States with Legal Sports Betting Legality Map USA TODAY
Each US state treats sports betting winnings a bit differently when it comes to taxes, as some see such winnings as ordinary income, while others have set direct tax rates on gambling winnings alone. As with traditional sports wagering, the legality of other types of betting activities also varies quite heavily between each US state. Most states that have permitted sports wagering allow bettors to open their accounts to sportsbook sites and apps within the confines of their homes. Also, the availability of remote registration is one subject that provides its nuances to the field of legalized sports betting in the US. Where can you bet legally online on websites or with mobile apps?
The Florida Seminole Tribe owns and operates the Hard Rock brand, including its sportsbook. In the past, the biggest roadblocks to legalization have been a lack of communication between supporters of new initiatives and the state’s federally recognized tribes. The survey showed that most high-volume bettors have above-average incomes and credit scores, suggesting they have the financial means to sustain their betting activity. Sports betting operators saw their revenues increase by more than 25% to $13.7 billion in 2024.
That means you don’t need to worry about waiting in line or dealing with sportsbook tellers. If you have found a sportsbook you’d like to use, there are a few steps to follow to create your account. If you are looking for new betting options, be sure to compare welcome bonuses before making your final selection. Each has its own benefits and drawbacks that are important to consider before choosing a new sportsbook.
Indian gaming is the first and essentially the only economic development tool available on Indian reservations. The tribal governments determine specifically how gaming revenues are spent. The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act requires that gaming revenues be used only for governmental or charitable purposes.
Legal offline sports betting launched a slate in 2020. Residents of Arizona with at least 21 years may participate in casinos and sports gambling. Las Vegas and Nevada, in general, were the only places to bet live on casinos and sports for a very long time. They continue to be a route for legal online betting.
The sportsbooks featured in this guide are all legally licensed and regulated offshore. This is because all four states already had some form of sports betting in place at the time of the bill’s passing. Following you will find a brief overview of each law and access to a more in depth explanation of the laws and what how they impact the US sports gambling market. We have pages dedicated to each of these three laws, breaking down what they mean and how they affect US online sports gambling. Instead, it developed state by state, with a huge push after 2018 when sports betting became possible nationwide. From that point forward, states were free to regulate sports betting.
Through at least 2007, the only type of legalized gambling in that state is the South Carolina Education Lottery. On July 1, 2000, a new law took effect in the state of South Carolina, whereby the ownership, possession, or operation of a video poker machine, for either commercial or personal use, became illegal. In August 2025, all 50 state attorneys general signed a letter that called on the United States Attorney General to “address the rampant spread of illegal offshore gaming operations” across the United States. In some states, casinos are restricted to “riverboats”, large multi-story barges that are permanently moored in a body of water. The only U.S. states that do not have casinos are Hawaii, Utah, Georgia, and South Carolina. All other states that allow casino-style gambling restrict it to small geographic areas (e.g., Atlantic City, New Jersey or Deadwood, South Dakota), or to American Indian reservations, some of which are located in or near large cities.
Online casinos are a great way to save the trip and bring the fun into the comfort of your home, or anywhere else you choose to play. Our betting guides are the simplest way to understand what is available to you as a gambler. Feel free to use our lists as a basis for which sportsbook you choose to visit, but remember that your evaluation of the sportsbook is just that—yours.
Betting odds are offered for awards shows, reality television, movies, music, celebrity events and other popular culture markets. Our NHL betting guide is a comprehensive resource for hockey bettors, covering regular-season matchups, the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and championship futures. Explore common wager types, how baseball odds are created, and the key factors that influence betting lines throughout the season. With 2,430 regular-season games and an action-packed postseason, our MLB betting guide explains the most popular ways to bet on professional baseball. Our college football betting guide is a comprehensive resource for fans looking to wager on NCAA football, from early-season games through the College Football Playoff. Whether you’re betting on the regular season, playoffs, or the Super Bowl, our NFL betting guide breaks down the most popular wager types and explains how football odds are calculated.
