Sports Betting Legal

1 day ago Sports betting is more popular, and legal, than ever, and one of biggest draws for bettors every year is wagering on the Big Game. But, like everything else right now, COVID-19 is having an.

Year legal gambling was established: On-track race betting was made legal in 1810, with overall sports betting following in 1980. Which sports are eligible? There are very few sports you can't bet. Missouri has yet to establish a sports gambling law which would detail the minimum acceptable sports wagering age. Some US states with legal sports wagering have set their minimum gambling age at 21, while others chose to set theirs at 18. Bovada covers all the major sports. They offering straight bets, teasers, if bets parlays, futures, and props on just about any sport. This makes Bovada one of the best Online sports betting sites. BetOnline is great for sports gambling online in many ways, but especially with baseball.

After New Jersey's Supreme Court victory in May 2018, any state that wishes can legalize sports betting.

At the same time various state lawmakers are considering sports betting legislation, Congress is too. Senators Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and now-retired Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, co-introduced comprehensive sports betting legislation at the end of 2018. On Sept. 27, 2018 the House Judiciary Committee held a formal hearing on the topic.

The dual track of proposals -- state and federal -- have increased in frequency since the start of 2017.

To measure the change in the landscape, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia in terms of how likely it is for each jurisdiction to offer full-scale legal sports betting. A brief synopsis for the active states is included, with updates to follow.

Last updated on November 3, 2020.

Already there

1. Nevada

No longer the only state to permit a wide variety of legal sports betting, Nevada is a mature market that has existed for decades. Given its long history in successfully offering regulated sports wagering, many states might look to Nevada for best practices.

Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: None
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 223
Population: 3,034,392 (2,246,259 21+)

2. Delaware

On June 5, 2018, Delaware moved to offer single-game betting on a number of different sports at three casinos in the state. Expanded sports wagering options could take place at additional locations or online. Delaware's authorization of what Gov. John Carney described as 'a full-scale sports gaming operation' happened less than a month after the Supreme Court ruled that the federal law restricting single-game betting to Nevada was unconstitutional.

Type of wagering permitted: In-person
Notable prohibitions: No betting on games involving in-state college teams
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 3
Population: 967,171 (726,161 21+)

3. New Jersey

On June 11, 2018, Gov. Phil Murphy signed the sports betting bill that had passed the previous week. A William Hill sportsbook at Monmouth Park took the first bets on Thursday, June 14 at 10:30 a.m. ET. Gov. Murphy was the first customer in line. The Borgata in Atlantic City booked sports bets 30 minutes later. Other sportsbooks in New Jersey opened soon thereafter. For example, FanDuel's first sportsbook at the Meadowlands opened its doors on July 14.

Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: No betting on games involving in-state college teams and collegiate events held within the state
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 9
Population: 8,908,520 (6,634,683 21+)

4. Mississippi

Two casinos owned by MGM Resorts booked their first sports bets in Mississippi on Aug. 1, 2018. Mississippi enacted a new law in 2017 that allowed for sports betting pending a favorable decision by the Supreme Court. In June 2018, the Mississippi Gaming Commission adopted implementing regulations that require all betting to take place in person, with mobile wagering to be considered later.

Type of wagering permitted: In-person
Notable prohibitions: None
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 29
Population: 2,986,530 (2,153,795 21+)

5. West Virginia

On Aug. 30, 2018, West Virginia became the fifth state to offer legal and regulated sports betting when the Hollywood Casino -- a sportsbook owned by Penn National -- opened its doors. The move came six months after the West Virginia legislature passed a new bill with the West Virginia Lottery Commission serving as the chief regulator.

Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: None
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 5
Population: 1,805,832 (1,375,788 21+)

6. New Mexico

On Oct. 16, 2018, the Santa Ana Star Casino & Hotel booked its first sports bet in partnership with Nevada-based USBookmaking. Although New Mexico has not passed any new sports betting legislation since the Supreme Court's decision, the move by the Santa Ana Star Casino & Hotel was made via a gaming compact with the state. According to Nedra Darling, spokeswoman at the Department of the Interior's Office of Indian Affairs -- the federal agency in Washington, DC that oversees tribal gaming compacts -- the New Mexico compacts permit 'any or all forms of Class III Gaming,' a category in the federal regulations that specifically includes '[a]ny sports betting and pari-mutuel wagering.'

