It has been more than four years since the Supreme Court overturned the federal prohibition on sports wagering, thereby paving the way for individual states to decide whether or not to legalize the activity. Since 2018, a total of 36 states have passed legislation that permits betting on sporting activities, and there is a possibility that three more states will follow suit in 2019.
If you are wondering what states are on the verge of joining and which states are still being considered, we have collected a detailed look at all 50 states (plus Washington and the District of Columbia), including estimated decriminalization dates for each of the states.
Nearly every state has at least entertained the idea of legalizing sports betting, but for some states, political resistance and complicated tribal alliances will probably prohibit more than a dozen states from offering internet wagering for many years to come.
States where sports betting is legal
Arizona
On April 15, 2021, sports betting became legal in Arizona. The current legislation in Arizona allows for a total of twenty licensees.
Arkansas
Online betting is legal in Arkansas. It wasn’t until July 2021 that the first legitimate sportsbook was introduced, and it wasn’t until February 2022 that the first internet sportsbook went live. It is legal to place bets on teams competing at the professional and university levels that are based within the state.
Colorado
On May 1, 2020, the state of Colorado became the 19th state to authorize gambling, and as of that date, multiple operators enabled residents to create accounts online and place bets. There are regulations that must be followed for collegiate sports played within the state: Betting on the results of events is permitted, but wagering on individual players in university competitions is not allowed.
In the election of 2020, the state of Colorado increased the number and variety of gambling activities it is permitted to offer. Additionally, the state abolished certain gambling restrictions.
Connecticut (Legal)
In Connecticut, internet sports wagering is legal. DraftKings, FanDuel, and PlaySugarhouse were made available to gamblers right away at the start of October 2021. Retail betting and online casinos are permitted in the state under the new gambling agreement with the state’s tribes.
Delaware (Legal)
Less than a month after the Supreme Court’s ruling, Delaware began offering legal sports wagering in 2018. Although there aren’t any local online sportsbooks, online sports wagering is allowed. All college sports betting is banned for home teams.
Illinois (Legal)
In June, legislation was approved to make it possible to gamble on sporting events; however, under the terms of the new law, university competitions that take place within the state cannot be bet on. It will make wagering legal in a variety of locations, both in person (including at Wrigley Field) and online at a variety of websites.
As of the 9th of March in the year 2020, bets could be placed in the territory. In-person wagering on university sporting events is the only method permitted; placing wagers online is not an option. Betting on the results of university games played within the state is allowed, but wagering on the performance of individual players is not allowed.
Indiana (Legal)
In September 2019, betting on professional and collegiate sports became legal, and it is now possible to do so both online and offline in several places. It is legal to wager on the results of collegiate sports, but making player prop bets is not permitted.
Iowa (Iowa)
In 2019, Iowa approved sports betting, and by the end of that summer, several sites were accepting wagers. State legislation permits betting on both professional and collegiate athletics. It is legal to wager on the results of intrastate college sports, but placing individual prop bets is not permitted.
Kansas (Legal)
Kansas began offering six sports betting sites on September 1 after legalizing sports betting in the spring of 2022. Laura Kelly, the governor of Kansas, signed the bill into law in May, and it became effective on July 1. With exceptions for professional sports teams that collaborate with a casino and the Kansas Speedway, the legislation ties online betting to the four casinos. Three web skins are allowed for each gaming license.
Lousiana (Legal)
Many towns began offering retail sports wagering in October 2021. In January 2022, mobile sports betting was launched.
Maryland (Legal)
Following the 2020 election, Maryland legalized sports betting; local sportsbooks opened in the Baltimore region in December 2021. In November 2022, Maryland’s first online casino went live.
Massachusetts (Launching Soon)
On January 31, sports wagering will officially begin at three physical locations across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. There is currently no fixed date for when mobile sports betting will go live in Massachusetts; however, legislators are shooting for March 2023 as the launch date for internet sportsbooks.
Michigan (Legal)
On March 11, 2020, Michigan became the 16th state to authorize sports betting. However, this came in the wake of the Corona pandemic, which caused all retail casinos to close.
Mississippi (Legal)
In 2017, the province passed legislation allowing sports betting, and on August 1st, 2018, Mississippi legalized sports betting.
Montana (Legal)
As of March 2020, sports wagering is now legal in the province. The state lotto is held overseas at sportsbooks. The lottery director has the authority to choose which sporting events and stake types are available for wagering.
Nebraska (Legal)
On May 25, 2021, Governor Pete Ricketts authorized sports betting and signed it into law, but only in-person wagering is permitted. It is against the law to wager on intrastate college contests and events, including individual prop bets.
Nevada (Legal)
Nevada is no longer the sole US state where sports wagering is allowed. Since the SCOTUS decision, not much has changed for the province. Although the state is better known for its live betting choices at casinos like Westgate and Caesars throughout Las Vegas, it also offers internet and mobile betting through providers like BetMGM.
