Sports betting legislation tracker in the United States of America
Is gambling illegal in my state, or is sports betting legal in my state? Where can I place a sports bet, either online or in person? If you’ve come here wondering any of that, we’ve got you covered. It’s a common question amongst US-based sports bettors these days, with a possible tide turn coming regarding legal sports betting.
As you may be aware, the State of New Jersey has challenged the 1992 federal law banning sports betting outside Nevada. That law is 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 has reached the United States Supreme Court, in a case known as Murphy v NCAA (formerly Christie v NCAA). A decision is coming this spring. If New Jersey wins, PASPA may get fully eliminated, which is why all these states lighting up below are preparing legislation to create legal, regulated sports betting frameworks.
Our sports betting legislation tracker is updated (almost) daily with the latest sports betting legislative developments, and sports betting regulation updates. Check below the map, too, for links to relevant information in your state. For an history on federal and state gambling laws go back to the American Revolution, check out our article here.
| STATE | STATUS | BILL/LEGISLATION | DATE | FURTHER DETAILS | SPONSOR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No action | ||||
| Alaska | No action | ||||
| Arizona | No action | ||||
| Arkansas | No action | ||||
| California | Pending | The proposed Assembly Constitutional Amendment 18 would authorize the state legislature to permit sports wagering. | June 2017 | The amendment would only take effect if the federal law (PASPA) is changed, i.e., repealed. | Assemblyman Adam Gray |
| Colorado | No action | ||||
| Connecticut | Pending | House Bill 6948 asks a state commission to outline a regulatory framework for sports betting in anticipation of PASPA being overturned. In February, the Public Safety & Security Committee sponsored HB 5307, which would task the Commissioner of Consumer Protection with "adopting regulations ... to regulate wagering on sporting events." | March 2018 | Connecticut legislators conducted a hearing with various stakeholders in early March to evaluate how to proceed with sports betting legislation. A bill is probably coming soon. | Representative Joe Verrengia led the hearing before the Public Safety and Security Committee. |
| Delaware | Legal on limited basis; only parlay wagering on NFL games is permitted. | The state's most recent attempt to fully legalize, Senate Bill 183, died in committee in 2016. | January 2018 | Officials do not believe that additional legislation is required to implement single-game wagering. “But we are having our attorneys review just to be sure" said director of the Delaware Lottery Vernon Kirk. | This '16 bill was a bipartisan effort comprised of 12 Democratic and Republican lawmakers. |
| Florida | No action | ||||
| Georgia | No action | ||||
| Hawaii | Pending | Bills in both the House (HB 927 ) and Senate (SB 677) are contemplating legalization. | January 2017 | HB 927 calls for the establishment of a commission to analyze the possibility of gaming in Hawaii. SB677 would create the Hawaii Internet lottery and gaming corporation for the purpose of conducting internet gambling in the state. After their introduction, both bills were referred to committees. | Representative John Mizuno (HB 927 ) and Senator Will Espero (SB677) |
| Idaho | No action | ||||
| Illinois | Pending | SB 2478 would create the Sports Betting Consumer Protection Act, legalizing sports betting in the event that federal law does not prohibit such (i.e. PASPA gets repealed). | February 2018 | The bill shows a clear focus on creating a mobile/online component for sports betting. Another bill, SB 3432, proposed by Sen. Napoleon Harris, would give sports leagues an "integrity fee." | Chief Sponsor Changed to Sen. Steve Stadelman (previously Don Harmon) |