Type of wagering permitted: In-person
Notable prohibitions: No betting on games involving in-state college teams
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 32
Population: 2,095,428 (1,529,540 21+)

7. Pennsylvania

The Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course booked the first legal sports bets in Pennsylvania in mid-November 2018. The move came just over a year after Gov. Tom Wolf signed a new sports betting bill as part of a broad legislation push that included online poker and DFS. The October 2017 bill became effective after the Supreme Court's May 2018 ruling upending the federal ban on single-game betting outside of Nevada.

Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: None
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 12
Population: 12,807,060 (9,645,705 21+)

8. Rhode Island

The Twin River Casino in Lincoln opened its doors for legal sports betting on Nov. 26, 2018. The move came five months after Gov. Gina Raimondo signed the state budget, which included language allowing sports betting. Only two locations would be allowed to offer sports betting under the law, with the state's lottery providing regulatory oversight. In early 2019, the law was tweaked to provide for mobile betting.

Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: No betting on games involving in-state college teams
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 2
Population: 1,057,315 (800,838 21+)

9. Arkansas

On July 1, 2019, the Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort booked the first legal sports bets in Arkansas. Two other retail locations opened sportsbooks in the subsequent months. Sports betting is regulated by the Arkansas Racing Commission.

10. New York

On July 16, 2019, the first legal sports bets were placed in New York. J. Gary Pretlow -- a New York lawmaker and chair of the state's racing and wagering committee -- was among the first to place a wager at the Rivers Casino in Schenectady. The opening of a legal sportsbook came six years after New York passed a law to allow sports betting at four on-site locations, all in upstate New York. After lying dormant for years, the law was revived after the Supreme Court ruling in 2018 and the issuance of regulations earlier this year. The current law does not allow for mobile wagering.

Type of wagering permitted: In-person
Notable prohibitions: No betting on games involving in-state college teams
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 28
Population: 19,542,209 (14,724,807 21+)

11. Iowa

Legal sports betting arrived in Iowa on Aug. 15, with multiple operators all opening their doors to customers on the first day. The move came three months after Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed into a law a comprehensive bill to legalize sports betting in the Hawkeye State. Operators must pay a $45,000 licensing fee and there is a 6.75 percent tax on revenue. The new law permits mobile wagering. Betting on college sports is permitted, but certain kinds of in-game prop bets involving college games are banned. The new law bestows the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission with authority to regulate sports betting.

Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: No prop betting on in-state college athletics
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 23
Population: 3,156,145 (2,286,374 21+)

12. Oregon

Legal sports betting returned to Oregon on Aug. 27 after a long hiatus, with the first bets booked on-site at the Chinook Winds Casino Resort in Lincoln City. Oregon is one of a small number of states that already had a law on the books permitting some forms of sports betting, so the resumption of wagering did not require the legislature to pass any new law or have the governor amend an existing tribal-state compact. In mid-October, mobile sports betting arrived in Oregon too, with the state-run lottery overseeing the launch of a new website and app.

Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: None at the Chinook Winds Casino Resort, but sportsbook operated by the Oregon Lottery does not permit betting on games involving in-state colleges
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 10
Population: 4,190,713 (3,167,912 21+)

13. Indiana

Legal sports betting opened up at a number of locations in Indiana on Sept. 1. The Indiana Gaming Commission oversees all sports betting regulations and has issued licenses to operators across the state. Wagering on both college and pro sports is permitted, but betting on esports and high school sports is banned. Indiana's new law allows for both mobile and in-person wagering. Regulations permit sports leagues or colleges to request 'to utilize a geofence to prohibit wagers at the location of a particular sporting event.'

Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: No prop betting on in-state college athletics
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 14
Population: 6,691,878 (4,842,337 21+)

14. New Hampshire

Governor Chris Sununo placed the ceremonial first legal sports wager -- on the New England Patriots -- in New Hampshire on Dec. 30, 2019. The state's lottery is in charge of regulatory of regulatory oversight. Both retail and mobile sports betting will be permitted on a wide variety of sports, although no betting on New Hampshire's in-state colleges is allowed.

