Prior to a major Supreme Court ruling in May 2018, Nevada was the online state in the country that allowed legal betting on sports. Fast-forward to September 2022, and over 30 states have legal online sports betting, with even more in the process of trying to get it legalized. With so many locations trying to pass legislation and evolve mobile sports betting on a state level, it can be hard to remember which states have legalized sports betting, whether it is in-person betting or online.
Here’s a state-by-state examination of where the country stands on sports gambling, as of 2022. And remember, if you live in a state where sports gambling is legal, check out SportsLine for expert predictions.
Alabama: Not legal.
The state has proposed multiple bills, including one in 2021, but all have been shot down. Alabama currently doesn’t have any commercial casinos.
Alaska: Not legal.
In 2020, the state put legalizing sports betting under consideration and Gov. Mike Dunleavy even showed support for the bill. However, the COVID-19 pandemic put an end to its consideration and the bill ended up expiring in May 2020.
Arizona: Legal.
Sports betting became legal on April 15, 2021. The legislation in place permits 20 operators in Arizona.
Arkansas: Legal.
The state’s first official sportsbook (Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort) began operating in July of 2021, and there will be multiple others on the way, though the state is still prohibiting mobile online wagering.
California: Not legal.
Two propositions on the November 2022 ballot regarding legal online sports betting.
Colorado: Legal.
Colorado became the 19th state to legalize betting and as of May 1, 2020 multiple operators allowed residents to open accounts online and place wagers.
In the 2020 election, Colorado expanded both the number and type of casino games it is able to offer. The state also eliminated some wagering limits.
Connecticut: Legal.
Sports betting is officially allowed in Connecticut as of September 30, 2021.
Delaware: Legal.
Less than a month after the Supreme Court’s decision, Delaware moved to fully legalize sports betting. Three casinos began operating sportsbooks in June and the state is looking to add additional locations as well as mobile betting.
Florida: It’s complicated. Sports betting was temporarily approved and legal, but now it is awaiting another launch due to a legal issue
Lawmakers in Florida approved sports betting in 2021. However, lawsuits in court have delayed the official beginning of betting in the state. Just three weeks after being approved, and accepting bets briefly, a judge ruled that an agreement between the state and the Seminole Tribe was illegal. The Seminole Tribe and Hard Rock Sportsbook had launched online sports betting on Nov. 1, 2021, but the app was shut down due to the ongoing legal battle.
Georgia: Not legal.
Efforts to get a motion passed in 2022 failed. There is optimism a new motion will be brought up in 2023 that will legalize Georgia sports betting.
Hawaii: Not legal.
A bill was proposed in January of 2019 that would’ve allowed for the regulation of sports gambling through a newly-established corporation, but the bill was denied.
Idaho: Not legal.
No legislation proposed.
Illinois: Legal.
Legislation was passed in June to allow sports gambling, though in-state collegiate games will be off-limits under the new law. It will make gambling lawful in a variety of locations both in-person (including at Wrigley Field) and online. Bets were allowed in the state as of March 9, 2020.
Indiana: Legal.
Wagering on pro and college sports became legal in September of 2019 with both mobile and in-person betting permitted at multiple locations.
Iowa: Legal.
Iowa legalized sports gambling in 2019, with multiple sites beginning to take bets at the end of that summer. State law allows for betting on both pro and college sports.
Kansas: Legal.
Legal online sports betting launched in Kansas on July 1, 2022.
Kentucky: Not legal, but legislation proposed.
Efforts to get motion passed in 2022 failed. There is no word yet as to whether there are plans to propose a new plan to legalize Kentucky sports betting in 2023.
Louisiana: Legal.
Retail sports betting launched in October 2021 in many parishes. Mobile sports betting launched in January 2022.
Maine: Not legal, but legislation proposed.
Legislation to legalize online sports betting passed in May 2022, but a launch date has not been set yet.
Maryland: Legal
Following results of the 2020 election, Maryland approved sports betting.
In December 2021, Baltimore-area casinos began allowing in-person sports betting. Horseshoe Casino Baltimore and Live! Casino and Hotel Maryland were among the casinos to have sportsbooks open on their grounds.
Massachusetts: Not legal.
A number of sports betting legalization bills were introduced in 2019, including one from the governor that would allow residents anywhere in the state to place mobile sports wagers (not tied to land-based casinos) or bet in-person at two newly opened in-state casinos.
In 2021, the Massachusetts State Senate session finished without discussing a sports betting bill.
Michigan: Legal.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed bills in late 2019 that allow for both sports betting and online gaming in the state. Casinos in the state started taking wagers in March of 2020.
Minnesota: Not legal.
Legislation to legalize Minnesota sports betting passed in August 2022, but a launch date has not been set yet.
Mississippi: Legal.
The first sports bets in Mississippi were placed on August 1, 2018. The state enacted a law in 2017 that allowed for sports betting.
Missouri: Not legal, but legislation proposed.
Missouri had several sports betting bills introduced in recent years but the state hasn’t taken action on them yet. They have been stalled at the state legislature level.
Montana: Legal.
Legal sports betting arrived in the state as of March 2020. Sportsbooks are regulated through the state lottery.
Nebraska: Legal.
In the 2020 election, Nebraska authorized adding casino games at its horse racing tracks. Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island, Columbus and South Sioux City will allow casino games at racetracks.
