Sports Betting in the United States 2026; Legal Guide for All 50 States

This page provides a broad overview of legal sports betting states, but each state has its own regulations, tax structures, available sportsbooks, and betting rules. These online sports betting states allow users to register, deposit funds, and place bets from anywhere within state lines using licensed apps and websites. Almost all forms of online betting websites are legal in at least one US state, including sports betting, horse racing, casino games, poker, and lotteries. Additionally, most readers already have access to legal sports betting alternatives such as online horse racing betting, sweepstakes sites, and daily fantasy sports apps.

How Does Mobile Wagering Work?

We thank you for trusting our sportsbook reviews and for taking advantage of the special sports betting promotions and signup bonus offers we have negotiated for our visitors. Other media companies’ interests are often more aligned with shareholders’ results than the quality of experience players are getting at US sports betting sites. For example, many states have gambling self-exclusion lists that anyone can join to be banned from all online betting sites. Successful sports betting legalization makes it easier for problem gamblers to get help and diverts funds to gambling addiction treatment. The odds are good that online gambling, sports betting, or both will eventually come to most states. Other states have enacted laws that authorize a single sports betting operator, while other states are in the exploratory process or early stages of passing legislation to legalize sports betting.

Retail sportsbooks are expected soon at Oxford Casino and Hollywood Casino. All forms of betting are allowed except in-game props bets on college games. You can bet on college and professional sports, but wagering on esports and high school sports is prohibited. Sports betting and all other forms of gambling are prohibited. Rather, it only focused on in-person wagering in tribal casinos and registered venues.

The legality of fantasy sports in the remaining states is open to interpretation. The DOJ responded with an opinion in 2011 that had implications well beyond the legality of online lotteries. In 2009, lottery officials from Illinois and New York requested an opinion from the Department of Justice on whether or not their plans to legalize online lottery sales would violate the Federal Wire Act. Although the original request from Illinois and New York was related to online lotteries, the Justice Department’s new interpretation opened the door to most forms of online gambling. Today, most states have laws on the books that specifically legalize and regulate DFS operators. The legality of online DFS was unclear in the majority of US states during the early years of the DFS boom, but much progress has been made on the legislative front since then.

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.

New Jersey, Delaware, and other states quickly drafted bills legalizing sports betting soon after. Free bets typically offer the best value for converting promotions into withdrawable cash at US sportsbooks. You can check our list of the best sports betting sites in the USA for more options. The landscape of legal sports betting states is constantly changing.

While someone who violates these laws could face some fines and/or a small amount of jailtime, the actual enforcement of these laws is pointed towards the larger parties involved. Their offshore stance leaves them outside the jurisdiction of US federal laws. Oregon, Montana, Delaware and Nevada are the only four regions in the United States that are exempted from PASPA. You can find more information about this law and the DOJ’s influence on it on our page dedicated to the Federal Wire Act. These laws include the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), the Federal Wire Act and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). Delve into the world of gaming through the lens of featured industry interviews, showcasing the voices that shape and influence this ever-evolving landscape.

Multiple bills introduced in 2025 sought to establish and regulate online sportsbooks, and all of them died before the legislative deadline. HB 910, introduced in 2026, would legalize mobile betting under the Georgia Lottery and sidestep the constitutional amendment question entirely. Three online sportsbooks is on the low side, which limits your ability to line-shop and keeps promo competition softer than in neighbouring New York or New Jersey. In May 2026, the Colorado State Senate passed a consumer protection bill that would place significant new restrictions on online sportsbooks operating in the state.

But Tres York, the vice president of government relations with the Washington, D.C.-based American Gaming Association, says there is hope for a few more states this year to legalize sports wagering. Not one state legalized sports gambling last year while only one state—Missouri—legalized it in 2024. Every licensed US sportsbook is required to offer deposit limits, time limits, cooling-off periods, and self-exclusion. Check our collection of the best sportsbook bonuses to see which books offer the most valuable welcome and reload promos.