Type of wagering permitted: Mobile
Notable prohibitions: No betting on in-state colleges
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 0
Population: 1,356,458 (1,042,882 21+)

15. Illinois

Legal sports betting arrived in Illinois on March 9, 2020. The move came less than a year after the Illinois legislature passed a broad gaming bill that allowed for both online and in-person sports betting. With Governor J.B. Pritzker's signature, the new law also provided for betting on-location at venues such as Wrigley Field. Operators and certain data providers are required to obtain a license under the new law.

Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: No wagering on minor leagues or Illinois college teams
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 10
Population: 12,741,080 (9,391,158 21+)

16. Michigan

Legal sports betting in Michigan commenced on March 11, 2020, with two Detroit-area casinos launching on the same day. The move came less than three months after Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the 'Lawful Sports Betting Act' into law. The new law provides for wagering on a wide variety of sports, including college contests.

Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: None
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 27
Population: 9.995,915 (7,428,72721+)

17. Montana

Legal sports betting arrived in Montana in March 2020. The move came after Governor Steve Bullock formally signed into law a 28-page bill that brought sports wagering to Big Sky country via the state's lottery. Governor Bullock cited the Montana Lottery's 'proven track record of responsibility and integrity' when signing the bill.

Type of wagering permitted: In-person
Notable prohibitions: None
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 13
Population: 1,062,305 (793,151 21+)

18. Colorado

May 1, 2020 marked the launch of legal sports betting in Colorado, with multiple operators allowing residents to open accounts online and place wagers. The move came less than six months after Colorado voters -- by a narrow margin -- approved a ballot measure that would provide 'for the regulation of sports betting through licensed casinos.' Both mobile and retail sports betting are permitted. Tax revenue from sports betting will help fund various state water projects.

Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: None
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 35
Population: 5,695,564 (4,210,663.00 21+)

19. Washington, D.C.

In June 2020, the D.C. Lottery launched its 'GameBetDC' platform allowing consumers 'to wager while in the District on major sports worldwide' via computer or mobile device. Sports betting in nation's capital followed the passage of the Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act of 2018 and a Congressional review period during which time Congress did not formally object. The Office of Lottery and Gaming provides regulatory oversight of all sports wagering in D.C.

Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions:No betting on games involving colleges located in D.C.
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019):None
Population: 705,749

20. Tennessee

Regulated sports wagering -- all online -- launched on November 1, 2020 in Tennessee with four licensed operators offering a wide variety of options. The 'Tennessee Sports Gaming Act' permits statewide mobile sports betting without any brick-and-mortar anchor. As such, there are no in-person retail sports betting locations in the state. Subject to an exception, Tennessee's new law requires all licensed operators to 'exclusively use official league data for purposes of live betting.'

Type of wagering permitted: Mobile only
Notable prohibitions:None
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019):None
Population: 6,829,174

On-deck circle

21. North Carolina

On July 26, 2019, Governor Roy Cooper signed into a law a bill to 'allow sports and horse race wagering on tribal lands,' with such betting designated as a 'Class III' gaming activity under the state compact. The new law permits betting on both college and professional sports, but all bettors must place their wagers in-person at one of two retail locations.

22. Washington

Governor Jay Inslee signed Washington's sports betting bill into law on March 25, 2020. The new law permits sports wagering at Class III tribal casinos in the state. Mobile sports wagering is not allowed statewide, but is permitted when on-site at a licensed tribal casino. Betting on an 'esports competition or event' is allowed, but the new law bans wagering on games involving in-state colleges or minor league professional events. The new bill delegates regulatory oversight to the Washington State Gambling Commission.

23. Virginia

After some back-and-forth between Governor Ralph Northam and the legislature, legalized sports wagering was approved in the Commonwealth of Virginia in April 2020. Online betting is allowed, but wagering is not permitted on Virginia-based college sports or certain youth sports.

24. Maryland

In November 2020, Maryland voters approved 'sports and events betting for the primary purpose of raising revenue for education' by about a 2-1 margin. A regulatory framework must be created by Maryland lawmakers before any sports wagering takes place. The Maryland referendum would potentially allow for both in-person and mobile sports betting throughout the state.

25. South Dakota

On November 3, 2020, voters in South Dakota approved a ballot measure permitting 'sports wagering in Deadwood.' Other tribal locations in South Dakota could see the arrival of regulated sports betting too. State lawmakers must now establish a regulatory apparatus and tax rate for legalized sports wagering.

