Sports Betting in the US

Key Points:

• Sports betting is legal in over two dozen US states.
• Bet must be placed from within the state where the book is licensed.
• Mobile and online bettors are not permitted to make interstate bets.
• Licensed and regulated operators offer the safest online betting options.

US Online Sports Betting

Online sports betting has never been easier or more accessible. Following the US Supreme Court's 2018 decision to overturn the federal ban on single-game betting, states can now legalize sports betting. However, to remain compliant with regulations, it is important to brush up on all federal and local laws.

Staying updated with new developments is the only way to ensure that you are informed about the legal online betting opportunities in your state.

US states have taken control by instituting rules that regulate gambling and sports betting activities. These rules impact physical and online platforms by ensuring proper licensing and record-keeping. They also create limits on who can participate in online sports betting.

Most states in the United States allow for legalized sports betting. In this article, we discuss states where sports betting is legal.

What is the Current Status of Sports Betting in the U.S.?

As of 2022, multiple states have passed laws legalizing sports betting. The shift in legislation followed the Murphy v. NCAA decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which was decided in favor of the state of Nevada.

In other words, it is up to the states to decide whether they want to offer sports betting online, at their brick-and-mortar casinos, or not at all. There is, however, one restriction that currently holds true for all states: Mobile and online bettors are not permitted to make interstate bets.

For instance, users who register for a New Jersey online sportsbook or mobile app are only permitted to place real-money bets if they are physically present in the state. The Federal Wire Act of 1961, which expressly forbids the processing of bets across state lines, is to blame for this restriction.

However, a number of legal experts feel that bets placed over interstate networks are acceptable as long as state law does not specifically forbid them.

36 States Where Sports Betting is Legal

Arizona Sports Betting

To coincide with the start of the NFL season, Arizona Sports Betting went live in September 2021. Arizona residents and visitors can bet on sports both in person and online. There are more than a dozen online sportsbook apps in Arizona.

They all make different betting experiences, advantages and disadvantages, and promotional offers.

Arkansas Sports Betting

In 2019, Arkansas joined the unlikely club of states that allow sports betting. Although the Natural State opposed the idea of allowing online sports betting, this restriction was lifted in March 2022. Arkansas now has a number of active online sportsbooks.

Colorado Sports Betting

In May 2020, Colorado legalized sports betting. Each of its physical casinos is permitted by law to apply for a license to run a sportsbook both offline and online. In the Centennial State, 26 of the 33 casinos have already taken advantage of their eligibility.

Connecticut Sports Betting

In September 2021, the state of Connecticut welcomed its first sportsbook. Sports betting is also available at the two tribal casinos in the state, Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun. One month later, the state lottery, online sportsbooks affiliated with the tribes, and other sites all went live.

Delaware Sports Betting

When Delaware accepted its first bet in 2018, a few hours before New Jersey did the same, it became the first state outside of Nevada to permit sports betting. In the state, there are currently three retail sportsbooks in operation.

The state still needs to get online sportsbooks, although the law permits it, and there is no timetable for their arrival.

Illinois Sports Betting

In March 2020, Illinois began accepting sports bets. Although sports betting is legal in Illinois in both retail and online forms, the initial version of the law included an in-person registration requirement that restricted the growth of Illinois sportsbooks.

However, there are no restrictions on people signing up from anywhere in Illinois since the mandate expired in March 2022.

Indiana Sports Betting

With retail books opening in September of that year and online sportsbooks making their debut a month later, Indiana has been a legal sports betting state since 2019. The Hoosier State's citizens and visitors can now access more than a dozen apps and locations.

Iowa Sports Betting

In August 2019, Iowa became a legal state for sports betting. Both in-person and online sports betting are permitted, but the online market suffered for the first half a year due to the need for in-person registration. Now that the deadline has passed, Iowa is home to more than a dozen sportsbook apps.

Kansas Sports Betting

In September 2022, Kansas legal online sportsbooks went live. Six sports betting websites as well as physical sportsbooks at Kansas casinos, went live in the state. In May 2022, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly approved a sports betting bill.

The law, which went into effect in July 2022, permits retail sportsbooks and online sports betting at the four casinos located within state lines.

Louisiana Sports Betting

In Louisiana, the first official sports bet was made in October 2021. A few weeks before other commercial casinos in the state started taking their own bets, The Paragon Casino Resort began operating a retail sportsbook.