| Indiana | Moving forward, potentially groundbreaking | Senate Bill No. 405 would authorize sports wagering on riverboats, racinos, and satellite facilities after the Indiana gaming commission determines that current federal prohibitions on sports wagering are no longer applicable; House Bill 1325 would do the same, also if federal law changes. | January 2018 | Ford and Morrison (at right) authored and sponsored Indiana's daily fantasy sports bill (SB 339) in 2016, signed by then-governor Mike Pence. The House version of the sports betting bill includes an "integrity fee" provision that would give sports leagues 1% of all wagers on their league's games. After hearing backlash on the 1% fee, lawmakers may be pumping brakes. | Sen. Jon Ford (R-Terre Haute) introduced SB 405 and by Indiana Rep. Alan Morrison (R-District 42) authored HB 1325. |
| Iowa | Pending | House File 2448, which would legalize sports betting, is making its way through committees. | March 2018 | In its current form, the state's state Racing and Gaming Commission would handle regulatory matters and a tiered 7.66% tax rate would apply to gaming revenue. The NBA and MLB are lobbying here (as in other states) for an "integrity fee" and control of data used to grade wagers. | Representative Ken Rizer (R-Marion) with Local Government subcommittee chairman Jake Highfill (R-Johnston) doing some work. |
| Kansas | Pending | The bare-bones House Bill 2533 would allow wagering on professional and collegiate sports | January 2018 | The bill would limit sports betting to Kansas racetracks, which HB 2545 looks to revive | Kansas’s Committee on Federal and State Affairs |
| Kentucky | Pending | SB 22 would require the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission to institute a sports wagering system. | January 2018 | The law would task the horse racing commission with regulatory, licensure and compliance regulations for sports wagering at horse tracks. The bill was introduced to the Appropriations & Revenue committee and so far has not advanced. | Senator Julian M. Carroll (D-Frankfort) |
| Louisiana | Pending | There's a couple bills in the legislature addressing sports wagering. They include HB 245, which would "Authorize additional games and sports betting at eligible live horse racing facilities." (more here.) | March 2018 | Other bills include SB 266 and SB 398, which call for a statewide referendum on sports betting. | Rep. Major Thibaut (HB 245). |
| Maine | No action | ||||
| Maryland | Pending | HB 1014, which passed in the House of Delegates, calls for the issue of sports betting in Maryland to be put on the November ballot (if PASPA gets repealed) as a referendum for voters to decide. It's currently in committee in the senate. | March 2018 | The bill would give the State Lottery and Gaming Commission the ability to issue “certain sports wagering licenses." | Delegates Frank Turner, Jason Buckel and others |
| Massachusetts | Percolating | State senator Eileen Donoghue has a proposed bill (SD 2480), which would would create a committee to study, regulate and examine taxation of legal sports betting in Massachusetts (if PASPA gets struck). | March 2018 | In early March, the state's Gaming Commission issued a report with respect to sports wagering outlining various considerations, regulatory models, potential revenue and more. | Eileen Donoghue (D-First Middlesex District) |
| Michigan | Pending | House Bills 4060, 4261 and 4338 all pertain to sports betting. HR 4060 would amend the Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act to allow the holder of a casino license to accept wagers on sporting events; HR 4338 would allow parlay wagering; HR 4261 would allow simulcast wagers on horse racing in licensed casinos. | March 2017 | All three measures have been referred to the Committee on Regulatory Reform. | Representative Robert Kosowski |
| Minnesota | Percolating | Previous bills failed but recently Rep. Pat Garofolo said he plans to introduce legislation to legalize sports betting. In late January on Twitter, he teased a forthcoming bill | January 2018 | “A draft version of the legislation is complete,” Garofalo said. “As it goes through the process, I expect that stakeholders will modify it from its current form.” | (Probably) Rep. Pat Garofalo |
| Mississippi | Pending | House Bill 967 legalized sports fantasy betting (Fantasy Contest Act) in the state and also included language that would legalize sports betting in Mississippi casinos if PASPA is overturned. | March, 2017 | “We did make modifications to Gaming Control Act that would allow for the Gaming Commission to regulate sports betting if it were ever to be overturned at the federal level,” said Rep. Scott DeLano. | Governor Phil Bryant signed the bill, although he opposes sports betting in Mississippi. |
