States Where Online Sports Betting Is Legal In The USA

Posted: March 25, 2024

Updated: March 25, 2024

When the majority of people from around the world think of sports betting in the US, they assume that everyone can place bets from anywhere within the country. However, this is not the case, as there are only certain states where online sports betting is legal.

Online sports betting has been legalized in 30 states across the United States. If you're unsure about states where sports betting is legal in the USA, and the legality of online and mobile sports betting in your state, then check out the information below. For the most up-to-date status of online betting in any specific US state, here at Gamingzion.com, we've compiled a comprehensive breakdown of all 50 states, complete with the latest news and updates.

Alabama

❌ Online sports betting not legal

Alaska

❌ Online sports betting not legal

Arizona

✅ Online sports betting legal In Arizona, you'll find that both online and in-person sports betting is allowed. The state paved the way for this in April 2021 when the Arizona senate passed HB 2772 with a 23-6 majority. Since September 2021, sports betting has been legal. There are now 18 online sportsbooks operating the mobile sports betting markets alongside tribal casinos managing most retail betting.

Arkansas - States Where Online Sports Betting Is Legal

✅ Online sports betting legal One of the states where sports betting is legal is Arkansas, which permits both online and in-person sports betting across the state. However, despite the launch of mobile sports betting on March 7, 2022, it's not surprising that the high 51% revenue share rate demanded from the state has deterred major online sportsbooks.

As of the time of writing, only three mobile betting options are available. As such, this offers residents a somewhat poor online betting experience.

California

❌ Online sports betting not legal

Colorado

✅ Online sports betting legal Colorado legalized sports betting in May 2020, but as a condition of licensing requires online sportsbooks to partner with local casinos. As a result, 21 mobile sportsbooks are currently available, giving bettors a wide selection of both sports and casino games.

Connecticut

✅ Online sports betting legal For those looking to see states where online sports betting is legal, Connecticut residents finally gained access to legal sports betting after Governor Ned Lamont struck a deal with the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan in May 2021. This allowed the Native Americans and the state lottery to work together and offer both retail and online sports betting. Retail bets began in October of the same year and were followed shortly by the launch of the mobile market.

Delaware

❌ Online sports betting not legal

Florida - States Where Online Sports Betting Is Legal

✅ Online sports betting is legal (with limited access) Florida briefly allowed a legal sports betting market from November to December 2021. However, a federal judge's decision against the exclusive deal between the state and the Seminole Native Americans paused operations temporarily. Two years later in June 2023, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia overturned this decision. In so doing, permitting the Seminole to resume online sports betting in Florida. Nevertheless, ongoing appeals from West Flagler Associates, which owns rival casinos, once again halted operations. It's worth noting that Hard Rock Bet officially relaunched on November 14, 2023. Yet, as the law stands, only existing customers have access. In the states where sports betting is now legal, new customers must register for a loyalty membership at a Seminole-owned casino and then participate in a game to access the mobile sportsbook.

Georgia

❌ Online sports betting not legal

Hawaii

❌ Online sports betting not legal

Idaho

❌ Online sports betting not legal

Illinois

✅ Online sports betting legal In Illinois, residents can legally place retail and mobile bets statewide, with the sports betting market launching in 2020.

The long-awaited sports betting law was passed by the state General Assembly in 2019 and signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker in June of that year, with the opening of many onshore and offshore top online sportsbook sites in the US.

Indiana

✅ Online sports betting legal Hoosiers have access to legal in-person and mobile sports betting, with various tribal and commercial casino options across the state. The first in-person sportsbook for online bettors opened in September 2019. This was followed by the launch of the mobile market in October of the same year, which came shortly after Governor Eric Holcomb signed the related bill into law in May.

Iowa

✅ Online sports betting legal In Iowa, sports betting across the internet has been legal since May 2019. It took just four months to iron out the regulatory details before launching in August of the same year. Initially, residents had to sign up in person to gamble, which, as you might expect, deterred many bettors from participating. However, in 2021, registration finally became available online for punters wondering about states where sports betting is legal in the USA.

Kansas - States Where Online Sports Betting Is Legal

✅ Online sports betting legal Kansas kicked off legal retail and mobile sports betting across the state in September 2022 after a remarkably brief regulatory setup period. The rush was put down to the desire to launch before the NFL season began, as they recognized football's huge significance in generating betting activity and therefore funds for state coffers.

