Is gambling illegal in my state, or is sports betting legal in my state? Where is US online sports betting legal or legal in person? If you’ve come here wondering that, we’ve got you covered. It’s a common question amongst US-based sports bettors these days. As you may be aware, the State of New Jersey challenged the 1992 federal law banning sports betting outside Nevada — and won. That law was known as PASPA, or the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act.
New Jersey’s legal battle against the NCAA and the major pro sports leagues reached the United States Supreme Court in 2017 in a case known as Murphy v NCAA (formerly Christie v NCAA). On May 14, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of NJ in a 6-3 decision. Now that PASPA has been eliminated, states are free to legalize sports wagering, and some already have: New Jersey, Mississippi, Delaware, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island. Our sports betting legislation tracker is updated regularly. Check below the map, too, for links to relevant information in your state.
If you’ve come here looking for sportsbook reviews, check out the DraftKings Sportsbook review here and FanDuel Sportsbook breakdown here. For an history on federal and state gambling laws go back to the American Revolution, check out our article here.
Countrywide Sports Betting Bill Landscape
Hover over any state to find out what, if anything, is happening in terms of sports betting legalization there.
More Info by State
| STATE | STATUS | BILL/LEGISLATION | DATE | FURTHER DETAILS | SPONSOR(S) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No action | ||||
| Alaska | No action | ||||
| Arizona | Pending | In late January a new bill, SB 1158, hit the floor. It would legalize sports betting, only at "federally recognized Indian tribes" with a tribal-state compact with AZ. | Jan. 2019 | It does not address mobile sports betting and the definition of "sports betting" explicitly excludes "events prohibited" by the NCAA, which is a nebulous potential clause allowing the NCAA to prohibit betting on any/all events. | Three Republican senators. |
| Arkansas | Legal but not live | A referendum on the Nov. 6 2018 ballot allows several casinos to open and permit legal sports betting. Regulators may issue casino licenses to four casinos across the state, and those casinos could then offer gaming, including sports betting. | Nov. 2018 | Arkansas’ Issue 4 authorizes casinos in Crittenden, Garland, Pope, and Jefferson counties. Two of the licenses would automatically be granted to Southland Racing Corporation and Oaklawn Jockey Club. | Referendum |
| California | Pending | The proposed Assembly Constitutional Amendment 18 would authorize the state legislature to permit sports wagering. | June 2018 | The amendment would only take effect if the federal law (PASPA) is changed, i.e., repealed. | Assemblyman Adam Gray |
| Colorado | Pending | It seems inevitable but is a bit complicated. Some lawmakers believe that the state’s constitutional restrictions on gambling don’t apply to sports betting. Some lawmakers want to go through a ballot referendum process, which wouldn't happen until Nov. 2019, meaning 2020 for market opening. | Oct. 2018 | Some lawmakers may want to go for it in 2019, some may want to put it on the ballot and let them decide the particulars. | N/A |
| Connecticut | Pending | In 2018 there was a good amount of buzz and hearings but nothing to reach the floor for vote. So far in 2019, a pair of bills have been introduced, Senate Bill 17 and Senate Bill 665, to legalize. | February 2019 | The main holdup is resolving the tribal-state compact with respect to iGaming and sports betting. The state lottery also wants in, but the tribes insist they have exclusivity according to their compacts. | Sen. Catherine Osten [D] and others. |
| Delaware | Full-fledged wagering is legal and up and running as of June 5. | No additional legislation was necessary. Delaware Governor John Carney made the first non-Nevada single-game legal wager on June 5 -- a $10 bet on the Philadelphia Phillies. | Current | Currently single-game wagering allowed at the states' three casinos/racetracks: Dover Downs, Harrington Raceway and Casino and the Casino at Delaware Park. Retail locations in DE can offer NFL and college football wagering. No mobile wagering, but that's likely to come in the next few months. William Hill handle's DE's operations and risk-management. | N/A |
| Florida | No action | ||||
| Georgia | No action | ||||
| Hawaii | Pending | H 1107 would create the "Hawaii Sports Wagering Corporation" to examine The purpose of this Act is to create an online gaming task force to examine and recommend policy issues regarding sports betting and iGaming. | Jan. 2019 | When in doubt, create a task force. Bill is in committee. | |