| Missouri | Pending | House Bill 2320 is pretty skinny but a start for implementing legal sports betting. It tasks the Missouri Gaming Commission with creating rules and regulations. There's also the 'Missouri Video Lottery Control Act' (SB 767), which could serve as the sports betting vehicle. A more recent pair of sister House-Senate bills dubbed the 'Comprehensive Missouri Sports Betting and Sports Protection Act' gives MLB and the NBA everything they're asking for in terms of money and control. | March 2018 | The state appears to be backing away from the Comprehensive Missouri 'Sports Betting and Sports Protection Act.' | Rep. Bart Korman (R-High Hill) for HB 2320; Sen. Denny Hoskins (R-District 21) has sponsored Senate Bill 1013 and Rep. Dean Plocher (R-St. Louis) House Bill 2535. |
| Montana | Legal on a very limited basis | 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. | Current | In 2008, Montana began its "Montana Sports Action" which is basically a form of fantasy sports, offering through the state lottery. | |
| Nebraska | No action | ||||
| Nevada | Legal, very legal | Current | |||
| New Hampshire | No action | ||||
| New Jersey | Pending | It's all coming down to the Supreme Court case, Murphy v NCAA (formerly Christie v NCAA). | December 2017 (oral argument in the case) | New Jersey partially repealed its sports betting prohibitions in 2014 -- the impetus for the blockbuster lawsuit that's made its way to the Supreme Court. If the SCOTUS decision lifts PASPA, the Garden State will move quickly to implement sports betting at Atlantic City casinos and at its racetracks. | Senator Raymond Lesniak |
| New Mexico | No action | ||||
| New York | Pending | The most recent effort is Senate Bill S7900, which looks like the most promising bill we've seen yet. It was introduced by Chairman of the Committee on Racing, Gaming and Wagering, John Bonacic (R-42nd District). This bill reflects recent discussions at a January hearing and offers some concessions to the sports leagues. Also Senate Bill 1282 and Assembly Bill 5438 would authorize sports betting at facilities in racetracks, casinos and off-track betting sites in New York State. | March 2018 | S7900 would likely head to the Finance Committee next. 5438 and 1282 are are in committees in their respective chambers. There is also language in the Upstate New York Gaming Development Act of 2013 that contemplates sports betting at state casinos if federal law changes. | Multiple co-sponsors |
| North Carolina | No action | ||||
| North Dakota | No action | ||||
| Ohio | No action | ||||
| Oklahoma | Pending | House Bill 3375 would expand the state-tribe compact to allow for sports wagering (except on horse racing and other contests involving animals). | February 2018 | The bill passed the Appropriations and Budget Committee in late February and will go to House floor. | Representative Kevin Wallace (R-Wellston). |
| Oregon | Legal but limited under federal law | Oregon's “Sports Action Lottery," which allowed parlay wagering on NFL and NBA games at times from 1989-2007, was grandfathered in under PASPA. | Eliminated in 2007 | Seeking to host NCAA basketball tournament games in the state, Oregon discontinued Sports Action in 2007. | |
| Pennsylvania | Passed, pending | The Pennsylvania Assembly passed HB271 -- a robust gambling bill that would allow online gambling and permit licensed sports betting — if or when federal law allows it. | October 2017 | Governor Tom Wolf signed Pennsylvania's sports betting bill but questions remain about the taxes and fees the law imposes on would-be operators. | Representative Jason Ortitay(R) was primary sponsor with bipartisan co-sponsors |
| Rhode Island | Pending | Governor Gina Raimondo is in favor of legalizing sports betting while Senate President Dominick Ruggiero has introduced initial legislation to get the ball rolling. | January 2018 | Senate Bill 2045 is on to committee. Raimondo actually included potential proceeds of $23.5M in the state budget -- a number projected by Department of Revenue Spokesman Paul Grimaldi. | Bi-partisan bill sponsored by Ruggiero. |
| South Carolina | Pending | House Bill 3102 would amend the state constitution to allow South Carolina to regulate sports betting. | January 2017 | The bill was referred to the Judiciary Committee. | Representative J. Todd Rutherford |
| South Dakota | No action | ||||