Over 30 states have welcomed the convenience and excitement of legalized sports betting, offering in-person and online options. MinnesotaOnline sports betting is not yet legal in Minnesota.MississippiOnline sports betting is live and legal in Mississippi.MissouriAs of May 15, 2025, Missouri officially legalized land-based and online sports betting as a result of Amendment 2. However, the availability and legality of sports betting vary by state, so it’s important to check the laws and regulations in your area before placing any bets. Have legalized sports betting in some form, but mobile (online) betting is not universal. These states have a large selection of sportsbooks, both physical and online, and offer a wide variety of betting options. Though policymakers have considered expanding laws to account for Wisconsin online sports betting, this interest has not really picked up.
The state lottery originally partnered with PlaySugarHouse, but dissolved the partnership in 2022 and is still in the process of finding a new sportsbook partner. We cannot be held accountable for the activities on external websites, nor do we endorse gambling in jurisdictions where it is forbidden. We advise our readers to adhere to their local gambling laws, which may differ and change over time. Many bettors take advantage of these offers to maximize their potential winnings. There are 25 jurisdictions that explicitly prohibit an athlete or related person from betting.
The gambling landscape changed again in the 1930s when funds were in short supply after the Great Depression. This changed in 1910 when the gambling ban was extended to include lotteries. Fast forward to the 19th century, and many people perceived gambling as corrupt since society was leaning towards a more temperate America. Like many countries, gambling in the United States of America has its roots in centuries-old history.
In 2022, the retail and online betting sites in the USA claimed a $93.2 billion handle. If you’re an American bettor, it is no less than crucial that you bet only at licensed and legal online sportsbooks. As developments occur, we will cover all online betting laws and betting sites in the USA. Bank transfers – These are as secure as any other top choice, but they are usually saved for high-rollers looking to send large sums of money to and from sports betting sites. Visit our legal sports betting states page to figure out exactly what is legal and where.
Despite being the historic centre of US gambling, Nevada is now a mid-sized online market by handle. Nevada launched online betting in 2010, eight years before any other state. Committee Chairman David Blount has consistently blocked these efforts and holds his seat until 2028, so statewide mobile betting is unlikely before the 2027 session at the absolute earliest.
The repeal of the The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018 opened the door for states to regulate sports betting. These regulators include state-level gaming commissions and lottery boards that oversee both IRL casinos and online platforms. Since PASPA was overturned in 2018 all U.S. states have been able to pursue and legislate sports betting. Many have elected to exclude sportsbooks in their state from offering action on in-state college teams, college props, or even college events taking place within the state.
Minimum betting ages, licensed operators and permitted wager types are also determined at the state level. Tackle the rugby betting odds with our in-depth guide to the world’s most popular leagues. Learn how to bet on tennis matches and the various options available to fans, including head-to-head matches, props, live match wagering, and more. Our NBA betting guides is packed full of features from explaining the odds to who the hot shooters are this season. College football fans are some of the most serious who participate in online gambling. Who doesn’t want to enjoy legal football wagering action on America’s favorite pastime?
In response, FanDuel and DraftKings will add a $0.50 per-bet fee in Illinois. The House Judiciary Committee has recommended HB 1861, the bill to legalize iGaming in Arkansas, for interim study. Retail licenses have been issued to professional sports teams and Native American tribes.
A small number of states still prohibit the activity, but most states have either passed legislation to regulate fantasy sports sites or permit DFS under existing law. The daily fantasy sports (DFS) industry has received carveouts from federal anti-gambling laws that result in the activity being regulated primarily at the state level. This all goes to explain why we have a page dedicated to the betting laws of every US state.
As an added layer of security, most online sportsbooks https://www.pokernewsdaily.com/sportsbooks/ now require all customers to provide a mobile phone number. Online sportsbooks give you a choice of two ways to complete the registration process – online or via the sportsbook mobile app. State gambling regulations and federal Know Your Customer (KYC) laws require sportsbooks to verify every customer’s identity before allowing them to deposit and withdraw funds.