| Idaho | No action | ||||
| Illinois | Pending | On Feb. 20, Governor Pritzker included $200 million the budget for FY 2020, saying, " I am calling on the legislature to take this up immediately so that Illinois can realize hundreds of millions of dollars, create new jobs, and bring sports betting into a regulated environment that will protect citizens from bad actors." | Feb. 2019 | Last year various hearings were held but no bill made it to vote. There's probably a new bill coming soon from Rep. Bob Rita, who has been leading the issue. | TBD |
| Indiana | Pending | There's multiple bills on the table and lawmakers appear serious about legalizing this year, perhaps as part of a major omnibus gaming package. | Feb. 2019 | The omnibus legislation, Senate Bill 552, would allow the state’s gambling facilities to offer in-person and online/mobile wagering, but it also calls for using official data from the sports leagues for in-game wagers. Read more here. | Sen. Jon Ford (R-Terre Haute), Sen. Mark Messmer and Rep. Alan Morrison are the key sponsors. |
| Iowa | Pending | There are a whole bunch of bills; the current front-runner is SSB 1168. | Feb. 2019 | The tax rate and fees not addressed in SSB1168. State-wide mobile allowed, but in-person registration, which is stupid, would be required until 2021. | Senator Roby Smith |
| Kansas | Pending | Lots of activity in 2018, now in 2019 there's HB 2032, which requires sports betting at racetracks only, solely on premises. | Feb. 2019 | A late January hearing before the Committee on Federal and State Affairs was canceled. | Rep. Stan Frownfelter (D-37) |
| Kentucky | Pending | There's now three bills in the legislature with different approaches. The most recent, by Rep. Adam Koenig, HB 175, would legalize sports betting, online poker, and fantasy sports. | Feb. 2019 | The state's racetracks would be allowed to offer betting on site and via mobile apps. This bill would require that people register for an account at a track or possibly other venues. | Senator Julian M. Carroll (D-7), Rep. Adam Koenig (R-69) are key players. |
| Louisiana | Pending | Last year there were couple bills in the legislature addressing sports wagering, but they failed in committee. The new session begins on April 8, when we expect new bills that would legalize. Especially with lots of Louisianans heading to Mississippi to make legal wagers. | Feb. 2019 | Daily fantasy sports were legalized in Nov. 2018 in most Louisiana parishes. | Rep. Major Thibaut (HB 245); Sen. Danny Martiny. |
| Maine | Pending | Several bills were introduced in January, however none have gone anywhere. | Jan. 2019 | One bill, SP 175, "proposes to ensure proper oversight of sports betting." | N/A |
| Maryland | Pending | In 2018, the House of Delegates passed a bill that would have sent legalization to the November ballot, however it died. in the Senate. | Feb. 2019 | It's at least likely that the state constitution will not permit legalization without voter approval. Some lawmakers are now looking for an end around on that possible limitation. Absent that, it may not be until 2021 that Maryland could see legal sports betting. | Delegates Frank Turner, Jason Buckel and others |
| Massachusetts | Pending | Before the filing deadline in January, the state saw four different bills get filed with varying approaches. One, favored by Gov. Charlie Baker (R), would allow mobile sports betting throughout the state, tax 10 percent on brick-and-mortar casino betting revenue and 12.5 percent for online sportsbooks. | Feb. 2019 | In March '18, the state's Gaming Commission issued a report with respect to sports wagering outlining various considerations, regulatory models, potential revenue and more. | Among others, Senator Brendan Crighton (D-3rd Essex) for SD 903. |
| Michigan | Pending | The legislature passed Brandt Iden's sports betting and iGaming bill at the end of 2018, however the outgoing governor vetoed it. Iden will press on this session. | Feb. 2019 | Despite the DOJ reversal on the Wire Act, Iden reiterated that Michigan is moving forward with another stab at online gambling. There’s real promise this year, thanks to a newly elected governor who many feel will be receptive, and thus supportive, of a plan to modernize Michigan’s casino market and protect consumers from offshore, black-market platforms. | Brandt Iden (R-District 61) |
| Minnesota | Pending | Rep. Pat Garofolo will introduce a bill that legalizes sports wagering on premises of tribal casinos, only. | Feb. 2019 | Garofalo’s bill is the Safe and Regulated Sports Gambling Act of 2019. It's unclear if tribes in the state will support the measure. | Rep. Pat Garofalo |