In the Pelican State, online sports betting began in February 2022. There are currently more than six apps available, and the number will probably increase over time. Be aware that only nine of Louisiana's 64 parishes do not allow sports betting, while the other 55 do.

Maine Sports Betting

Gov. Janet Mills gave her approval to LD 585, which made sports betting legal in Maine starting in May 2022. After a failed attempt to legalize in 2020, when Mills surprised lawmakers with a veto over worries about betting on elections and spelling bees, the law was finally passed.

According to estimates from state regulators, a launch could occur anytime between August 2022 and sometime in 2024.

Maryland Sports Betting

More than a year after Maryland voters approved sports betting in the state, casinos in the state started taking bets on sporting events in December 2021. Online sportsbooks will likely be available by the end of 2022.

There are a ton of options available for Maryland sports bettors because the state's legal framework permits up to five dozen sportsbook apps to operate there.

Massachusetts Sports Betting

In August 2022, lawmakers approved Massachusetts sports betting at the very last minute of a protracted session. On August 10, Gov. Charlie Baker authorized its passage. The law does not specify a launch day, but it does allow both retail and online sports betting in the state.

According to reports, Massachusetts sports betting sites will likely launch in early 2023.

Michigan Sports Betting

Beginning in March 2020, Michigan will permit sports betting/mileg.aspx?page=GetObject&objectname=2017-HB-4060) at retail locations. The first online bet, however, did not take place until January 2021. The state now has 15 online sports betting sites, which is the maximum allowed by Michigan law, thanks to the launch, which included a wave of sportsbook applications.

Mississippi Sports Betting

In 2018, Mississippi was one of the first states to allow sports betting. But ever since the launch, the state has stuck with retail sports betting as the only choice. Although, there is one active app in the state that allows for online sports betting. It is only legal to do so when you are actually on a casino's property.

Montana Sports Betting

In Montana, sports betting started in March 2020. However, the Montana Lottery's kiosks and website are the only places where it can be played as a state-run option. State law also imposes bet restrictions on Montanans, with retail and online sports betting limits of $250 and $1,000, respectively.

Nebraska Sports Betting

Although Nebraska has made retail sports betting legal for both residents and visitors, no sportsbooks have yet to begin operations. In order to plan the logistics and practical considerations of accepting bets at horse racing facilities in Nebraska, regulators continue to collaborate with the state's casino interests.

However, there were no provisions for online sports betting in the gambling expansion that took effect in June 2021 and allowed the implementation of retail sportsbooks at these locations.

Nevada Sports Betting

For many years, Nevada served as the center of American sports betting, and it continues to be one of them, especially when it comes to oddsmaking. In the Silver State, there are hundreds of brick-and-mortar sportsbooks in addition to more than a dozen online sportsbooks.

However, Nevada does demand that people who want to place an online bet visit casinos in person to sign up for an account and make a deposit.

New Hampshire Sports Betting

Thanks to the provisions in the state's 2019 law allowing sports betting, New Hampshire's options for betting on sports are few. The New Hampshire Lottery strictly regulates the sector and has only (so far) allowed one sportsbook to do business there. Dover, Manchester, and Seabrook all have retail establishments.

New Jersey Sports Betting

As the impetus for the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn PASPA and give the states control over sports betting legalization, New Jersey will forever hold a special place in the annals of American sports betting.

In 2018, New Jersey became the first non-Nevada state to permit online sportsbooks and one of the first states to permit sports betting. Since that time, New Jersey may be the best state in the US for sports betting.

New Mexico Sports Betting

New Mexico joins a select group of states that permit sports betting. That's because it didn't and still doesn't have a law that permits sports betting.

However, some tribes that call New Mexico home have asserted that they can provide retail sports betting due to the terms of their agreements with the state and their privileges under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

State authorities have so far not presented the tribes with any significant opposition on this issue. In New Mexico, it is illegal to bet on sports online.

New York Sports Betting

Although it is technically legal to bet on sports in New York since 2013, PASPA and other logistical challenges prevented retail sports betting from starting until 2019. However, because it required a long drive for many people to get to the state's legal sportsbooks, sports betting remained a rarely-used option.

In January 2022, online sports betting made its debut in the Empire State. Since then, New York has quickly become the largest spor1406ts betting state in the nation (in terms of handle). In the first 30 days that New Yorkers had access to online sports betting, they earned more than $2 billion. The state only permits nine sportsbooks online.

