Where can you legally bet on sports in the US - State by State Review

As of October 2022, over 30 US states have legalised online sports betting, with even more in the process of trying to get it legalised. So where do we stand now? What states are doing it, what states are about to join, and what states are on the back burner? We’ve compiled a comprehensive look at all 50 states (plus Washington D.C.).

 

Alabama: Not legal.

The state has proposed multiple bills, including one in 2021, but all have been shot down.

 

Alaska: Not legal.

In 2020, the state put legalising sports betting under consideration. However, the COVID-19 pandemic put an end to its consideration and the bill ended up expiring in May 2020.

 

Arizona: Legal.

Sports betting became legal on April 15, 2021. The legislation in place permits 20 operators in Arizona.

 

Arkansas: Legal.

The state's first official sportsbook (Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort) began operating in July of 2021, and there will be multiple others on the way, though the state is still

prohibiting mobile online wagering.

 

California: Not legal.

Proposals put forward for November 2022 ballot.

 

Colorado: Legal.

Colorado became the 19th state to legalise betting as of May 1, 2020.

 

Connecticut: Legal.

Sports betting is officially allowed in Connecticut as of September 30, 2021.

 

Delaware: Legal.

Delaware moved to fully legalise sports betting in June 2018.

 

Florida: Legal, but in dispute

Lawmakers in Florida approved sports betting in 2021. However, lawsuits in court have delayed the official beginning of betting in the state. ongoing legal battle.

 

Georgia: Not legal.

Efforts to get a motion passed in 2022 failed. There is optimism that a new motion will be brought up in 2023 that will legalise Georgia sports betting.

 

Hawaii: Not legal.

A bill was proposed in January 2019 that would've allowed for the regulation of sports gambling through a newly-established corporation, but the bill was denied.

 

Idaho: Not legal.

No legislation was proposed.

 

Illinois: Legal.

The legislation was passed in June to allow sports gambling. Bets were allowed in the state as of March 9, 2020.

 

Indiana: Legal.

Wagering on pro and college sports became legal in September 2019 with both mobile and in-person betting permitted at multiple locations.

 

Iowa: Legal.

Iowa legalized sports gambling in 2019, with multiple sites beginning to take bets at the end of that summer. State law allows for betting on both pro and college sports.

 

Kansas: Legal.

Legal online sports betting launched in Kansas on July 1, 2022.

Kentucky: Not legal, but legislation proposed. Efforts to get the motion passed in 2022 failed.

 

Louisiana: Legal.

Retail sports betting launched in October 2021. Mobile sports betting launched in

 

January 2022.

 

Maine: Not legal.

Legislation to legalize online sports betting passed in May 2022, but a launch date has not been set yet.

 

Maryland: Legal

Following the results of the 2020 election, Maryland approved sports betting.

 

Massachusetts: Not legal.

A number of sports betting legalisation bills were introduced in 2019, however, none have ever been approved.

 

Michigan: Legal.

In late 2019 bills were passed to allow for both sports betting and online gaming in the state. Casinos in the state started taking wagers in March 2020.

 

Minnesota: Not legal.

Legislation to legalise Minnesota sports betting passed in August 2022, but a launch date has not been set yet.

 

Mississippi: Legal.

The first sports bets in Mississippi were placed on August 1, 2018. The state enacted a law in 2017 that allowed for sports betting.

 

Missouri: Not legal, but in process.

Missouri had several sports betting bills introduced in recent years but the state is yet to approve one.

 

Montana: Legal.

Legal sports betting in the state as of March 2020. Sportsbooks are regulated through the state lottery.

 

Nebraska: Legal.

In early 2020, a state senator introduced a bill classifying sports betting as "authorised games of skill" that would allow sports wagering, fantasy sports and poker in Nebraska. Governor Pete Ricketts legalized sports betting and put it into law on May 25, 2021, though it will only be in-person.

 

Nevada: Legal.

First to legalise

 

New Hampshire: Legal.

The state legalised sports betting on the second day of 2020.

 

New Jersey: Legal.

Legalised sports gambling in June 2018.

 

New Mexico: Legal... kind of.

Under the current state laws, sports betting isn't explicitly prohibited, nor is it a prohibited Class III game in the gaming compacts shared between tribes and the state.

 

New York: Legal.

New York actually passed a bill all the way back in 2013 that made sports gambling is legal at the state level, but the state didn't open its first official sportsbook until July 2019. In January 2022, mobile sports betting was also made legal.

 

North Carolina: Legal.

The state passed a bill in July 2019 that will permit sports gambling (including horse racing). Sports betting launched on March 18, 2021.

 

North Dakota: Not legal, but legislation proposed.

 

Ohio: Legal.

In December 2021, sports betting became legal in Ohio after Gov. Mike DeWine signed it into law. However, it's expected that Ohio residents won't be able to place any wagers until Jan. 1, 2023, at the earliest.

 

Oklahoma: Legal, not yet launched.

Efforts to get sports betting in Oklahoma legalised in 2022 failed.

 

Oregon: Legal.

Oregon didn't need to pass new legislation because they already had limited sports betting legality established at the state level, but they didn't officially start taking

bets until August 2019.

 

Pennsylvania: Legal.

Pennsylvania took its first legal sports bet at a casino sportsbook in 2018. Additional licenses have since been granted and mobile/online wagering is also accepted in-state.

 

Rhode Island: Legal.

Rhode Island also opened its first sportsbook six months after the U.S Supreme Court's decision and currently offers sports gambling exclusively at two in-state casinos, but online/mobile betting is still on its way.

 

South Carolina: Not legal, but legislation proposed.

Gambling in South Carolina is restricted solely to casino riverboats but the state legislature has proposed bills that would open the door to sports gambling. No action

has been taken yet.

 

South Dakota: Accepting sports bets on Sept. 9, 2021.

In the 2020 election, South Dakota approved sports betting. In 2021, legislators passed legislation that legalised sports betting in Deadwood. However, bettors must bet on the property of those four casinos.

 

Tennessee: Legal.

The state began allowing mobile sports betting on Nov. 1, 2021.

 

Texas: Not legal, but legislation proposed.

In 2021, a sports betting bill was proposed but not legalised.

 

Utah: Not legal.

Unlikely to happen.

 

Vermont: Not legal, but legislation proposed to legalize mobile sports wagering in-state.

A bill was considered in 2021 but didn't get legalised.

 

Virginia: Legal.

In April 2020 sports betting was legalised in Virginia and the bill was passed by the state legislatures later that year.

 

Washington: Legal.

The state passed legislation in early 2020 to permit sports gambling at tribal casinos in-state. The state does not allow for mobile/online wagering.

 

Washington D.C.: Legal.

The Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act of 2018 became effective as of May 2019, and the city has launched its sports wagering app and website which is

run by the DC Lottery.

 

West Virginia: Legal.

In August of 2018, West Virginia became the fifth state to legalize sports gambling. The state offers both in-person and online sports wagering.

 

Wisconsin: Retail authorised.

Allowing for in-person and mobile app betting while at Oneida Nation's gaming locations.

 

Wyoming: Legal.

On September 1, 2021, legal sports betting went live in the state.

 

The rules regarding legal U.S. sports betting differ from state to state. States may only allow in-person betting and prohibit online sportsbooks. Other states may allow you to bet both in-person and online sports betting, but restrict what kind of sports you can wager on. With more states than ever legalising sports betting and other forms of online gambling, the landscape is set to get even more complicated.