- Legal Online Sports Betting States
- Online Sports Betting Legal States
- Online Sports Betting States
- Online Sports Betting Laws United States
Online sports betting and other forms of wagering have been restricted for some time, with the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 preventing fans from placing bets on games. Some exemptions existed, but this mostly only favored Nevada and a few other states.
In Virginia, the legal online sports betting became available in January 2021, well over a year before the first brick-and-mortar casinos plan to open in the state. Sports betting as an entity within itself may be legal in several states, including New Jersey, New Mexico, Montana and Delaware, but online sports betting isn't quite as liberal in those states. Only four of the 50 states accept online gambling as its own entity, and that's not to say that sports betting is available via such a method. If you want to engage in online poker and online sports betting, but not join the online casino, then Nevada is the only one with such laws. New Jersey is the state with the most regulated market in the US. There is more than $220 million involved in online gambling per year. Not all states that allow legal sports betting will choose to use online or mobile wagering platforms. Some have rules that allow online and mobile wagering anywhere within state lines, while others require bets to be placed inside a casino. Legal Sports Betting States. As of January 21st, 2021 Legal Sports betting is available in these states through our online product, retail locations or both.
In 2018, the US Supreme Court ruled that this law was unconstitutional, paving the way for states to set their own rules on sports books. This means that, unlike many European countries, where laws are uniform across the territory, Americans living just a few miles from each other may be subject to very different laws on betting.
American States Where Online Sports Betting is Legal
Nevada and New Jersey were some of the first to take advantage of this, passing legislation almost immediately. As of July 2020, there are 12 states that allow online sports betting in the country, although they each have different rules.
New Jersey
New Jersey offers the widest range of online sports betting with around 17 different licensed sports books. Online casinos are also legal, meaning New Jersey-ites can enjoy new slot games in 2020 as well as betting on a wide array of sports.
Nevada
Online sports betting is possible in Nevada, but you must first create your account while inside a physical casino first.
Indiana
Legal Online Sports Betting States
Sports betting websites have been operating since 2019, with a broad selection of bookmakers to choose from. Users can sign up, deposit and place wagers from their computer or mobile device, but there are some restrictions on in-game betting.
Pennsylvania
Most major online bookmakers operate in Pennsylvania where online wagering has been allowed since 2019. The state is a big market since it has one of the biggest populations in the country and a high proportion of sports fans.
Colorado
First allowed in May 2020, sports fans in Colorado already have a good selection of sports books to choose from. It also has some of the most liberal rules surrounding sports betting, with online registration and depositing, no in-game restrictions and wagers on college teams allowed.
Illinois
Illinois passed legislation that allowed online sports betting in June 2019 but the first brands didn't begin accepting registrations until Q1 of 2020. Existing physical casinos in the state have an 18-month head start over national online brands.
Iowa
After sports betting was permitted in May 2019, several sports books have begun operating in the state. However, until 2021 fans must visit a sports book or casino in-person to create their account.
Mississippi
Mississippi first legalized sports betting in 2018, but it requires bets to be placed inside a casino, even if the customer wants to use their smartphone.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire has allowed sports betting since July 2019 although wagering from a smartphone wasn't permitted for another 5 months. Only a handful of brands operate in the state right now, but more are expected to open soon.
Oregon
Sports betting is allowed in Oregon but only through the state-operated Oregon Lottery.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island is the only state to allow betting at 18 instead of 21. However, like Oregon, it's only permitted through the state lottery.
West Virginia
Sports betting in West Virginia has been legal since August 2019, with full online and mobile services allowed.
Which Will be the 13th State?
While there are still 38 states that don't allow sports betting, it is expected that many more will pass legislation that will change this in the coming months and years. Some of these are expected to do so much quicker than others, including:
- Kentucky – A bill to legalize sports betting was blocked earlier in 2020, but commentators believe this to only be a temporary hurdle
- Ohio – In May 2020, the Ohio House Finance Committee voted to progress a bill that will legalize sports betting in the state. It was approved by the House the next day but still needs to be approved by the Senate.
- Connecticut – Like Kentucky, a bill had been progressing in early 2020 but it has been hit many hurdles.
- Maryland – A bill was approved by the Senate in early March 2020 but it's not yet clear when it will be approved by the House.
- Missouri – The state of Missouri has been considering sports betting for some time, but there have been delays for it and other matters in recent months, meaning it's not yet clear when it will pass.
Of these five, either Ohio or Maryland is likely to be the first to permit betting but these could still be derailed.
Legal sports betting is spreading across the nation. Unfortunately, not every state legalizing sports betting is also allowing online betting. It's no surprise to see that states legalizing online wagering are also among the leaders in overall sports betting revenue in the country. Sports betting apps are ready to explode across the country as more states legalize online sports betting.
If the states with legal online sports wagering aren't at the top, they're well on the way thanks to making it easy for bettors to place wagers. While Nevada offers mobile sports betting, it doesn't offer full online betting like New Jersey or Pennsylvania.
There are a host of new states offering mobile sports betting and some coming up soon that will take national sports betting to another level. Some states will be better for bettors than others based on population, local sports teams, sportsbook competition, and technology. Here are some of the up-and-coming best states for online sports wagering in the US.