North Carolina Sports Betting

Despite being an unlikely member of the group of states that allow sports betting, North Carolina's tribal casinos can now accept bets thanks to a 2019 law. In North Carolina, there are currently three tribal locations, and the two Harrah's properties have sportsbooks.

The third property has said it intends to open a sports betting facility as well, though it is still ironing out the details. In spite of numerous attempts to the contrary, online sports betting is still prohibited in the Tar Heel State.

North Dakota Sports Betting

The legal status of sports betting in North Dakota is the same as that in New Mexico. There is no legal framework in place that permits sports betting.

However, a number of the state's federally recognized tribal organizations have started accepting bets on-site on their tribal lands, claiming that this is allowed by the terms of their agreements with the state.

State authorities haven't expressed any significant opposition to this point thus far. In North Dakota, online sports betting is still prohibited.

Ohio Sports Betting

On January 1st, 2023, Ohio sports betting sites are slated to launch. After the governor approved a bill in December 2021 legalizing sports betting, online and live sportsbooks could now operate in Ohio.

The state decided that both retail and online betting would start on January 1. Up to 25 sports betting websites, numerous live sportsbooks, and lottery kiosks are available to residents and visitors throughout the state.

Oregon Sports Betting

Both retail and online sports betting are legal and accessible in Oregon. In October 2019, the Oregon Lottery released the Scoreboard app as the only online option available in the state.

However, in 2022, it started moving the state's online sports betting to DraftKings. There are sportsbooks at a number of tribal casinos in the state for those who prefer to place their bets in person.

Pennsylvania

Sportsbooks have existed in Pennsylvania since 2018. In November of that year, the first brick-and-mortar sportsbook opened, and in May 2019, online sportsbooks followed. In the Keystone State, there are currently more than a dozen sportsbooks, both offline and online.

Rhode Island

The first retail sportsbook in the Ocean State opened in 2018, making Rhode Island one of the early adopter states. At the state's two casinos, there are currently options for live sports betting.

Caesars offers mobile sports betting in the state, and despite the state's continued in-person registration requirement, the state's renowned small size makes creating an account less onerous than it might be elsewhere.

South Dakota

One of the fewest conditions exists in South Dakota for the legalization of sports betting in the entire country. In the Mount Rushmore State, only land-based casinos in Deadwood offer sports betting.

There is currently no mobile sports betting available, but tribal locations in the state could open their own sportsbooks in the future.

Tennessee

There are currently no plans to add retail sportsbooks, making Tennessee the only state allowing sports betting online. The Volunteer State now offers nine apps, some of which are from the biggest names in sports betting.

Virginia

Virginia is similar to Tennessee in that it only legalized sports betting online when it first became a state. However, Virginia is currently working to approve four casino locations inside its borders thanks to the same law that allowed sports betting. Retail sportsbooks will be available at all four locations.

A clause in Virginia law also permits a major professional sports team that moves to Old Dominion in the future to obtain a sports betting license.

Washington D.C

Both online and offline sports betting are available in Washington, D.C. GambetDC, which the DC Lottery runs, is the only online sportsbook accessible district-wide. Commercial online sportsbooks are also accessible, but they are only accessible in the vicinity of the stadiums of their affiliated sports teams.

These stadiums and a number of the city's bars and eateries offer retail sports betting.

Washington

Sports betting is now legal in Washington. The Evergreen State only permits land-based and online sports betting at tribal casinos. In the majority of the state, sports betting at retail locations or online is illegal.

North Carolina

One of the more unexpected states to join the US sports betting community is West Virginia. However, the modest Mountain State assisted New Jersey in its legal defense against PASPA, so it is no surprise that both online and live sports betting is legal in the state.

Wisconsin

The situation in Wisconsin is comparable to that in New Mexico, where sports betting is legal on tribal lands but is illegal elsewhere. In contrast to New Mexico, the state of Wisconsin has been open to working with its resident tribes to pass a sports betting amendment.

The Oneida Nation was the first tribe to negotiate an amendment. As a result, it now provides both retail and online sports betting on its tribal lands. However, the online option is only available inside Oneida locations.

Other tribes in the state are considering similar agreements, but the Wisconsin Legislature isn't showing any signs of passing legislation allowing for statewide retail or online sports betting.

Wyoming

Wyoming joined Tennessee and Virginia in having sports betting available only online when it legalized sports betting in September 2021. Wyoming's online-only status may only last until the Arapaho and/or Shoshone tribes have their operations up and running.