In early 2020, state senator Justin Wayne introduced a bill classifying sports betting as “authorized games of skill” that would allow sports wagering, fantasy sports and poker in Nebraska.
Governor Pete Ricketts legalized sports betting and put it into law on May 25, 2021, though it will only be in-person.
Nevada: Legal.
Obviously.
New Hampshire: Legal.
New Hampshire joined the list of states with legalized sports betting on the second day of 2020. The state agreed to a six-year contract with DraftKings, so mobile sportsbooks can be utilized throughout the state.
New Jersey: Legal.
New Jersey long advocated for legalized sports gambling and was responsible for the case that led to the federal reversal from the Supreme Court. As such, they wasted no time in legalizing sports gambling after the decision, opening the state’s first sportsbooks on June 14, 2018. Atlantic City and the MetLife Stadium, among other locations, now offer legalized sports wagering.
New Mexico: Legal… kind of.
Under the current state laws, sports betting isn’t explicitly prohibited, nor is it a prohibited Class III game in the gaming compacts shared between tribes and the state. This has allowed the Pueblo of Santa Ana tribe to open their own not-outright-legal-but-also-not-technically-illegal sportsbook at its in-state casino. Sports gambling is legal at the Santa Ana Star Casino Hotel and four other tribal casinos
New York: Legal.
New York actually passed a bill all the way back in 2013 that made sports gambling legal at the state level, but the state didn’t open its first official sportsbook until July of 2019. As of now, a majority of the legal sports wagering comes via upstate casinos, but online is expected soon.
But on Jan. 8, 2022, mobile sports betting will be legal in New York. Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, FanDuel and Rush Street Interactive are the four sportsbooks that will offer mobile betting in the state. The five other sportsbooks licensed in the state, but not available at launch, are Resorts World, PointsBet, WynnBET, Bally Bet and BetMGM.
North Carolina: Legal.
Gambling in North Carolina is run exclusively through the Cherokee tribe, and the state passed a bill in July of 2019 that will permit sports gambling (including horse racing) to be part of that monopoly. Sports betting launched on March 18, 2021.
North Dakota: Not legal, but legislation proposed.
Tribal casino betting only. The last effort to legalize North Dakota sports betting was in 2019 and was unsuccessful.
Ohio: Legal.
In December 2021, sports betting became legal in Ohio after Gov. Mike DeWine signed it into law. However, it’s expected that Ohio residents won’t be able to place any wagers until Jan. 1, 2023 at the earliest.
Oklahoma: Legal, not yet launched.
Effort to get sports betting in Oklahoma legalized in 2022 failed. There is no word yet as to whether a new motion will be proposed in 2023.
Oregon: Legal.
Oregon didn’t need to pass new legislation because they already had limited sports betting legality established at the state level, but they didn’t officially start taking bets until August of 2019.
Pennsylvania: Legal.
Six months after the Supreme Court reversal, Pennsylvania took its first legal sports bet at a casino sportsbook in 2018. Additional licenses have since been handed out and mobile/online wagering is also accepted in-state.
Rhode Island: Legal.
Rhode Island also opened its first sportsbook six months after the U.S Supreme Court’s decision and currently offers sports gambling exclusively at two in-state casinos, but online/mobile betting is still on its way.
South Carolina: Not legal, but legislation proposed.
Gambling in South Carolina is restricted solely to casino riverboats but state legislature has proposed bills in consecutive years that would open the door to sports gambling. No action has been taken yet.
South Dakota: In the 2020 election, South Dakota approved sports betting.
Four casinos in Deadwood began accepting sports bets on Sept. 9, 2021. In 2021, legislators passed legislation that legalized sports betting in Deadwood. However, bettors must bet on the property of those four casinos. There’s no word when mobile sports betting will be available in the state.
Tennessee: Legal.
The Tennessee state legislature approved a sports betting bill in the spring of 2019 that will only allow betting online and on mobile apps. The state began allowing mobile sports betting on Nov. 1, 2021.
Texas: Not legal, but legislation proposed.
In 2021, a sports betting bill was proposed but not legalized.
Utah: Not legal.
And very unlikely to happen.
Vermont: Not legal, but legislation proposed.
Very little gambling is permitted in Vermont to begin with, but there is a proposed bill to legalize mobile sports wagering in-state. A bill was considered in 2021, but didn’t get legalized.
Virginia: Legal.
In April of 2020 sports betting was legalized in Virginia and the bill passed by state legislature should lead to Virginia sportsbook apps going live by the end of 2020. In the 2020 election, Virginia approved casino gambling in four locations. Bristol, Danville, Portsmouth and Norfolk all approved ballot measures authorizing casinos in the 2020 election.
Washington: Legal.
The state passed legislation in early 2020 to permit sports gambling at tribal casinos in-state. The state does not allow for mobile/online wagering.
Washington D.C.: Legal.
The Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act of 2018 became effective as of May of 2019, and the city has launched its sports wagering app and website that is run by the DC Lottery.
West Virginia: Legal.
In August of 2018, West Virginia became the fifth state to legalize sports gambling. The state offers both in-person and online sports wagering.
Wisconsin: Retail authorized.
Governor Tony Evers signed an agreement allowing for in-person and mobile app betting while at Oneida Nation’s gaming locations.
Wyoming: Legal.
On September 1, 2021, legal sports betting went live in the state.