| Tennessee | No action | ||||
| Texas | No action | ||||
| Utah | No action | ||||
| Vermont | No action | ||||
| Virginia | No action | ||||
| Washington | No action | ||||
| West Virginia | Passed, pending | Senate Bill 415, the "West Virginia Lottery Sports Wagering Act" has passed. | March 2018 | The bill would legalize sports betting at the states five existing casino/racetracks only, and allow approved mobile sports betting. Applicable tax rate on operators would be 10%. It will become effective if PASPA is lifted. | Senate Majority Leader Ryan Ferns with co-sponsors |
| Wisconsin | No action | ||||
| Wyoming | No action |
| STATE | STATUS | BILL/LEGISLATION | DATE | FURTHER DETAILS | SPONSOR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No action | ||||
| Alaska | No action | ||||
| Arizona | No action | ||||
| Arkansas | No action | ||||
| California | Pending | The proposed Assembly Constitutional Amendment 18 would authorize the state legislature to permit sports wagering. | June 2017 | The amendment would only take effect if the federal law (PASPA) is changed, i.e., repealed. | Assemblyman Adam Gray |
| Colorado | No action | ||||
| Connecticut | Pending | House Bill 6948 asks a state commission to outline a regulatory framework for sports betting in anticipation of PASPA being overturned. In February, the Public Safety & Security Committee sponsored HB 5307, which would task the Commissioner of Consumer Protection with "adopting regulations ... to regulate wagering on sporting events." | March 2018 | Connecticut legislators conducted a hearing with various stakeholders in early March to evaluate how to proceed with sports betting legislation. A bill is probably coming soon. | Representative Joe Verrengia led the hearing before the Public Safety and Security Committee. |
| Delaware | Legal on limited basis; only parlay wagering on NFL games is permitted. | The state's most recent attempt to fully legalize, Senate Bill 183, died in committee in 2016. | January 2018 | Officials do not believe that additional legislation is required to implement single-game wagering. “But we are having our attorneys review just to be sure" said director of the Delaware Lottery Vernon Kirk. | This '16 bill was a bipartisan effort comprised of 12 Democratic and Republican lawmakers. |
| Florida | No action | ||||
| Georgia | No action | ||||
| Hawaii | Pending | Bills in both the House (HB 927 ) and Senate (SB 677) are contemplating legalization. | January 2017 | HB 927 calls for the establishment of a commission to analyze the possibility of gaming in Hawaii. SB677 would create the Hawaii Internet lottery and gaming corporation for the purpose of conducting internet gambling in the state. After their introduction, both bills were referred to committees. | Representative John Mizuno (HB 927 ) and Senator Will Espero (SB677) |
| Idaho | No action | ||||
| Illinois | Pending | SB 2478 would create the Sports Betting Consumer Protection Act, legalizing sports betting in the event that federal law does not prohibit such (i.e. PASPA gets repealed). | February 2018 | The bill shows a clear focus on creating a mobile/online component for sports betting. Another bill, SB 3432, proposed by Sen. Napoleon Harris, would give sports leagues an "integrity fee." | Chief Sponsor Changed to Sen. Steve Stadelman (previously Don Harmon) |
| Indiana | Moving forward, potentially groundbreaking | Senate Bill No. 405 would authorize sports wagering on riverboats, racinos, and satellite facilities after the Indiana gaming commission determines that current federal prohibitions on sports wagering are no longer applicable; House Bill 1325 would do the same, also if federal law changes. | January 2018 | Ford and Morrison (at right) authored and sponsored Indiana's daily fantasy sports bill (SB 339) in 2016, signed by then-governor Mike Pence. The House version of the sports betting bill includes an "integrity fee" provision that would give sports leagues 1% of all wagers on their league's games. After hearing backlash on the 1% fee, lawmakers may be pumping brakes. | Sen. Jon Ford (R-Terre Haute) introduced SB 405 and by Indiana Rep. Alan Morrison (R-District 42) authored HB 1325. |