26. Louisiana

In November 2020, voters in the vast majority of Louisiana's 64 parishes approved a ballot measure permitting 'sports wagering activities and operations.' As a result, regulated sports wagering could come to New Orleans and certain other cities as early as 2021. Lawmakers will be tasked with setting up a regulatory scheme during an upcoming state legislative session.

Moving toward legalization

All of these states have seen some degree of legislative activity towards the legalization of sports betting the past few years.

27. Oklahoma

In April 2020, two federally-recognized tribes reached agreement with Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt on new gaming compacts that include sports betting. On June 8, 2020, Governor Stitt announced that the Department of the Interior had approved the compacts, paving the way for sports betting to start in Oklahoma as soon as the 'compacts are published in the Federal Register.' A bipartisan group of state lawmakers, along with Oklahoma's attorney general, have expressed opposition to the expansion of sports betting in Oklahoma and the prospect of legalized sports wagering remains uncertain.

28. Maine

On the last day of the state's 2019 legislative session -- June 19 -- Maine lawmakers passed 'An Act to Ensure Proper Oversight of Sports Betting in the State.' Shortly thereafter, the governor vetoed the bill. The legislature could re-introduce the bill later.

29. Nebraska

On November 3, 2020, Nebraska voters approved certain amendments to its state constitution legalizing 'all games of chance.' If the new constitutional amendments are construed to include wagering on sporting events, legalized sports betting could arrive in Nebraska upon the establishment of certain regulations.

30. Connecticut

31. Kentucky

32. Massachusetts

33. Minnesota

34. Missouri

35. Kansas

36. South Carolina

37. California

39. Ohio

40. Arizona

41. Hawaii

42. Texas

43. Georgia

44. Vermont

45. Alabama

46. Florida

47. Alaska

48. Wyoming

No legalization activity ... yet

49-50. Idaho and Wisconsin

These states have not had any publicly-announced bills devoted to sports betting legalization.

Unlikely

51. Utah

Utah's anti-gambling stance is written into the state's constitution. Any change to existing state policy toward gambling would be a massive departure from decades of opposition to any form of gambling, including lottery tickets, table games and sports betting.

Since the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, the list of states with legal sports betting is ever-increasing with as many 17 states that offer sports betting. But, now that sports betting is in the hands of the state legislature with differing levels of sports betting legalized. It can be confusing to know what you can legally bet on.

Fortunately, we have put this comprehensive guide together that examines the states with legal sports betting, such as, what, when, and how you can legally bet on sports in those states. Plus, we will show the landscape of states that plan to legalize sports betting and those with no current sports betting legislation.

The States with Legal Sports Betting

States with Sports Betting Map

The States with Legal Sports Betting

Arkansas

Arkansas legalized sports betting in 2018. The legislation was voted in through a public referendum, but only in-person gambling is allowed for now.

Arkansas has three sports betting locations:

Southland Casino
Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort
Saracen Resort Casino

Colorado

Similar to Arkansas, Colorado legalized sports betting by passing legislation following a public referendum in 2019.

Soon Colorado might rival New Jersey for the choice of betting sites available. At present, there are thirteen Colorado sports betting sites compared to New Jersey’s eighteen. However, there are three more sportsbooks planned to enter the market, so Colorado is hot their tail.

Delaware

Delaware was the first state to legalize sports betting after the Supreme Court lifted the federal ban on sports betting.

However, online sports betting is not yet allowed, which means bettors must wager person for now.

You can wager at three locations in Delaware:

Delaware Park Casino
Dover Downs
Harrington Raceway.

Illinois

Illinois passed the Illinois Sports Wagering Act in 2019. As a result they became the 15th state with legal sports betting.

Therefore bettors who are 21 years of age or older and located in Illinois can legally bet on sports online or in person at a wide selection of casinos. In fact, there are five casinos where you can go and place sports wagers, as well as five online sportsbooks with Illinois Sports Betting Apps.

Like many other states with sports betting, Illinois sports betting law dictates that bettors must register in person at a licensed sportsbook. However, the global pandemic has led Governor J.B. Pritzker to allow remote registration for the time being.

