Sports Betting in US: Which States Are Legal?

To make it easier for the bettor we have listed all the states below showing which are legal* and which are not.

Alabama – Not Legal
The state has put out numerous laws, including one for 2021, but each one has been rejected. At the moment, Alabama doesn’t have any casinos.

Alaska – Not Legal
The state considered introducing sports betting in 2020, and Governor Mike Dunleavy even voiced support for the proposal. The COVID-19 epidemic, however, put an end to the bill’s review, and the proposal expired in May 2020.

Arizona – Legal
On April 15, 2021, sports wagering became accepted in Arizona but ONLY 20 sports betting operators are allowed under the current legislation.

Arkansas – Legal
In July 2021, the first legal sportsbook opened for business, and in February 2022, the first online sports book went live.

California – Not Legal
There will be two initiatives involving legalized online sports betting on the November 2022 ballot.

Colorado – Legal
As of May 1, 2020, numerous providers permitted residents of Colorado, the 19th state to legalize gambling, to open accounts online and place bets. When it comes to in-state college games, there are limitations: While it is legal to wager on game results, collegiate sports do not allow player prop bets.

Colorado increased the amount and types of casino games it could offer in the 2020 election. Furthermore, the state removed some betting restrictions.

Connecticut – Legal
On September 30, 2021 – Connecticut legally permitted sports betting.

Delaware – Legal
In 2018, Delaware legalized sports betting less than one month following the Supreme Court’s ruling. Despite the fact that there are no local internet sportsbooks, online sports betting is permitted. All collegiate in-state team wagering is prohibited.

Florida – It’s complicated

While being temporarily permitted and legal, sports betting is presently waiting on a new launch due to legal concerns.

A judge declared an arrangement between the state of Florida and the Seminole Tribe to be illegal just three weeks after legal internet sports betting began, and the matter has remained pending in federal court ever since. Despite the fact that the Interior Department and the Seminole Tribe submitted papers in August 2022 in support of the reinstatement of a new compact, discussions on the subject might not begin until the summer of 2023.

Georgia – Not Legal
In 2022, attempts to pass a motion were unsuccessful. There is hope that a new motion will be submitted in 2023 to legalize sports betting in this state.

Hawaii – Not Legal
A bill that would have allowed for the regulation of sports gambling through a newly established entity was presented in January 2019 but this bill was rejected.

Idaho – Not Legal
To date there has been no proposal submitted from Idaho.

Illinois – Legal
A bill allowing sports betting was passed in June, but the new law prohibits betting on intrastate collegiate contests. It will legalize gambling both online and in a number of areas, including Wrigley Field.

As of March 9, 2020, wagers were legal in the state. College football wagers may only be made in-person; they cannot be made online. It is legal to wager on the results of intrastate collegiate games, but placing player prop bets is not.

Indiana – Legal
In September 2019, betting on professional and collegiate sports became legal, and it is now legal to do so both online and offline in a number of places. It is legal to wager on the results of collegiate games, but placing player prop bets is not permitted.

Iowa – Legal
In 2019, Iowa legalized sports betting, and by the end of that summer, many sites were accepting bets. State legislation permits wagering on both professional and collegiate sports. It is legal to wager on the results of intrastate college games, but placing player prop bets is not permitted.

Kansas – Legal
On July 1, 2022, legal online sports betting was allowed in Kansas.

Kentucky – Proposed
Motion failed to pass in 2022 despite Kentucky’s efforts. There is currently no information on whether a fresh proposal to authorize sports betting in Kentucky will be made in 2023.

Louisiana – Legal
In numerous localities, retail sports betting began in October 2021. In January 2022, mobile sports betting became available.

Maine – Proposed
A launch date hasn’t been determined despite the fact that legislation to legalize online sports betting was approved in May 2022.

Maryland – Legal
After the 2020 election, Maryland legalized sports betting.

Baltimore-area casinos started permitting live sports betting in December 2021. Among the casinos with sportsbooks running on their premises were Horseshoe Casino Baltimore, Live! Casino, and Hotel Maryland.

Massachusetts – Approved
A launch date has not yet been decided, even though legal online sports betting legislation was passed in August 2022. It will be against the law to wager on intrastate collegiate sports, including both game outcomes and player props. Only if the team is participating in a tournament with four or more teams can bets be accepted on the results of in-state college games.

Michigan – Legal
Legislation that allows both sports betting and online gaming in the state was signed into law by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in late 2019. In March 2020, the state’s casinos opened for business.

Minnesota – Approved
Although legislation to legalize sports betting in Minnesota was approved in August 2022, no opening date has been announced.

Mississippi – Legal
On August 1st, 2018, Mississippi legalized sports betting. In 2017, the state passed a law allowing sports betting.

Missouri – Proposed
Several sports betting laws were proposed in Missouri through past years, but the state hasn’t yet acted on them. At the state legislature level, they have come to a standstill.

Montana – Legal
As of March 2020, sports betting is officially legal in the state. State lottery regulations apply to sportsbooks. The lottery director has the authority to choose which sporting events and wager types are available for betting.

Nebraska – Legal
On May 25, 2021, Governor Pete Ricketts authorized sports betting and signed it into law, however only in-person wagering is permitted. It is against the law to wager on intrastate collegiate contests and events, including player prop bets.

Nevada – Legal
Until 1909, when the Progressive Movement finally succeeded in passing legislation outlawing practically all games of chance in the Silver State, Nevada’s gaming regulations underwent little modification after the Nevada State Legislature officially decriminalized some types of gambling in 1869.