| Iowa | Pending | House File 2448, which would legalize sports betting, is making its way through committees. | March 2018 | In its current form, the state's state Racing and Gaming Commission would handle regulatory matters and a tiered 7.66% tax rate would apply to gaming revenue. The NBA and MLB are lobbying here (as in other states) for an "integrity fee" and control of data used to grade wagers. | Representative Ken Rizer (R-Marion) with Local Government subcommittee chairman Jake Highfill (R-Johnston) doing some work. |
| Kansas | Pending | The bare-bones House Bill 2533 would allow wagering on professional and collegiate sports | January 2018 | The bill would limit sports betting to Kansas racetracks, which HB 2545 looks to revive | Kansas’s Committee on Federal and State Affairs |
| Kentucky | Pending | SB 22 would require the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission to institute a sports wagering system. | January 2018 | The law would task the horse racing commission with regulatory, licensure and compliance regulations for sports wagering at horse tracks. The bill was introduced to the Appropriations & Revenue committee and so far has not advanced. | Senator Julian M. Carroll (D-Frankfort) |
| Louisiana | Pending | There's a couple bills in the legislature addressing sports wagering. They include HB 245, which would "Authorize additional games and sports betting at eligible live horse racing facilities." (more here.) | March 2018 | Other bills include SB 266 and SB 398, which call for a statewide referendum on sports betting. | Rep. Major Thibaut (HB 245). |
| Maine | No action | ||||
| Maryland | Pending | HB 1014, which passed in the House of Delegates, calls for the issue of sports betting in Maryland to be put on the November ballot (if PASPA gets repealed) as a referendum for voters to decide. It's currently in committee in the senate. | March 2018 | The bill would give the State Lottery and Gaming Commission the ability to issue “certain sports wagering licenses." | Delegates Frank Turner, Jason Buckel and others |
| Massachusetts | Percolating | State senator Eileen Donoghue has a proposed bill (SD 2480), which would would create a committee to study, regulate and examine taxation of legal sports betting in Massachusetts (if PASPA gets struck). | March 2018 | In early March, the state's Gaming Commission issued a report with respect to sports wagering outlining various considerations, regulatory models, potential revenue and more. | Eileen Donoghue (D-First Middlesex District) |
| Michigan | Pending | House Bills 4060, 4261 and 4338 all pertain to sports betting. HR 4060 would amend the Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act to allow the holder of a casino license to accept wagers on sporting events; HR 4338 would allow parlay wagering; HR 4261 would allow simulcast wagers on horse racing in licensed casinos. | March 2017 | All three measures have been referred to the Committee on Regulatory Reform. | Representative Robert Kosowski |
| Minnesota | Percolating | Previous bills failed but recently Rep. Pat Garofolo said he plans to introduce legislation to legalize sports betting. In late January on Twitter, he teased a forthcoming bill | January 2018 | “A draft version of the legislation is complete,” Garofalo said. “As it goes through the process, I expect that stakeholders will modify it from its current form.” | (Probably) Rep. Pat Garofalo |
| Mississippi | Pending | House Bill 967 legalized sports fantasy betting (Fantasy Contest Act) in the state and also included language that would legalize sports betting in Mississippi casinos if PASPA is overturned. | March, 2017 | “We did make modifications to Gaming Control Act that would allow for the Gaming Commission to regulate sports betting if it were ever to be overturned at the federal level,” said Rep. Scott DeLano. | Governor Phil Bryant signed the bill, although he opposes sports betting in Mississippi. |
| Missouri | Pending | House Bill 2320 is pretty skinny but a start for implementing legal sports betting. It tasks the Missouri Gaming Commission with creating rules and regulations. There's also the 'Missouri Video Lottery Control Act' (SB 767), which could serve as the sports betting vehicle. A more recent pair of sister House-Senate bills dubbed the 'Comprehensive Missouri Sports Betting and Sports Protection Act' gives MLB and the NBA everything they're asking for in terms of money and control. | March 2018 | The state appears to be backing away from the Comprehensive Missouri 'Sports Betting and Sports Protection Act.' | Rep. Bart Korman (R-High Hill) for HB 2320; Sen. Denny Hoskins (R-District 21) has sponsored Senate Bill 1013 and Rep. Dean Plocher (R-St. Louis) House Bill 2535. |