However, there are tribal casinos in the state that have stated they intend to pursue retail sports betting at some point.

Advantages of Legal Sports Betting

Before now, those who wanted to bet on their preferred sports team only had two unappealing choices: sign up for an account on the dark web, or locate a local bookmaker. Because illegal bookies operate in an unregulated industry, so they cannot provide poor odds, withhold winnings, or ban players without cause.

In both cases, the party accepting bets was doing so illegally. In contrast, a state's gambling or lottery commission oversees legal sportsbooks. This makes certain that:

1. Security of money

Bettor who deposits money on an online sportsbook or mobile sports betting app can relax knowing that their money is held securely because of the laws and regulations governing the industry. There are no such guarantees available to gamblers using underground websites or independent bookmakers.

2. Protection of identity

Sports bettors will need to provide identification to play for large sums of money at a physical location or online. Particularly legitimate online sportsbooks demand that customers confirm their identities and financial information.

The only effective way to safeguard a player's sensitive information is by confirming a bettor's identity. Black market websites don't have to answer to a regulatory body, so they have little incentive to protect a player's identity.

3. Fairness

Don't anticipate unethical online sportsbooks to behave morally. Bonus arrangements frequently make it unlikely for players ever to withdraw their winnings. Even worse, illegal exchange sites might decide to only partially or completely honor withdrawals.

Nothing really prevents them from asserting that the lines are different from what is shown on the website. The law requires that all terms be listed on the site and that any changes be first approved by the state's regulatory agency, which is typically the same agency that regulates all legal lottery or casino operations in the state.

As a result, players on legal sites won't be subject to ambiguous policies and on-the-fly changes.

Sports Betting FAQs

Which States Allow Sports Betting Online?

The number of states that permit remote registration for mobile sports betting keeps expanding. These are the states:

• Arizona
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Michigan
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• Rhode Island
• Tennessee
• Virginia
• West Virginia
• Wyoming

Although Nevada and Illinois require in-person registration, once registered, you can place bets from any location within the state.

How Can I Be Sure My Money Is Secure?

The same governments that regulate and license land-based casinos also regulate and license legal US online sportsbooks. Every website undergoes thorough testing for site stability, game options, and all available banking methods.

Every payment method, in addition to the online sportsbook, is tested to ensure that all transactions are accurate and secure and to protect your money and personal information. Most banking options come from companies you already use daily, like PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, and online banking.

In addition to initial testing, websites are continuously scrutinized, and any issues or concerns are reported to the state's gaming authority. For instance, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, which regulates all gaming in the state, can be contacted if you encounter any issues there. Financial security is not guaranteed by offshore sites.

Can Online Sports Betting Wagers Be Placed From Out-Of-State?

No. To protect online books from any future changes to the Wire Act, all bets placed at this time must be placed from within the state where the book is licensed. Players can only place bets on that site from the Keystone State if Betfair launches a site in Pennsylvania.

However, they might be allowed to carry out other tasks like cashiering and account management from outside of state lines. This restriction might become less restrictive in the future, but given how the current political climate is strengthening the Wire Act, this is unlikely to happen anytime soon.

Are There Sports Betting Options On Daily Fantasy Sites?

Yes. FanDuel and Paddy Power Betfair reached an agreement in July 2018, under which Betfair US, TVG, and DRAFT merged to form the FanDuel group. In New Jersey's Meadowlands, FanDuel made its debut as the horse racing venue's forward-looking sports betting brand.

Since then, FanDuel has introduced sports betting websites and mobile applications in a number of states, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Colorado, West Virginia, and Indiana. A number of other states, including Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, have also authorized DraftKings to operate.

Deals are in place for both DraftKings and FanDuel to expand to the majority of states that are considering legalizing online sports betting.

Is It Legal To Bet On Sports Online?

Yes, but it also depends on your location. Many of the states mentioned above allow legal online sports betting. No state requires residents to bet there, but in order to legally place an online sports bet, you must be physically present in the state.

Which Betting Site Is The Safest?

Online sports betting options from licensed and regulated operators are the safest. Two examples of operators that have been granted permission to start operations in a number of states are DraftKings and FanDuel.

Legal and regulated websites must go through a rigorous application process, adhere to strict guidelines, and confirm that customer funds are secure. With the potentially available unregulated options, that is not the case.