The full list of states where sports betting is legal
Sports betting and gambling is a controversial subject in its legalities. As of 2021, lawmakers are offering full-scale legal sports betting in many states across the United States of America.
Sports competitions and events have attracted bettors to get involved and have a stake in the outcome. Whether it’s horse racing, golf, or cricket, traditional sports has now spread wider into a betting realm where punters indulge in live betting, mobile betting, and online betting. However, sports betting wasn’t always legal. Bettors did lay their points on in private, but the government outlawed it in 1992’s Bradley Act. But the state of New Jersey’s Supreme Court victory in May 2018 set the stage for states to legalize sports betting at their own discretion. New laws opened new doors for bettors.
The U.S. Supreme Court may have removed a federally-imposed ban on gambling, but state-sanctioned wagering exists in only a select number of states. Here is an up to date list of states where betting has been legalized with a brief outline.
Arkansas
Launch date: July 2019
While betting on games involving in-state college teams is strictly prohibited in Arkansas, the state allows in-person wagering on other sporting events. Like many other states, mobile betting is still a rarity in Arkansas, but a ballot initiative passed in November 2018 legalized casino betting in the state.
Colorado
Launch date: May 2020
Colorado is still relatively new to the list of states with legalized sports betting. With the votes of bettors, the state lifted all prohibitions on sports gambling on May 1, 2020, allowing bettors to lay points in-person or through their mobile devices. Colorado currently has one of the most thriving sports betting networks as its authorities sanction mobile and retail sports betting.
Delaware
Launch date: June 2018
Delaware was one of the first states to act on a May 2018 ruling that shut down the 1992 outlawing of betting and to legalize state-wide sports betting. A month after the verdict, the governor placed his first bet in Delaware, sending a strong message for punters around the state. Delaware only permits in-person wagering on sports.
Illinois
Launch date: March 2020
The state of Illinois prohibits any sort of betting that involves college team and minor sports. The lottery-run sports betting market supports in-person and mobile gambling, legalized on March 9, 2020.
Indiana
Launch date: September 2019
Anyone over the age of 21 can partake in sports betting within Indiana borders. Bettors can register for a sportsbook application anywhere in the state, as it has legalized both in-person and mobile wagering.
Iowa
Launch date: August 2019
Iowa was the first state in the upper Midwest to enact the new act that legalizes betting in the USA. The state adopted the law in August 2019, recognizing betting as legal activity and sanctioning both in-person and mobile wagering. Operators are required to submit a sum of $45,000 as a licensing fee in addition to a $10,000 annual renewal fee.
Michigan
Launch date: March 2020
Michigan started accepting bets in March 2020 with new features and options coming in as recently as January 2021. The state has legalized sports gambling on college games, traditional sports, golf, horse racing, and more. Bettors can utilize a sportsbook from anywhere in the state to wager on chosen sports.
Mississippi
Launch date: August 2018
Mississipi accepted retail wagers in 2018 and has since legalized all on-property gambling and betting activities. It could be a while before Mississipi has full mobile betting, but digital betting advancements are already in the cards.
Montana
Launch date: April 2020
Montana was one of the first states to sanction in-person betting in 2020. The state allows punters to test the odds in all sports and leagues, including the NFL, NBA and more. Mobile betting has still not been implemented as bettors continue to utilize traditional brick-and-mortar methods.
Nevada
Launch date: Circa 1949
Nevada is the capital of sports betting in the United States, as the state has supported traditional betting methods for years. The betting culture dates back to 1949, and was later expanded after the May 2018 verdict. With zero prohibitions on betting options, Nevada allows both mobile and in-person betting. However, aspiring bettors must register themselves prior to dipping toes in online betting.
New Hampshire
Launch date: December 2019
The state has rather strict rules regarding betting; nevertheless, wagering is legal through mobile phone devices. New Hampshire currently supports only one operator setup, where players can place bets through the DraftKings sportsbook. Staking college leagues and teams is strictly prohibited in New Hampshire.
New Jersey
Launch date: June 2018
Much like Nevada, New Jersey’s lottery sports betting market is mature and concentrated. The state legalized sports betting in 2018 after a long legal battle fighting against the 1992 act. New Jersey currently has various sportsbooks in its fold and allows both in-person and mobile betting.
New York
Launch date: July 2019
New York has allowed for brick-and-mortar betting at its casinos, but the current law prohibits online betting. This regulation has set back gambling networks, but the battle to legalize micro-methods for betting is actively being played out.
New Mexico
Launch date: October 2018
The punters of New Mexico have been betting on sports for years, as no solid law writes off the activity as illegal. The 2018 ruling didn’t change much for the state, as people continue to wager on sports. Currently, the state only operates in-person betting and forbids college sports betting.
Oregon
Launch date: August 2019
Oregon already had explicit laws regarding sports betting that allowed active punters to gamble on their chosen sports. Poker clubs actively operated in the state, but in 2018 authority was granted for more widespread betting operations. The ruling allowed the Oregon lottery to launch its mobile betting application.
Pennsylvania
Launch date: November 2018
Pennsylvania officially started taking bets in November 2018 with The Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course coming in with the first wagers. The state eventually entered the digital betting realm as well, expanding sports gambling to mobile in 2019.
Rhode Island
Launch date: November 2018
The smallest state in the United States, Rhode Island was the first to jump on the 2018 ruling and adopt betting as a new normal. In November 2018, the state legalized all sports gamblings, becoming the eighth state to do so. Punters from within the state can place bets through a mobile application or by going to casinos.
Tennessee
Launch date: November 2018
Legalized in 2020, Tennessee has actively been working on fresh new options for bettors to take part in. Currently, bettors over the age of 21 can gamble on any sport using mobile betting applications. DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM and many more have been approved by the state.
West Virginia
Launch date: January, 2021
Rhode Island has been offering legal sports betting since 2018 via the sportsbook Hollywood Casino. The state was fifth in line to legalize gambling and has introduced a modern digital system by allowing mobile betting.
Washington, D.C.
Launch date: May 2020
Legal sports betting in Washington DC began in May 2020 and was later expanded to mobile and internet. By June 2020, an application by the D.C. Lottery dubbed as “GameBetDC” was introduced that advanced online betting, allowing punters to wager remotely.
Fariha Bhatti is a long-time gaming writer who loves competitive FPS games and slots with particularly fun themes. She got her start playing classic games developed by SNK, from legendary fighting game series The King of Fighters to challenging platform franchise Metal Slug. She now spends most of her time playing Valorant and Counter-Strike 2 while working her way through new slot releases to find her next favorite. Fariha has been published at PCGamesN, TalkEsport and ONE Esports.
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