On March 19, 1931, Phil Tobin submitted legislation that allowed “wide open” gaming in Nevada.

New Hampshire – Legal
2nd January 2020, New Hampshire became the sixteenth state to legalize sports betting. With the help of a six-year agreement the state made with DraftKings, mobile sportsbooks can now be used all around the state. It is against the law to wager on intrastate collegiate contests and events, including player prop bets.

New Jersey – Legal
Long a supporter of legalizing sports betting, New Jersey brought the case that resulted in the Supreme Court’s federal decision being overturned. As a result, they acted swiftly to legalize sports betting following the judgment, launching the first sportsbooks in the state on June 14, 2018.

Legalized sports betting is now available, among other places like Atlantic City and the MetLife Stadium. It is against the law to wager on intrastate collegiate contests and events, including player prop bets.

New Mexico – Complicated
Sports betting is neither specifically forbidden by the state’s present legislation, nor is it listed as a Class III game that is forbidden in the gaming compacts that are shared by the state, tribes, and tribes. Due to this, the Pueblo of Santa Ana tribe was able to create its own theoretically legal but not strictly lawful sportsbook at its state-licensed casino. The Santa Ana Star Casino Hotel and four other tribal casinos allow sports betting.

New York – Legal
Although New York legalized state-level sports wagering in 2013, the state’s first licensed sportsbook didn’t launch until July 2019. On January 8, 2022, mobile sports betting became live, and the Empire State is currently home to nine live internet sportsbooks. On in-state collegiate contests and events, including player prop bets, all betting is illegal.

North Carolina – Legal
The Cherokee tribe now controls all gaming in North Carolina, but a bill that was approved by the state in July 2019 will allow sports betting, which includes horse racing, to become a part of that monopoly. On March 18, 2021, sports betting began, although efforts to legalize online gambling have not yet been successful.

North Dakota – Proposed
Gaming at tribal casinos exclusively. The most recent attempt to allow sports betting in North Dakota failed in 2019.

Ohio – Legal
Following Gov. Mike DeWine’s signature, sports betting was made legal in Ohio in December 2021. However, it’s anticipated that Ohio citizens won’t be able to wager until at least January 1, 2023.

Oklahoma – Not Legal
An attempt to allow sports betting in Oklahoma in 2022 was unsuccessful. As of right now, it is unknown whether a fresh motion will be put forth in 2023.

Oregon – Legal
Despite having limited sports betting legality established at the state level, Oregon didn’t need to approve new laws because it had already begun accepting wagers in August of 2019. It is against the law to wager on collegiate contests and events in any way, even on player props.

Pennsylvania – Legal
Pennsylvania accepted its first legitimate sports wager at a casino sportsbook in 2018—six months after the Supreme Court’s decision to reverse it. Since then, more licenses have been distributed, and in-state mobile and online gambling is also permitted.

Rhode Island – Legal
Prior to the start of internet betting on September 4, 2019, Rhode Island opened its first sportsbook six months after the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling and now restricts sports gambling to two state-run casinos. It is against the law to wager on intrastate collegiate contests and events, including player prop bets.

South Carolina – Proposed
The only legal gambling venues in South Carolina are the casino riverboats, but the state legislature has consistently introduced proposals that would legalize sports betting. Nothing has been done as of yet.

South Dakota – Legal
On September 9, 2021, four casinos in Deadwood started taking sports wagers. Legislators authorized sports betting in Deadwood in 2021 by passing a law. However, wagers must be placed within those four casinos’ boundaries. When mobile sports betting will be offered in the state is unknown. It is against the law to wager on intrastate collegiate contests and events, including player prop bets.

Tennessee – Legal
In the spring of 2019, the Tennessee state legislature adopted a sports betting measure that will only permit wagering through mobile applications and the internet. On November 1, 2021, the state legalized mobile sports betting. It is legal to wager on the results of collegiate games, but placing player prop bets is not permitted.

Texas – Proposed
A sports betting bill was proposed in 2021 but was not passed.

Utah – Not Legal
It is very unlikely that this state will pass any gambling laws due to this being a Mormon state.

Vermont – Proposed
In Vermont, very little gambling is currently permitted, although there is a measure that would enable mobile sports betting within the state. In 2021, a measure was under consideration, but it was never passed.

Virginia – Legal
In person and online sports betting both began in 2021. Player prop bets on all collegiate games as well as wagering on intrastate collegiate contests and events are prohibited.

Washington – Legal
Early in 2020, the state passed legislation allowing sports betting at state-licensed tribal casinos. The state forbids mobile or online gambling. It is against the law to wager on intrastate collegiate contests and events, including player prop bets.

Washington D.C. – Legal
The city has released its sports betting app and website, which is administered by the DC Lottery, and the Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act of 2018 went into effect in May 2019. It is against the law to wager on collegiate contests and events in any way, even on player props.

West Virginia – Legal
West Virginia joined the other four states that had legalized sports betting in August 2018. The state permits both live and virtual sports betting.

Wisconsin – Legal
In order to legalize betting at Oneida Nation’s casino locations, Governor Tony Evers signed an agreement. All forms of betting, including player prop bets, are illegal on intrastate collegiate and amateur contests and events.

Wyoming – Legal
Legalized sports betting began operating in the state on September 1, 2021.

*Please note: This information may change due to legislation being passed after research was completed in September 2022.