| Mississippi | Legal | House Bill 967 legalized sports fantasy betting (Fantasy Contest Act) in the state and also included language that legalized sports betting in Mississippi casinos if PASPA was overturned. It was, and the MS market launched in August 2018. | August 2018 | Over 20 brick-and-mortar casinos are now open for business with sportsbooks. There's an effort in the legislature to allow mobile sports betting throughout the state,. | Representatives Bennett, Ladner, Barnett, Dixon, Sykes, and Eure |
| Missouri | Pending | There's several bills bouncing around the legislature, with various degrees of support. The one by Lincoln Hough (SB 222) may be the current front-runner. | Feb. 2019 | Missouri Gaming Commission would become the regulatory body. Hough’s bill calls for a 6.75 percent tax on adjusted gross revenue, and allows for statewide mobile. A source from Hough’s office said he’s feeling “positive” as the bill moves forward. From here, the bill should be forwarded to the full Senate for discussion. | Sen. Denny Hoskins (R-District 21) and Sen. Lincoln Hough (R-30) |
| Montana | Pending: Montana was one of four states (along with Nevada, Delaware and Oregon) to have their grandfathered under PASPA because they all allowed some form of sports betting at the time of its enactment. | Two bills are planned that would open up the market and legalize at Tribal casinos. One would allow betting at kiosks but not casinos, while another favors mobile vs. brick and mortar betting. | Feb. 2019 | Still very much up in the air | Mark Blasdel (R-4) and Kenneth Bogner (D-19) |
| Nebraska | No action | ||||
| Nevada | Legal, very legal | Current | Set a new record in Oct. 2018 for total betting handle and gross revenue by the sportsbooks: $56.3 million hold on a handle of $571 million. | ||
| New Hampshire | Pending | Recently-introduced HB 480 would allow wagering at racetracks, allow mobile sports betting, and give regulatory authority to the Division of Sports Wagering. | Feb. 2019 | No betting on collegiate athletics. | Tim Lang (R-Belknap 4. |
| New Jersey | Legal | The Assembly and Senate unanimously passed bills on June 7 to legalize sports betting in New Jersey. Governor Phil Murphy signed the bill (A4111) into law on June 11. Monmouth Park took the state's first legal wager on June 14. Bill imposes 8.5 percent tax on in-person wagers and 13 percent on internet/mobile wagers. | Nov. 2018 | There's now 11 retail sportsbooks in the state and 13 online sportsbooks. Betting handle | Assembly members Eric Houghtaling (D-11), Joann Downey, (D-11) as well as John Burzichelli (D-3); Senate Majority Leader Stephen M. Sweeney (D-03) on the senate side; former Senator Raymond Lesniak a champion throughout. |
| New Mexico | Legal-ish | It's a bit interesting and complicated if not controversial. In mid-October, the Santa Ana Star Casino outside Albuquerque opened a retail sportsbook. | Oct. 2018 | While the New Mexico legislature has not legalized gambling, under the language of the Tribal-state compact, state officials and the casino believe they were free to go ahead and offer sports betting, a Class III gaming activity. So far the state has not intervene. Elsewhere, the N.M. lottery is planning to roll out a game tied to sports. | N/A |
| New York | Pending | It's complicated. There is language in the Upstate New York Gaming Development Act of 2013 that would permit sports betting at the four commercial casinos, but not online/mobile. Regulations are in the works to move forward here. | Feb. 2019 | Although the NYS constitution might require an amendment and voter approval to open up the market for online betting, lawmakers are looking for a workaround. | Sen. Joseph Addabbo and Assembly Member J. Gary Pretlow |
| North Carolina | No action | ||||
| North Dakota | Pending | Two bills to legalize are on the table. One of them, HB 1254, cleared the House and will go to the state | Feb. 20 2019 | One would allow Tribal casinos and "charitable" outfits to offer sports betting. The other would open up the state to mobile sports wagering, but more details remain to be seen. | Jason Docktor (R-7) and Thomas Beadle (R-27) |
| Ohio | Pending | Ohio policymakers are taking their time behind the scenes crafting a potential sports betting framework, all in an effort to hopefully expedite the process once it formally hits the legislative table. | Feb. 2019 | Legislation is the works right now and could be introduced in the first half of March, according to Buckeye State Sen. John Eklund, a Republican who has already put his name on a shell bill that signaled Ohio’s intent to take up this issue this year. Eklund is the chair of the Senate’s Ways and Means Committee. | Sen. John Eklund (R-18) and Sean O'Brien (D-32) are leading the way. |
