Sports Betting in the United States 2026; Legal Guide for All 50 States
Each state sets its own rules, and in 2025 the map is still a patchwork of different laws. Within this scope, wagering on horse races is the most widely available option, as only a few states have prohibited it. Please remember that you can read more thorough info on each state’s gambling legislation and restrictions by clicking the state’s name from the left-hand side of the table. In the meantime, locals can access daily fantasy sites such as Sleeper Fantasy and Boom Fantasy.
DAZN Bet expands into Ontario and Alberta with Altenar’s sportsbook
In the November 2024 election, Missourians voted to legalize sports betting courtesy of Amendment 2. West Virginia officially opened its sports betting market on August 30, 2018. Washington kicked off its sports betting scene on September 9, 2021, with the first legal wager placed at the Snoqualmie Casino. Tennessee bucked convention by approving an online-only sports betting bill in 2019.
Sports betting became legal in Rhode Island just a month after PASPA was annulled. Sports betting is legal and launched on January 1, 2023. The only restriction applies to college sports bets. The bill signed into law by Gov. Pete Ricketts in June 2021 only allows for in-person betting. In fact, you need to be physically present within a licensed establishment to place an online sports bet. According to the bill, players can bet on all sports either online or at one of the hundreds of licensed sales agents around the state.
Avoid chasing losses and remember that gambling should be considered entertainment as opposed to a source of income. For example, residents in NY, NJ, Maryland, Nevada and Delaware will not have access to Bovada. However, sites like Bovada and BetOnline have some state restrictions.
Since 2020, Colorado betting laws have permitted a competitive market with multiple online sportsbooks and in-person wagering at casinos. Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed bills S4916 and H4311 into law in 2019 and legalized sports betting in Michigan casinos, both online and mobile. If you live in or near a state with legal online sports betting, you can bet at online sportsbooks/mobile sports betting apps from anywhere within that state. Have legal sports betting in some capacity whether it’s retail betting, online sportsbooks, or both. Some states have taken a measured approach to legalization by authorizing retail sportsbooks and betting kiosks but not online sports betting. Though Mississippi technically has mobile sports betting, those online bets can only be placed inside casinos, which has caused the state’s wagering business to lag behind neighboring states.
For most Americans, the only way to legally play casino games online is to use an offshore gambling site. If you are a player who doesn’t live in one of these states, the good news is there are no current laws or prohibitions in the federal code that would make online gambling illegal in the US. As of 2026, there are many states that now offer legal and regulated online gambling. To add to the inconsistency, legal online gambling is not addressed one way or the other in most individual state gambling laws. Your tax rate will vary depending on the state in which you’re betting, but in general, you’ll need to pay taxes if your sports betting winnings for the year are a net positive. If you’re looking for a sports betting alternative, check out the Griddy referral code!
FanDuel Sportsbook
It could also be an online sportsbook that received a license to operate by the state of Illinois. After originally banning championship games from taking place in states with legal betting, in 2019 they performed an about-face as more and more states pursued it. For example, opening rounds of the NCAAB March Madness typically rank amongst the busiest days of the year for sportsbooks. One of the league’s all-time greats, Rose was famously banned for life in 1989 after illegally betting on the team he was managing at the time. It’s likely that every state with an MGM property (looking at you, Maryland) will eventually host a BetMGM online sportsbook. Originally founded in the United Kingdom, bet365 is one of the world’s largest online gambling companies with more than 20 years of experience.
However, this initiative does not include online sports betting. For many years, tribal casinos have fought to bring sports betting to their patrons. Although California is home to numerous commercial and tribal casinos, it doesn’t allow sports betting. Rep. Lee Johnson introduced a new House Bill 1942 in April to allow casinos to launch online sportsbooks and it launched in March 2022.
We hope that through our efforts, you find what you need to make informed decisions that coincide with your needs and preferences when it comes to betting entertainment. Our primary goal here at SBL is to provide a comprehensive, up-to-date guide to gambling legally worldwide. Yes, it is, and American betting enthusiasts are very much enjoying this new path forward. We examine each recommended operator’s reputation, licensing information, security practices, betting lines, software, promotions, payment methods and payout procedures. Since then, most states have established some form of legal market, while others continue to debate whether and how expansion should occur. The 2018 repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) allowed individual states to decide whether to authorize and regulate sports wagering.
New Jersey’s victory and the Supreme Court’s ruling allowed individual states to legalize and regulate sports betting. She has developed a strong background in the iGaming, sports betting, daily fantasy sports (DFS), and casino industries. Some would create a market like New Jersey’s, some more like Mississippi’s, with all different tax rates and models for the number of sportsbooks allowed in-person and online. Out west in New Mexico where tribal casinos are numerous, the Santa Ana Star Casino & Hotel, a tribal gaming operation near Albuquerque, opened a sportsbook in October 2018.
