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Published: November 23, 2023

Listing of States Where Sports Betting Is Legal

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Sports betting is legal in the United States on a state-by-state basis. There is a patchwork of laws and regulations.

The industry has grown thanks to a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling. Since then, 38 states and the District of Colombia have allowed some form of sports betting. Among those betting states, 29 permit wagering online.

Most legal betting states set the minimum age to gamble on sports at 21, with some jurisdictions allowing 18+. A handful of states legalized online casino gambling alongside sports betting.

For online sports betting, patrons must be physically located within the state or jurisdiction to place bets on the state-sanctioned platform(s). Customers don’t need to be a resident of the state where they want to place a bet.

Many regulated sports betting sites operate in numerous markets.

PASPA Sports Betting Ruling

In May 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court opened the doors for sports gambling expansion through the Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association ruling. Justices deemed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) unconstitutional. PASPA had prohibited states from legalizing gambling on professional and college sports.

Congress enacted the 1992 law to prevent the expansion of sports wagering beyond Nevada, citing the potential of money laundering and other nefarious activities. Nevada effectively had a monopoly on single-game wagering.

Despite the popularity of illicit sports gambling, the prohibition persisted for decades.

The Supreme Court ruled that states have the right to regulate sports betting within their respective borders.

Online Betting States

Below you can find the states with legal online sports betting and some of the operators allowed in those states. Many states still have sports betting operator licenses available, but the sports betting industry is expected to consolidate over time in many markets. 

Arizona Legal Online Sportsbooks

Arkansas Legal Online Sportsbooks

  • Betly Sportsbook
  • BetSaracen
  • Oaklawn Sports

Colorado Legal Online Sportsbooks

Connecticut Legal Online Sportsbooks

Florida Legal Online Sportsbooks

  • Hard Rock Bet

Illinois Legal Online Sportsbooks

Indiana Legal Online Sportsbooks

Iowa Legal Online Sportsbooks

Kansas Legal Online Sportsbooks

Kentucky Legal Online Sportsbooks

Louisiana Legal Online Sportsbooks

Maine Legal Online Sportsbooks

Maryland Legal Online Sportsbooks

Michigan Legal Online Sportsbooks

Nevada Legal Online Sportsbooks

  • Atlantis Casino Race and Sports Book
  • BConnected Sports
  • BetMGM Sportsbook
  • Caesars Sportsbook
  • Circa Sports
  • Golden Nugget Sports
  • Nevada Sports Book
  • South Point Sports
  • STN Sports
  • Tipico Sportsbook
  • Westgate Superbook
  • Wynn Sports

New Hampshire Legal Online Sportsbooks

New Jersey Legal Online Sportsbooks

New York Legal Online Sportsbooks

North Carolina Legal Online Sportsbooks

Market is not yet live.

Ohio Legal Online Sportsbooks

Oregon Legal Online Sportsbooks

Pennsylvania Legal Online Sportsbooks

Rhode Island Legal Online Sportsbooks

  • Sportsbook Rhode Island

Tennessee Legal Online Sportsbooks

Vermont Legal Online Sportsbooks

Market is not yet live.

Virginia Legal Online Sportsbooks

Washington, D.C. Legal Online Sportsbooks

West Virginia Legal Online Sportsbooks

Wyoming Legal Online Sportsbooks

Retail-Only Sports Betting States

Some states decided to restrict sports betting to retail locations, usually at brick-and-mortar casinos. It’s possible that retail-only states expand access to sports gambling in the future.

  • Delaware
  • Mississippi
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • New Mexico
  • North Dakota
  • South Dakota
  • Washington
  • Wisconsin

States Where Sports Betting Is Illegal

Sports betting in any form is currently illegal in California, Texas, Idaho, Utah, Minnesota, Missouri, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Alaska and Hawaii.

Legislative efforts have been made in states such as California, Texas and Georgia – large potential markets for the online betting industry – but so far they have fallen short.

California and Texas combined account for nearly 21% of the U.S. population. Regarding population, the largest legal sports betting market is New York.

https://www.forbes.com/betting/guide/states-where-sports-betting-is-legal/

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