Indiana

Sports betting went live in the state of Indiana in September 2020, with mobile sports betting launching a month later.

Indiana has three licensed betting apps and eleven sportsbook locations to bet in person.

Iowa

Iowa legalized sports betting in 2019, which is regulated by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission.

There are four Iowa sports betting apps licensed to accept sports bets. There are also fifteen retail sportsbooks in Iowa.

However, the registration process is much more convoluted compared to other states with legal sports betting due to the in-person registration required. Like sports betting in Illinois, Iowans must register at a licensed Iowa casino to open an account.

Michigan

In 2020, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the sports betting bill into law. However, due to the pandemic, Michigan sports betting apps are not expected to launch until 2021.

Nevada

For decades the Silver State was the only state with legal sports betting until the federal ban on sports betting was lifted by the Supreme Court.

In 2019, the sports betting handle in Nevada was $6 billion. However, Nevada’s position as the largest betting state is under threat with the NJ sports betting handle reaching $4 billion.

Much like sports betting in Iowa or Illinois, mobile wagering is legal, but bettors must register in person at a casino before they can place bets online.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire legalized sports betting in July 2019 with DraftKings sportsbook the only licensed sports betting app.

New Jersey

In 2012, the Garden State passed Bill A2578 to legalize sports betting in the state. However, the bill would spark a six-year legal battle between the state of New Jersey and the US Sports League who filed an injunction against the legalization of sports betting.

Subsequently, the case went all the way to the United States Supreme Court, who overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Act. Therefore removing the federal ban on sports betting in the United States.

As a result, sports betting was legalized in 2018 and they have not looked back since. For instance, the eighteen NJ betting sites operating in the state means bettors are spoilt for choice!

There are also eleven NJ sports betting locations with eight casinos that have sportsbook lounges, as well as three racetracks where you can place a sports bet in person.

New Mexico

New Mexico was the 6th state after West Virginia to legalize sports betting in the United States. Although, the state legislature has not yet passed a sports betting bill.

If you wish to place a sports wager in New Mexico, then you can place an in-person bet at the following locations:

Santa Ana Star Casino & Hotel
Hilton Buffalo Thunder Sportsbook
The Sportsbook at the Inn of the Mountain Gods
The Isleta Resort and Casino Sportsbook

New York

In-person sports betting is legal in the state of New York, but mobile betting is not, currently. The first legal sports bet was placed by J. Gary Pretlow at the Rivers Casino.

There are seven NY sports betting locations:

Resorts World Catskills
Resorts World New York City
Del Lago Resort and Casino
Tioga Downs and Casino
Turning Stone Resort and Casino
Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino
Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway

Mississippi

In 2018, Mississippi partially legalized mobile sports betting, because bettors may only place a bet while inside a casino. However, Mississippi has twenty-four retail sportsbook locations, so bettors are not stuck for choice of where to bet.

Mississippi Gaming Commission oversees and regulates gambling in licensed casinos, who pay 12% tax on their earnings from sports bets.

Montana

Montana legalized sports betting in May 2019, but only at licensed bars and restaurants. For example, bettors can use their mobile to place wagers, but it will not work outside of the premise

The state lottery oversees gambling in the state.

Oregon

Sports betting is legal in the state of Oregon, but the options are limited.

The State Lottery, who also regulates the industry, launched its sports wagering app called Scoreboard in 2019. Alternatively, you can place in-person wagers at the Chinook Winds casino.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania launched legal sports betting back in May 2019, but the first sportsbook to launch did not happen until November that year.

Since then, the Keystone State has wasted no time in becoming a leading state, generating a record $462.8m in bets, in September 2020.

SugarHouse Sportsbook was the first of the PA sports betting apps to launch, but now there are seven PA sportsbooks accepting mobile sports wagers.

More NJ sports betting apps are expected to enter the market in the next few years.

Rhode Island

Rhode Island was one of the first states with legal sports betting.

Rhode Island has two casinos that accept sports wagers, but mobile wagering is not yet live.

Tennessee

Tennessee launched sports betting in November 2020, with three TN sports betting apps licensed to accept sports bets.

However, with no retail sportsbooks currently operating in Tennessee. The Volunteer State is the only one in the Union that offer online wagering only.

Washington DC