Retail sportsbooks are coming too, but will need a few years to get off the ground. After a long roll-out, Tennessee finally accepted its first legal bets on November 1, 2020. The first retail books opened in November 2018, but online bettors had to wait until May of 2019.
New Hampshire legalized online sports betting in December 2019 with HB 480 and launched on January 2, 2020. A referendum to legalize online sports betting is on pace to reach the November 2026 general election ballot. Attorney General Russell Coleman sued Kalshi, Polymarket, Coinbase, Robinhood, and Webull in June 2026 for alleged illegal sports betting, and the CFTC sued Kentucky a week later. Bill 151 (HB 151) was introduced in 2024 proposing the legalisation of sports betting, establishing a state lottery, and allowing in-person casino gambling. It is more accurate to say online sports betting is not illegal at the federal level.
Oregon bettors can use the state’s Scoreboard App to participate in sports betting, which is legal at tribal operated casinos. While the Kansas legislature has proposed and rejected five bills aimed at legalizing offline sports betting, they do have one of the coolest casinos around. The only legal forms of gambling in the Peach State are the state lottery and using online betting sites.
Retail and online sports betting are legal but online is not available yet. In November 2019, Colorado residents cast their votes in a bipartisan ballot measure, HB 1327 or Proposition DD, to legalize both online and retail sports betting. Arizona Governor Doug Ducey signed House Bill 2772 in April 2021, making online and retail sports betting legal. The proposed constitutional amendments would have introduced the lottery, casinos, sports betting, and bingo games to the market. Senators Jim McClendon, Del Marsh, Greg Reed, and Bobby Singleton, are pushing Senate Bill 319 to legalize sports betting and casino gaming in Alabama.
We’ve seen that this can change as well, as Hawaii has introduced sports gambling bills in its past legislative sessions. Sports betting in the United States has changed dramatically since May of 2018, when PASPA was repealed. Fantasy sites operate in 21 additional states that do not explicitly address the legality of DFS.
Your state’s stance on horse racing can be found in our review of states and their betting markets. Other states turn a blind eye to the “grey market” industry but will not interfere if you run into an issue with a rogue sportsbook. Just because a state has a gambling market does not mean that they don’t have restrictions on online gambling. This means that, depending on the state you’re in, you can now frequent regulated and offshore sportsbooks. ACH transfers – Another very safe way of sending money to and from sportsbooks, and although they also charge a fee, it is often lower than credit card companies.
Iowa has been launched in the online sports betting space for quite some time and offers some great variety to bettors. Indiana has had legal online sports betting for quite some time, with an outstanding array of operators available in the state. As we mentioned earlier, many states are enamored by the prospect of adding a legal sports betting market. As more states create legal sports betting markets, the handle, revenue, and profit margins all increase. Others may have online sports betting but completely restrict online casino games, whereas in other states they typically go hand-in-hand. It is likely that more sports betting laws will come into effect as the market continues to hit unprecedented heights, and more states come under growing pressure to legalize the industry.
Our opinion is that people are going to gamble online because the technology exists and sports betting sites are readily accessible. As we wait for additional states to pass sports betting legislation, we can look at those that have already legalized online wagering as an indication of what’s to come. More states are likely to legalize online gambling sites and mobile betting apps.
Georgia is another big one, with a large population and massive interest in professional and collegiate sports. California is moving to get rid of DFS after Attorney General Rob Bonta declared it illegal. Look for more legislation regarding college player props to pop up, and for states with tight online restrictions to have expansion bills introduced, like the one that recently failed in Nebraska. NCPG estimates put the social cost of problem gambling around $14 billion. While rules can vary by state, the American Gaming Association does have a Responsible Marketing Code for Sports Wagering, which is generally followed by all legal operators.