The platform is easy to navigate and offers live streaming across select sports, making it a comfortable option for straightforward wagering. It stands out for its clean, intuitive mobile interface and streamlined betting experience. The tradeoff is that the app feels dated compared to top competitors, and its Same Game Parlay functionality trails the larger national sportsbooks. Powered by the Kambi platform, it offers deep market coverage across both major and niche sports. The mobile app is clean and easy to navigate, making it a comfortable option for newer players or anyone who prefers a straightforward betting experience.
Tribal gaming exists all across the U.S. by the federal law of 1987, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), and tribal-state compacts, which govern the terms and conditions of gaming in the state. Should the state’s casinos be able to obtain the licenses? Likewise, the NHL is exploring the use of advanced stats for licensure and betting. Even the NFL now permits team-sportsbook partnerships, and the first came in June 2020 when the Broncos teamed up with FanDuel and Betfred. A bill that places local tribes in charge of betting in Oklahoma passed the house on March 23, 2023, giving life to OK betting hopes. His experience allows him to provide tips and information to help other bettors improve their game.
Montana was one of the four states where sports betting was technically legal pre-PASPA. The MGM Grand and the Greektown Casino became the first brick-and-mortar sportsbooks to open, accepting the state’s first bets on March 11, 2020. This local connection adds a unique flavor to the state’s sports betting scene, highlighting Massachusetts’ commitment to integrating homegrown businesses into its gaming industry. Residents can also place in-person bets at the state’s two casinos and several off-track betting facilities. Kansas officially launched sports betting on September 1, 2022, after Governor Laura Kelly signed the legislation into law in May 2022. As of January 1, 2021, remote registration for all legal and live online sportsbooks is available.
For many less popular sites, its just easier to stay out of the US market altogether. You can play real money poker online using any of the sites listed here. US legal online poker is extremely popular, though it’s largely unavailable from domestic operators. If you want to wager on impeachment odds, debate odds, political props, and Presidential elections, you can “stuff the ballot box” at any reputable offshore betting site.
If you are visiting legal sports betting states where your online sportsbook holds https://www.pokernewsdaily.com/sportsbooks/ a license, you may continue placing wagers while there. Offshore sportsbooks continue to operate in the black market despite state regulations, but American bettors should be aware that the offshore sports betting industry is completely unregulated and illegal. Other key topics include unbiased sportsbook reviews, new customer deposit bonuses, and state-specific listings of licensed sports betting sites and online sportsbook apps.
- These casinos even feature golf courses and live entertainment.
- The minimum legal betting age depends on the state, sportsbook, and type of gambling involved.
- In the states that allow sports wagering, you can place a bet on almost every sport in the US and wager on all professional leagues worldwide.
- A “push” occurs when the outcome results in the sportsbook refunding all bettors their stakes.
- Hotels, bars, and restaurants can apply for retail sports betting licenses.
Delaware lived up to its nickname, the First State, when it became the first state to legalize online gambling back in 2012. The agreements have a 10-year expiration date during which the operators need to pay a 13.75% tax rate on sports betting. According to the agreement, the Connecticut Lottery is also able to operate up to 15 sports betting locations, two of which must be in Bridgeport and Hartford. The operators are required to pay a 10% flat tax on net sports betting proceeds. All Colorado commercial casinos can apply for a license for in-person and online wagering. Each retail sportsbook will be allowed to have two online skins.
These exemptions allowed for limited forms of parlay-style sports wagers on specific leagues offered by the state lottery. There are countless stories of sports bettors experiencing delayed cashouts, deposit options with excessive fees, and poor customer service. DraftKings has consistently been the fastest US betting site for payouts in all our tests. You can bet on football, basketball, baseball, hockey, MMA, boxing, golf, and much more using a US betting site. It’s best to check in with an individual US betting site to find out if it is available in your state.
It has the backing of the well-known Fanatics brand, making it a reliable option for sports fans. It’s a great option for bettors who value a user-friendly interface and a wide range of deposit and withdrawal options. It’s particularly well-regarded for its daily fantasy sports integration and user-friendly app. The state is an excellent example of good policy decisions leading to a high-performing market.
Seven tribal casinos operate in the state, but no sports betting legislation has been proposed as of 2026. Georgia has no legal sports betting, with bills failing for several consecutive years. Online betting arrived on December 26, 2023, and BetRivers has been the only legal online sportsbook in the state ever since. In April 2021, the Arizona Senate passed HB 2772 by a 23-6 margin, which paved the way for both online and retail sports betting in the state. Both online and in-person sports betting are legal in Arizona. SB 257 is a proposed constitutional amendment that would put sports betting, a state lottery, and casinos to a public vote.