Kentucky

✅ Online sports betting legal Despite being surrounded by six states with legal sports betting, Kentucky lacked an in-state market due to a number of previous failed legislative attempts. However, in 2023, HB 551 passed both the House and Senate, thus legalizing in-state sports betting. Kentucky had pursued an aggressive timeline to get its act together, with sportsbooks opening for business in September 2023.

Louisiana

✅ Online sports betting legal Louisiana's sports betting approval is divided by different parishes, with 55 out of 64 approving it by the end of 2020. This included major cities like New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Lafayette. The retail sports betting market launched in October 2021, followed by the mobile market in January 2022.

Maine

✅ Online sports betting legal Maine introduced online and sports betting on November 3, 2023. This was following the passage of LD 585 into law in May 2022. All four of Maine’s federally recognized native people can obtain licenses for online sports betting. However, due to high state taxes, only a few operators have chosen to enter the Pine Tree State sports betting marketplace.

Maryland - States Where Online Sports Betting Is Legal

✅ Online sports betting legal Although Maryland voters approved sports betting in November 2020, the actual betting market didn't launch until November 2022. This was the longest go-live period in the growing US sports betting market.

Massachusetts

✅ Online sports betting legal Searching for states where sports betting is legal, you'll find that Massachusetts joined the ranks of legal sports betting markets in 2022, making it the third state to do so that year. However, sports bettors couldn't legally place wagers until March 2023.

Call us cynical, but the timing coincided exactly with the 2023 NCAA March Madness tournament, featuring multiple Massachusetts school basketball teams.

Michigan

✅ Online sports betting legal Sports betting has been legal in Michigan since March 2020, followed by the launch of mobile sports betting in January 2021. Punters can find 14 online sportsbooks like Everygame Sportsbook now operating in the state. In fact, Michigan has emerged as one of the larger markets in the industry.

Minnesota

❌ Online sports betting not legal

Mississippi - States Where Online Sports Betting Is Legal

❌ Online sports betting not legal (except when physically at a licensed casino)

Missouri

❌ Online sports betting not legal

Montana

❌ Online sports betting not legal (except when physically at a licensed casino)

Nebraska

✅ Online sports betting legal but not yet launched Nebraska's state lawmakers legalize sports betting in May 2021. Yet despite this, the sports betting market has not been launched. Despite Governor Pete Ricketts signing the legislation into law as part of a broader gambling expansion measure supported by voters, there's still no launch date set by the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission.

Nevada

✅ Online sports betting legal (in-person registration required) While online sports betting is legal in Nevada, state law mandates that bettors must register in person at a casino before they can wager online. As you can imagine, this requirement has impacted the market. Even more so during the COVID lockdown when all casinos were closed. Despite Las Vegas and Nevada being considered the gambling mecca of the US, it holds only a 5.75% share of the online sports betting market. In this respect, it's lagging behind five other states.

New Hampshire - States Where Online Sports Betting Is Legal

✅ Online sports betting legal Wanting to know states where sports betting is legal, then rest assured that New Hampshire legalized online sports betting in December 2019 with the passage of HB 480. You'l find that DraftKings, based in Massachusetts, dominates the mobile market today. In truth, the whole New England region is highly favorable to sports bettors, with all states either having a legal market or one in progress.

New Jersey

✅ Online sports betting legal New Jersey played a crucial role in overturning PASPA in May 2018. This paved the way for states to legalize sports betting. Soon after, the Garden State launched both retail and mobile sports betting operations.

New Mexico

❌ Online sports betting not legal

New York - States Where Online Sports Betting Is Legal

✅ Online sports betting legal New York legalized sports betting just over a year after PASPA was overturned in May 2018. As a result, the first retail sportsbooks opened in July 2019.

The mobile market took a little longer to establish, finally launching in January 2022 after lawmakers included it in the state budget bill, which was signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo.

North Carolina

✅ Online sports betting legal (Set to launch on March 11, 2024) In states where sports betting is legal, North Carolina residents currently have the option to bet on sports in person only at one of the two tribal casinos. These are located far from the state’s major cities. However, this is expected to change soon. In 2022, mobile sports betting was on the legislative agenda, but the bill failed by just one vote during the session. An amended sports betting bill was reintroduced to the Senate in June 2023, passed, and subsequently signed by Governor Roy Cooper. With legal procedures now in place, online sports betting launched on March 11, 2024, with 8 sports betting apps from several different sportsbooks now available.