| Montana | Legal on a very limited basis | 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. | Current | In 2008, Montana began its "Montana Sports Action" which is basically a form of fantasy sports, offering through the state lottery. | |
| Nebraska | No action | ||||
| Nevada | Legal, very legal | Current | |||
| New Hampshire | No action | ||||
| New Jersey | Pending | It's all coming down to the Supreme Court case, Murphy v NCAA (formerly Christie v NCAA). | December 2017 (oral argument in the case) | New Jersey partially repealed its sports betting prohibitions in 2014 -- the impetus for the blockbuster lawsuit that's made its way to the Supreme Court. If the SCOTUS decision lifts PASPA, the Garden State will move quickly to implement sports betting at Atlantic City casinos and at its racetracks. | Senator Raymond Lesniak |
| New Mexico | No action | ||||
| New York | Pending | The most recent effort is Senate Bill S7900, which looks like the most promising bill we've seen yet. It was introduced by Chairman of the Committee on Racing, Gaming and Wagering, John Bonacic (R-42nd District). This bill reflects recent discussions at a January hearing and offers some concessions to the sports leagues. Also Senate Bill 1282 and Assembly Bill 5438 would authorize sports betting at facilities in racetracks, casinos and off-track betting sites in New York State. | March 2018 | S7900 would likely head to the Finance Committee next. 5438 and 1282 are are in committees in their respective chambers. There is also language in the Upstate New York Gaming Development Act of 2013 that contemplates sports betting at state casinos if federal law changes. | Multiple co-sponsors |
| North Carolina | No action | ||||
| North Dakota | No action | ||||
| Ohio | No action | ||||
| Oklahoma | Pending | House Bill 3375 would expand the state-tribe compact to allow for sports wagering (except on horse racing and other contests involving animals). | February 2018 | The bill passed the Appropriations and Budget Committee in late February and will go to House floor. | Representative Kevin Wallace (R-Wellston). |
| Oregon | Legal but limited under federal law | Oregon's “Sports Action Lottery," which allowed parlay wagering on NFL and NBA games at times from 1989-2007, was grandfathered in under PASPA. | Eliminated in 2007 | Seeking to host NCAA basketball tournament games in the state, Oregon discontinued Sports Action in 2007. | |
| Pennsylvania | Passed, pending | The Pennsylvania Assembly passed HB271 -- a robust gambling bill that would allow online gambling and permit licensed sports betting — if or when federal law allows it. | October 2017 | Governor Tom Wolf signed Pennsylvania's sports betting bill but questions remain about the taxes and fees the law imposes on would-be operators. | Representative Jason Ortitay(R) was primary sponsor with bipartisan co-sponsors |
| Rhode Island | Pending | Governor Gina Raimondo is in favor of legalizing sports betting while Senate President Dominick Ruggiero has introduced initial legislation to get the ball rolling. | January 2018 | Senate Bill 2045 is on to committee. Raimondo actually included potential proceeds of $23.5M in the state budget -- a number projected by Department of Revenue Spokesman Paul Grimaldi. | Bi-partisan bill sponsored by Ruggiero. |
| South Carolina | Pending | House Bill 3102 would amend the state constitution to allow South Carolina to regulate sports betting. | January 2017 | The bill was referred to the Judiciary Committee. | Representative J. Todd Rutherford |
| South Dakota | No action | ||||
| Tennessee | No action | ||||
| Texas | No action | ||||
| Utah | No action | ||||
| Vermont | No action | ||||
| Virginia | No action | ||||
| Washington | No action | ||||
| West Virginia | Passed, pending | Senate Bill 415, the "West Virginia Lottery Sports Wagering Act" has passed. | March 2018 | The bill would legalize sports betting at the states five existing casino/racetracks only, and allow approved mobile sports betting. Applicable tax rate on operators would be 10%. It will become effective if PASPA is lifted. | Senate Majority Leader Ryan Ferns with co-sponsors |
| Wisconsin | No action | ||||
| Wyoming | No action |