The major pro sports leagues and the NCAA sued to stop the law from taking effect on grounds that it was a clear violation of PASPA. However, betting at the track continues to be allowed. BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbook expanded their online presence in Washington, D.C., in July, allowing bettors to place wagers anywhere in the district.

Sports bettors began to place bets in January of 2021 but are not allowed to bet on Virginia-based collegiate sports. Although the law passed in 2019, the first sportsbook didn’t launch until February 2022. They recently opened mobile betting in October 2019, which is overseen by the state’s lottery department. Sports betting was legalized in New Hampshire in July 2019 and launched just before the new year. They began accepting sports bets in August 2018, a mere three months after PASPA was overturned.

It’s the first time that SC lawmakers made any progress on a betting bill. Notably, the district allows sportsbooks to operate within professional sports venues For a Kansas-specific sportsbook promo, see our guide to the bet365 Kansas bonus code. In December 2023, BetRivers became the state’s first and only online sportsbook. States where betting is legal and operational.States where legislative discussions or initiatives are underway, but betting is not yet legalized.States where no progress or announcements regarding betting legalization have been made. Michael is an avid sports fan and a veteran bettor from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The Commonwealth finally implemented its legal sports betting legislation that it approved in August of 2020. Residents of the Green Mountain State now have access to three leading U.S. betting sites, along with special promotions from a unique Vermont sportsbook tailored for the NFL playoffs. South Dakota launched legal sports betting in September 2021, but only in a limited in-person format. NM was the sixth state to allow sports betting at their casinos.

Place your wagers and always bet responsibly. Sign up with your legal name, date of birth, and SSN (for identity verification). Several states (Florida, Connecticut, Maine, Washington, New Mexico) operate under tribal gaming compacts that limit or exclude commercial operators. The top operators (DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, Fanatics) are live in most legal states.

In June 2020, attempts to legalize wagering on sports were stopped. Sports betting is illegal and doesn’t look likely any time soon. With so many sportsbooks to choose from, selecting the right one can seem overwhelming. It’s a great option for bettors who want a seamless experience that ties together betting with the latest sports news and analysis. ESPN Bet leverages the brand power of ESPN to offer a sportsbook with comprehensive sports coverage and integrated content.

PASPA provided a trio of states (Delaware, Montana, and Oregon) with partial exemptions. Each state in the union has a different approach to dealing with the market, and what’s accessible in one state may not be the same in another. Online gambling is a complicated and politicized issue in America. Terms & Conditions apply to all bonus offers advertised. Originally introduced in 2024 by Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY), and reintroduced in March 2025 by Tonko and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), the SAFE Bet Act would add minimum federal standards to current state law.

Top Sportsbooks by State Availability

“Skins” is an industry parlance for individually branded betting sites or apps operating off a single casino’s license. Customers are on their own when it comes to chasing down payments and dealing with rogue operators and illegal betting sites. When the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was passed in 2006 to block payments to online gambling sites, it specifically granted fantasy sports an exception from the law. A majority of states have legalized sports betting, and more attempt to do so each year. Below is a map of where sports betting is legal in the USA, and state-specific information after that.

Our Golden Globes betting guide explains how to wager on one of Hollywood’s biggest awards shows, covering popular film and television betting markets, futures, and entertainment prop bets. Learn how Academy Awards odds work, where eligible U.S. players can find betting markets, and what to know before wagering on Hollywood’s biggest night. Our Academy Awards betting guide explains how to bet on the Oscars, including popular markets like Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and entertainment prop bets. Our entertainment betting guide explores wagering on award shows, television competitions, celebrity events, and other pop culture markets. Select a state below to learn about its current laws, available sportsbooks, minimum age requirements and any restrictions that may apply.

In those days, horse racing was viewed differently from other sports betting types and was generally enjoyed by the elite society. In all other states with legal, online betting, 21 is the minimum age for betting. However, we’ve still gathered the most interesting information available about sports betting in each. Just click on your state for our expert review about the best betting sites and apps available near you!