Colorado online sports betting
Mobile sports betting is already live in Colorado. This could become the top state for mobile sports wagering in America. Casinos around the state are so spread out that online sports betting is a necessity for residents. There could be more than 30 online sports betting options when the dust settles.
Colorado is already home to some of the biggest sports betting apps with DraftKings, FanDuel, and FoxBet. Colorado will also be the first home outside of Nevada for popular sharp sportsbook operations Circa Sports and Westgate SuperBook.
Jay Kornegay, executive VP of operations for the SuperBook says 'We can't wait to get going with our Colorado partners at The Lodge. Coloradans should expect the SuperBook to be up and going by mid-July.'
The combination of big mobile sports betting brands and traditionally sharp sportsbooks with great odds could make Colorado one of the best states for online sports betting in the US.
Michigan online sports betting
- Ohio – In May 2020, the Ohio House Finance Committee voted to progress a bill that will legalize sports betting in the state. It was approved by the House the next day but still needs to be approved by the Senate.
- Connecticut – Like Kentucky, a bill had been progressing in early 2020 but it has been hit many hurdles.
- Maryland – A bill was approved by the Senate in early March 2020 but it's not yet clear when it will be approved by the House.
- Missouri – The state of Missouri has been considering sports betting for some time, but there have been delays for it and other matters in recent months, meaning it's not yet clear when it will pass.
Of these five, either Ohio or Maryland is likely to be the first to permit betting but these could still be derailed.
Legal sports betting is spreading across the nation. Unfortunately, not every state legalizing sports betting is also allowing online betting. It's no surprise to see that states legalizing online wagering are also among the leaders in overall sports betting revenue in the country. Sports betting apps are ready to explode across the country as more states legalize online sports betting.
If the states with legal online sports wagering aren't at the top, they're well on the way thanks to making it easy for bettors to place wagers. While Nevada offers mobile sports betting, it doesn't offer full online betting like New Jersey or Pennsylvania.
There are a host of new states offering mobile sports betting and some coming up soon that will take national sports betting to another level. Some states will be better for bettors than others based on population, local sports teams, sportsbook competition, and technology. Here are some of the up-and-coming best states for online sports wagering in the US.
Colorado online sports betting
Mobile sports betting is already live in Colorado. This could become the top state for mobile sports wagering in America. Casinos around the state are so spread out that online sports betting is a necessity for residents. There could be more than 30 online sports betting options when the dust settles.
Colorado is already home to some of the biggest sports betting apps with DraftKings, FanDuel, and FoxBet. Colorado will also be the first home outside of Nevada for popular sharp sportsbook operations Circa Sports and Westgate SuperBook.
Jay Kornegay, executive VP of operations for the SuperBook says 'We can't wait to get going with our Colorado partners at The Lodge. Coloradans should expect the SuperBook to be up and going by mid-July.'
The combination of big mobile sports betting brands and traditionally sharp sportsbooks with great odds could make Colorado one of the best states for online sports betting in the US.
Michigan online sports betting
Retail sports betting in Michigan started in March of 2020. Michigan online sports betting is expected to be operational this fall.
Large populations and a large number of local teams help boost sports betting revenue for different states. Michigan could jump high on the sports betting revenue list with a large city in Detroit, and numerous college and professional sports teams.
Online sports wagering in Michigan could very well be boosted particularly because of college sports. Fans of the University of Michigan and Michigan State can enjoy all the pre-game festivities and place a wager on the games without having to drive to a casino.
Michigan should have fair odds with a multitude of sports betting apps being available. PointsBet, FoxBet,playMGM,DraftKings Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook will all operate in Michigan. There are a handful of other sports betting apps that are looking for a way into the state.
Illinois mobile sports betting
Thanks to the third-largest city in America, Chicago, sports betting in Illinois should be huge. In June, BetRivers became the first company to take online sports bets. More sports betting apps should be approved to operate in the future.
There are seven casinos in Illinois with licenses to operate sports betting:
Online Sports Betting Legal States
- Argosy Casino Alton
- Grand Victoria Casino
- Hollywood Casino Aurora
- Hollywood Casino Joliet
- Rivers Casino-Des Plaines
- Casino Queen, Inc.
- Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino
MGM Resorts owns Grand Victoria and BetMGM could be one of the next online sports wagering options for Illinois residents. Penn National Gaming owns a host of casinos and their Barstool Sportsbook app should launch by football season. DraftKings and FanDuel are both considering options to offer mobile sports betting in Illinois.
Online Sports Betting States
Virginia mobile sports betting
Mobile sports betting in Virginia should begin before the year is over. This will be a unique state for sports betting.
Michigan and Illinois have cities that are top 10 markets in the country. They're also home to major professional or college teams. Virginia is a small state by comparison but is tucked in an area that could lead to a lot of sports betting activity.
The closest competition for online sports betting is Washington DC. The Gambet DC online sportsbook is run by the lottery and offers pretty bad odds. Bettors in DC looking for the best odds could make the quick trip to Virginia to place wagers online at better odds.
Online Sports Betting Laws United States
Virginia is also within driving distance of two states that do not yet have legal sports betting available. Sports bettors from Maryland and North Carolina could also consider making the trip to place wagers on their favorite teams.