New Hampshire (Legal)
On the second day of 2020, New Hampshire became the sixteenth state to allow sports wagering. With the help of a six-year agreement the state made with DraftKings, smartphone casinos can now be used all over the state. However, it is against the law to wager on intrastate college contests and events, including individual prop bets.
New Jersey (Legal)
For a long time, New Jersey fought for the legalization of sports betting, and the state was accountable for the case that resulted in the Supreme Court of the United States overturning the federal ban. Consequently, following the decision, they did not waste any time in authorizing sports betting, and on June 14, 2018, they opened the first sportsbooks in the state. Bets on sporting events can now be placed in officially sanctioned establishments such as Atlantic City and MetLife Stadium. It is against the law to place any kind of wager on college sports or events that take place within the state, including prop wagers on individual players.
New York (Legal)
Although New York legalized state-level sports wagering in 2013, the state’s first licensed casino didn’t launch until July 2019. On January 8, 2022, mobile sports betting went live, and the Empire State is now home to nine active online casinos. On in-state college contests and events, including player prop wagers, all betting is banned.
North Carolina
Although New York legalized state-level sports betting in 2013, the state’s first licensed casino didn’t launch until July 2019. On January 8, 2022, mobile sports betting went live, and the Empire State is now home to nine active online casinos. On in-state college contests and events, including player prop wagers, all betting is banned.
Ohio
Ohio approved sports betting in December 2021, and on January 1, 2023, it began accepting bets. Both live and smartphone sports betting in Ohio are permitted.
Oregon
In August 2019, Oregon launched an online casino at Chinook Winds Casino and began offering sports betting. The state lottery’s web sportsbook recently began accepting smartphone bets in October 2019.
Pennsylvania (Legal)
Pennsylvania approved its first legitimate sports wager at a casino in 2018, six months after the Supreme Court’s decision to reverse it. Since then, more permits have been distributed, and in-state mobile and internet gambling are also permitted.
Rhode Island (Legal)
After PASPA was reversed, Rhode Island launched sports betting in August 2018, which was a fairly quick start. In September 2019, they swiftly expanded their selection to include smartphone wagering.
Tennessee (Legal)
In the spring of 2019, the Tennessee state legislature passed a sports betting measure that will only permit wagering through mobile apps and the internet. On November 1, 2021, the state legalized smartphone sports wagering. It is legal to wager on the results of collegiate sports, but placing individual prop bets is not permitted.
Texas (new bill proposed)
A sports betting bill that would change the Texas constitution to allow Texas sports betting was pre-filed by one senator ahead of the 2023 legislative session. If the proposal gets a two-thirds vote from the lawmakers and is approved by state voters in November 2023, sports wagering will be made legal in Texas.
Vermont (not authorized by law, but legislation is proposed)
In Vermont, very little betting is currently allowed, but there is a law that would enable mobile sports betting within the state. In 2021, a bill was under consideration, but it was never passed.
Virginia (Legal)
In 2021, both live and online sports betting will begin in Virginia. It is against the law to bet on college games as well as on players in any collegiate competition.
Washington (Legal)
Early in 2020, the state approved legislation allowing sports betting at state-licensed indigenous casinos. The law forbids mobile or internet gambling. It is against the law to wager on intrastate college contests and events, including individual prop bets.
Washington, DC (legal)
The DC Lottery has been operating Washington, DC’s sports betting website and app since May 2019, when the Sports Betting Lottery Amendment Act of 2018 came into effect. However, all forms of betting, including player prop wagers, are banned from college contests and events.
West Virginia (Legal)
West Virginia became the fifth state in August 2018 to pass legislation that legalizes betting on sporting events. The state allows bettors to place bets on sporting events both in person and online.
Wisconsin (Approved for retail)
To enable betting at Oneida Nation’s gaming sites, Governor Tony Evers made a deal. All forms of betting, including individual prop bets, are banned at intrastate college and amateur contests and activities.
Wyoming (Legal)
In April 2021, Wyoming became the first state to allow mobile sports betting, and in September of that same year, it released its first casino app. The industry uses an online-only business strategy that is expected to draw several well-known sportsbook operators to the region.
Advantages of legal sports betting
Safety of funds
A bettor who deposits money on an online sportsbook or mobile sports betting app can relax knowing that their money is kept safe because of the laws and rules regulating the business. There are no such guarantees available to gamblers who use black market websites or autonomous bookmakers.
Protection of identity
Sports gamblers will need to provide identification to compete for large sums of money at a physical location or online. The only effective method to safeguard a player’s confidential information is through this procedure of confirming a bettor’s identity. Black market websites don’t have to respond to a regulatory authority, so they have little motivation to safeguard a player’s name.
Fairness
Players on legal sites won’t be subject to ambiguous policies and on-the-fly changes, as 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, again, usually the same agency that oversees all legal lottery or casino operations in the state.
Conclusion
To keep up with the most recent changes in your area, use this website and our state-by-state sports betting guides. Get an early start on your homework by reading our sports betting strategy guides if your state doesn’t yet permit legal sports wagering.
