va., the Mardi Gras Casino & Resort near Charleston and the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs.

The rules were filed with the secretary of state, but were not properly formatted and will have to be refiled, possibly today, Steve Adams, a spokesman for the secretary of state, said.

John Cavacini, of the West Virginia Gaming and Racing Association, which represents the race tracks, said Thursday he had yet to review the 20 pages of rules.