North Dakota

❌ Online sports betting not legal

Ohio - States Where Online Sports Betting Is Legal

✅ Online sports betting legal Ohio's online sportsbooks began accepting bets at midnight on New Year's Day, 2023. This followed the passage of a bill by state lawmakers at the end of 2021. It was then promptly signed into law by Governor Mike DeWine. With 21 online sportsbooks now operating within the state, Ohio has quickly emerged as one of the top locations for sports betting lovers.

Oklahoma

❌ Online sports betting not legal

Oregon

✅ Online sports betting legal Oregon initiated its legal sports betting market in August 2019. Interestingly enough, this was performed through the state lottery rather than legislative action. Initially, bets had to be placed via a single mobile app, which many sports bettors found both limiting and troublesome. However, at the start of 2022, Oregon transitioned from the lottery app to DraftKings as its sole sportsbook, providing a higher-quality option. This move has resulted in nearly a $1.7 billion handle to date.

Pennsylvania

✅ Online sports betting legal According on online gambling news in the US, Pennsylvania's legal mobile sports betting market ranks among the top five in the US, having generated a $25.6 billion handle since its retail inception in 2018. The mobile betting market launched in 2019, and, combined with in-person betting, continues to lead the sports betting charts. Residents of Pennsylvania also have the option to bet at the racetracks and casinos in the state and can also purchase lottery tickets operated by the state.

Rhode Island

✅ Online sports betting legal Rhode Island residents wanting to know states where sports betting is legal, have wasted no time and swiftly entered the legal sports betting arena soon after the U.S. Senate overturned PASPA in 2018, with its two commercial casinos immediately accepting sports bets from punters around the state.

Although removing the in-person sign-up requirement for mobile app play did boost activity, the state's small population hampers the market growth.

South Carolina - States Where Online Sports Betting Is Legal

❌ Online sports betting not legal

South Dakota

❌ Online sports betting not legal

Tennessee

✅ Online sports betting legal Tennessee, lacking any physical casinos, has exclusively legal mobile sports betting since November 2020, which is regulated by the state’s Sports Wagering Advisory Council (SWAC). With 13 licensed online sportsbooks, Tennessee residents have a wide range of options.

Texas

❌ Online sports betting not legal

Utah

❌ Online sports betting not legal

Vermont - States Where Online Sports Betting Is Legal

✅ Online sports betting legal In February 2023, Vermont moved closer to legalizing online sports betting when Rep. Matthew Birong introduced a new bill. It gained Senate committee approval in late April and finally passed the full Senate in early May.

Virginia

✅ Online sports betting legal The state of Virginia launched legal sports betting at the beginning of 2021. It now boasts of 17 operational sportsbook apps. Provisions in the sports betting law also pave the way for more casinos to take part in sports betting activities.

Washington

❌ Online sports betting is not legal

Washington DC

✅ Online sports betting legal Washington DC offers legal sports betting with both retail and mobile options. Despite being a ‘sole-source operator jurisdiction’ with only a single available betting app, alternative options have started to appear due to the limitations of a sole betting provider.

West Virginia - States Where Online Sports Betting Is Legal

✅ Online sports betting legal West Virginia was quick to legalize sports betting after the Supreme Court overturned PASPA in 2018. The state's residents have a choice of 10 sportsbook apps including Everygame Sportsbook to choose from.

Wisconsin

❌ Online sports betting not legal

Wyoming

✅ Online sports betting legal Wyoming's legal sports betting market launched in September 2021, just in time for the NFL season. With primarily mobile-based betting and no commercial casinos in the state, tribal casinos play a significant role in the sports betting arena.

Conclusion - States Where Online Sports Betting Is Legal in the USA

For those of you wondering about the states where sports betting is legal in the USA, the trend is slowly moving toward greater acceptance of both sports and casino gambling. While no states have significantly tightened gambling regulations over the last few years, many have decided to expand legal options. We can probably put this down to a state-by-state rush to cash in on their home-grown gamblers to stop them from crossing state lines to gamble and spend considerable sums elsewhere.