The most commonly used sportsbook deposit methods are credit/debit cards and bank transfers. That is because of their great customer service and the incredible odds that they have to offer on a wide range of sports. The bookmaker has been supplying odds for US players since the 90s and has a lot of respect from betting fans across the country. BetUS is easy to use with clear designations and prop bet offerings. 38 states in total have some sort ofonline gaming legislationin place. They exist in a bit of a legal grey area and there have been tons of cases of customers being treated poorly by those sites.
WarHorse was the first casino to open a retail sportsbook, with additional retail options coming soon. Online sports betting went live in Massachusetts on March 10, 2023 — just in time for the NCAA Tournament. It is expected that there will be more online sportsbooks approved in 2023 and 2024. Be sure to review your state’s regulations to determine if sports betting is permitted.
The capital has a unique setup as mobile betting islottery-run. Sports betting went legal barely ayear after SCOTUS overturned PASPA. With 20 legal Colorado betting apps currently in operation, there’s stillroom for expansion in Colorado. And that’s why legal sports wagering remains off the table here. Rest assured, we avoid biases and provide honest opinions on sportsbooks.
This is why, for example, when PASPA (a federal law) was in effect, states had no option to legalize and regulate sports betting. In short, there are two sets of laws we must address in any discussion of sports betting or gambling. Essentially, what the Department of Justice opined was that the Wire Act only applies to sports betting, not to other forms of online gaming. Topendsports.com is an affiliate website that provides reviews and comparisons of sports betting sites. I’m Stefan Peric, a sports-betting writer at TopEndSports with a University of Belgrade law degree and more than five years reviewing sportsbooks. You must be physically located in a state where sports betting is legal to place bets.
Governor Gina Raimondo signed the bill into law in June 2018, and Twin River Casino in Lincoln booked the first bet in November that year. In Pennsylvania, you can’t bet on esports, high-school events, or any non-sporting contests. According to the bill, retail and online operators would share 40 licenses.
The Pelican State has a number of online sportsbook operators, led by Caesars Entertainment, which also has a retail sportsbook in Harrah’s New Orleans. Bally Bet and Fanatics Sportsbook are expected to launch their betting sites in Tennessee sometime this year. Harrah’s Cherokee Resort and Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino are the two places with established retail sportsbooks. In late fall of 2018, District of Columbia Council did pass legislation to allow sports betting in Washington DC.
You may also bet via the app Sports Bet Montana if you’re physically present at a retail location. Anyone who is at least 21 years old can bet on sports in Michigan including college games. Check out the latest Indiana sportsbook promos so you can sign up for favorites like FanDuel and BetMGM. If you want to bet on in-state college teams, you can do so as long as you’re at a retail location and don’t bet on college player props.
Three quarters of the way into the 20th century the first sportsbook was opened inside a casino at the Stardust which was run by Frank Rosenthal. The sports books were called Turf Clubs and operated independently of Vegas casinos. This ban further encouraged the negative public opinion of gambling and it also inspired organized crime and other shady elements to offer gambling services illegally. New Jersey allows online horse betting only through 4NJBets. Pari-mutuel horse racing betting is legal in most US states, and off-track betting has been permitted at the federal level since 1978. That is why you can trade sports event contracts in states where no legal sportsbook exists.
State regulations determine where casinos can operate and whether online versions are available. This includes popular sportsbooks like BetOnline, SportsBetting.ag, and Bovada. Fans can place bets on football, basketball, baseball, and many other sports. Since PASPA’s repeal in 2018, states have gained control over sports wagering and many have legalized the practice. It seeks to prohibit major digital platforms from targeting sports gambling and prediction market advertisements to minors under 18.
Some states opt for a low tax, open market approach, while others employ high taxes to squeeze every ounce of revenue possible out of legal sports betting. Federal and state laws require licensed online sportsbooks and betting apps to collect certain information, including the last four digits of every customer’s Social Security number. If you are located in a state without legal online sports betting or where your preferred app does not hold a license, you can log in, view lines, make deposits, and request withdrawals. During the years when federal prohibition was in effect, a massive offshore sports betting industry flourished as offshore online sportsbooks catered to American bettors.
In days prior, live betting was impossible, as you’d wait at the counter and potentially miss an in-game occurrence as it happens. You are betting on whether both teams’ combined scores will be under or over a specified number. Typically, the favorite in a match will have a negative number since they’re expected to score more points than their opponent, and you’re betting on the difference between the teams’ scores.