There are only three major US federal gambling laws that affect US players who wish to participate in online casinos, poker rooms, sportsbooks, and racebooks. Many bettors think that legal online sportsbooks only offer the basics like NFL betting, NBA odds, NCAA action, various international fare, and so on. To enjoy legal sports betting, USA residents can bet on every contest the world over at the best offshore sportsbooks. The legal gambling age in each state is different (18-21), and some states have sports betting while others are limited to casino gaming, horse betting, or bingo and lotteries.

Online casinos are legal in the United States under federal law—however, states have the option to choose whether or not they offer online casino services, and many have opted not to. There are many ways to make money with legal sports betting, and the key is finding which one works best for you. Having knowledge about the composition of legal sports betting www.pokernewsdaily.com/sportsbooks/ in the United States is one thing, but knowing how to convert it into winnings. Several sportsbooks specialize in offering diverse prop betting lines, which some bettors prefer. North Carolina has opened the pre-registration window for bettors to sign up ahead of the March 11 launch of legal sports betting. Georgia, for example, has been attempting to pass legislation to legalize mobile sports betting in the Peach State.

It is the first time either operator has been available in the state, and it meaningfully widens what had been one of the thinnest markets in the country. DraftKings and FanDuel entered Arkansas as technology vendors, partnering with Southland and Oaklawn respectively. See the prediction markets section below for where that stands. Arizona is also one of the most aggressive states on prediction markets. Since the market already exists, why not put regulations on it to make it work towards our mutual benefit? One of the most stringent protocols for any gambling sector is age verification.

• Tennessee, Maine and Vermont are the only states that are online only, meaning they do not have legal retail sports betting.
• It is the first time either operator has been available in the state, and it meaningfully widens what had been one of the thinnest markets in the country.
• Oregon, Montana, Delaware and Nevada are the only four regions in the United States that are exempted from PASPA.
• The decision had wide-ranging implications for US sports betting.

Pennsylvania’s sports betting market is among the nation’s largest, with numerous online and retail sportsbooks contributing to substantial tax revenues. Ohio’s sports betting law includes provisions for both online and retail sportsbooks, with operations commencing on January 1, 2023. New Jersey’s sports betting market has become one of the largest in the U.S., with both online and retail sportsbooks generating significant revenue.

Online sports betting was originally registered at retail sportsbook, but that state law was officially changed March 5 of 2022. In Jan of 2021, Virginia launched legal online sports betting in its border. Early in 2023, seven legal online sportsbooks in Maryland launched legal betting on sports. There are a number of sportsbook operators, including BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings and FanDuel as the four largest sports betting sites. These New York online sportsbooks pay 51% of their revenue to the state, which is the largest sports betting tax in the US.

Do These Laws Target Individual Bettors?

DraftKings offers competitive odds, deep betting markets and daily boosts and promos for users of its highly-rated app. Legal sports betting being left to each individual state essentially created 50 sets of hurdles to clear. Missouri sports betting apps launched on Dec. 1, 2025. Unibet is an awarding-winning, mobile-first sportsbook available in more than 100 countries worldwide.

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.

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.

While a handful of retail sportsbooks opened their doors on Day 1 – Aug. 15 – William Hill (now Caesars Sportsbook) ended up being the first active online bookmaker, going live later in 2019. This means that before you can bet online, you must first visit your chosen sportsbook’s retail partner and set up the account in-person. However, as of December 2023, sports betting is once again live, with Hard Rock Bet being the primary online platform available to bettors in the state. Initially launched in November 2021, sports betting in Florida was quickly halted due to legal challenges surrounding the compact between the state and the Seminole Tribe.

The legal betting age here for online and offline betting is 21 years. These entered into competition with the online sportsbooks not based in Mississippi that continue operating there. Sports betting sites have been operating in Indiana for decades. Idaho does not have any offline sports betting, nor has it considered any such legislation recently. The offshore sportsbooks are also available in Delaware.

Most states allow college sports betting, but many restrict betting on in-state college teams. Wisconsin signed online betting into law on April 9, 2026 via AB 601 but online launch is not expected until 2027 or later pending tribal compact negotiations. 12 states still prohibit sports betting entirely.