| Oklahoma | Pending | In a holding pattern. In 2018, House Bill 337 would have allowed for sports wagering, had sports betting language removed by amendment before it ultimately passed. | Feb. 2019 | There won't be sports betting in Oklahoma until tribal-state compacts are worked out to mutual satisfaction. The state's 60 tribal casinos have generated more than $100 million annually for the state every year since 2009. | N/A |
| Oregon | Believed to be fully legal but so far regulators have not made licenses available or implemented new regulations. | Oregon's Sports Action Lottery, which allowed parlay wagering on NFL and NBA games at times from 1989-2007, was grandfathered in under PASPA. The State Lottery now has plans to roll out a sports betting game on its app for Sept. 2019. | Sept. 2018 | The state lottery commission believes that with PASPA's falls, it has broad authority to introduce and remove sports wagering games as it sees fit. Additional legislation may or may not be necessary, but regulations will be. | N/A |
| Pennsylvania | Legal | In 2017 the Pennsylvania legislature passed HB271 -- a robust gambling bill that allows online gambling and licensed sports betting. There's a $10 million licensure fee and a 36 percent tax on operators. | Feb. 2019 | Off and running. There's now 6 brick-and-mortar sportsbooks open and mobile/online sportsbooks should become available around March Madness 2019. | Representative Jason Ortitay(R) was primary sponsor with bipartisan co-sponsors. |
| Rhode Island | Legal | Legalized in 2018 at the state's two casinos, Twin River in Lincoln and the Tiverton, which launched in late 2018. | Feb. 2019 | SB 37 by Dominick Ruggerio passed in Feb. 2019, adding mobile betting to existing brick-and-mortar legal sports betting. However, patrons must register in person for betting accounts. | Dominick Ruggerio (D-4) |
| South Carolina | Pending | Two bills have had a first read and are sitting in Senate Judiciary Committee. | Jan. 2019 | One proposes a constitutional amendment to allow sports betting (SB 57), the other would create a sports betting study committee (SB 71). | Gerald Malloy (D-29) |
| South Dakota | No action | ||||
| Tennessee | Pending | HB0001 would create Tennessee Gaming Commission, allow mobile wagering but require in-person account registration. | Feb. 2019 | 10% tax rate on gross sports wagering revenue. Possibly would require a county by county choice on the matter. Unclear how many licenses would be available for different sportsbooks. | Rick Staples (D-15) |
| Texas | Pending | The legislation, HB 1275, would only take effect on Jan. 1, 2020 if a proposed constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to legalize sports betting in the state is approved by voters. A referendum would happen in November of this year, under the proposal. The number of permits would be capped at five. | Feb. 2019 | As for taxes, the bill says: “A tax of 6.25% is imposed on each bet placed by a sports bettor." That's pretty huge. | Rep. Eddie Lucio III (D) |
| Utah | No action | ||||
| Vermont | No action | ||||
| Virginia | Pending | There's (at least) three bills on the table. HB 1638, HB 2210, SB 1238, in a state with no casinos and one racetrack. | Feb. 2018 | The various bills would allow mobile sports wagering statewide, one with a cap of 5 total licenses. The session ends on 2/23 so it's very unlikely legalization occurs this year. | Mark Sickles (D-43), Marcus Simon (D-53), Chapman Petersen (D-34) |
| Washington | Pending | There's two House bills in the legislature, HB 1992 the other HB 1975. HB 1992 would legalize sports betting at horse tracks, OTBs and tribal casinos. | Feb. 2019 | There's been a couple hearings. The bills will face stiff opposition from the tribal casinos who aren't in any rush and want exclusivity. | Joe Schmick (R-9) and Eric Pettigrew (D-37) |
| West Virginia | Legal | Senate Bill 415, aka the "West Virginia Lottery Sports Wagering Act" passed in March, legalizing sports betting in the Mountain State. | Sept. 2018 | The bill allows the state's five existing casino/racetracks to open sportsbooks. All of them have done so, and all of them have launched mobile sportsbooks, as permitted. Tax rate is 10% on gross sports betting revenue. | Senate Majority Leader Ryan Ferns with co-sponsors. |
| Wisconsin | No action | ||||
| Wyoming | No action | ||||
| District of Columbia | Legal, Pending | The Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act of 2018 legalized sports betting in D.C. The Council voted in February to bypass an RFP process and award a sole-source contract to Intralot to roll out the city's only mobile sportsbook. | Feb. 2019 | Sportsbooks will be allowed the city's pro sports arenas and possibly at certain businesses/restaurants outside "exclusivity" zones. The regulating body to be the D.C.’s Office of Lottery and Gaming, which currently oversees the city’s lottery. | Councilmember Jack Evans (Ward 2), Chairman of the D.C. Council’s Finance & Revenue Committee. |
