Where Is Sports Betting Legal
The road to securing legal sports betting in the US has been a long and rocky one but over the past 18 months things have started to shift. In May 2018 the US Supreme Court struck down the federal law which had banned ‘single-game’ wagering and as a result each state across the country can make its own laws. This has led to a slew of states making sports betting accessible and legal.
States With Legal Sports Betting
As each state applies its own law in the matter of sports betting it’s crucial for residents to know where they stand, and as such we’ve put together a helpful guide to help you find out how your the law relates to your state.
New Jersey
New Jersey was one of the first states to legalize sports betting in the US when they made it legal back in June 2018. Sports betting went live officially a couple of months later when DraftKings Sportsbook launched and now many relevant sites/apps are live.
Pennsylvania
Sports betting is legal in Pennsylvania and is thriving, with the first app/site going live in early 2019 with many others following swiftly afterwards.
West Virginia
Online sportsbetting is legal in the Mountain State with a number of operators beginning their offering in 2018 and the state allowed betting via mobile in December 2018.
New York
The Empire State failed to pass legislation for online sports betting but legal sports betting is available offsite at a handful of casinos.
Mississippi
Things are a little complicated in the Magnolia State. Sports betting is allowed within the confines of a land or water-based casino and in some specific locations mobile based sports betting is also allowed.
Arkansas
Again much like Mississippi, Arkansas allows sports betting in the confines of some select casinos.
Delaware
Sports betting became legal in Delaware in June 2018 and online sports betting is legal but not currently active, though this will no doubt become available soon enough.
Indiana
Indiana legalized sports betting in October 2019 and as such their options are starting to become wider as time passes. Currently there are more than a dozen casino sites that offer sportsbook betting.
Iowa
In Iowa sports betting is legal but you’ll be required to sign-up at a casino for the initial 18 months but it’s likely this rule will evolve in time.
Montana
While online sports betting is legal in Montana the option to do so doesn’t quite yet exist, though this is expected to be rectified before the end of 2019.
Nevada
Sports betting has been legal in the state for some time and the ruling hasn’t changed this fact and you can place bets via online mobile or other devices.
New Hampshire
Online sports betting is legal in the state but operations making this accessible to residents are still not quite available.
Oregon
The state lottery is looking to allow sports betting in 2019 and it’s believed that tribes that offer casinos in the state will run sports betting operations.
Rhode Island
Sports betting in Rhode Island is legal and mobile betting is close to being an option following a recent bill being signed into law by Governor Gina Raimondo.
Tennessee
Uniquely the state only online sports betting and this should lead to a wide variety of options and online sportsbooks to be available.
New Mexico
Some tribal groups in the state offer sports betting though it’s illegal in some portions.
Illinois
Things in the Prairie State are in a similar situation to Iowa, i.e. right now you are required to spend a period signed-up with a casino before sports betting will become available to you.
States That Will Legalize Sports Betting Online Soon
As well as the states above that offer some form of online sports betting there are countless others looking to join the gang. It’s an ever-changing landscape when it comes to states that have passed into law the ability for sports betting to become a legal option.
Colorado have put the vote to a public ballot so dependent on that result, they too could be added to the growing number who have made sports betting legal.
In North Carolina while sports betting is legal the law that was passed didn’t include online gambling but could well be altered in the near future. Maine is also moving closer to legalizing online sports betting with legislators approving relevant bills.
With tens of millions begin massive fans of sports across the globe it’s not surprising that many are looking to get involved with sports betting, which is of course prevalent outside the US.
Fans looking to place a wager on the NBA betting or make a bet on the NFL action will soon be able to do so in many of the states in America.
All in all 42 states have, or are moving towards, offering legalized sports betting online and given the cultural shift both in general daily life, and gambling specifically, it does seem only a matter of time before the country as a whole begins to wake up to the reality that online sports betting is a pastime that is enjoyed by the masses.
