Where Is Sports Betting Legal? Projections for All 50 States

Where Is Sports Betting Legal? Projections for All 50 States article feature image

Updated March 11, 2024

It’s been close to six years since the Supreme Court struck down the federal ban on sports betting, allowing states to legalize it if they wish. North Carolina is the latest to join the party after launching online betting on March 11, three years after the state launched in-person betting.

Close to 40 states have some form of legalized sports betting, though about 20 have full online betting with multiple operators. Some states only have in-person betting, and some only have a single online operator in the state. For many bettors, those options simply aren't enough.

So what states are about to join, and what states are on the back burner? We’ve compiled a comprehensive look at all 50 states (plus Washington D.C.), with projected legalization dates for every state.

Nearly every state has at least considered legalizing sports betting, though deep-seated political opposition and complex tribal relationships will likely prevent a handful of states from ever getting legal, online betting.

In the infancy of U.S. sports betting, FanDuel and DraftKings are the clear early leaders with more than 70% of the total market. Legacy casino brands like Caesars Sportsbook and BetMGM made big splashes early on but have plateaued a bit. And some small brands already shutting down after just a few years. Then there's Fanatics Sportsbook, which will hope to enter the space in a big way in 2023. ESPN BET is also a big one to keep an eye out on after its November launch.

If you're not in a legal sports betting state, or one with only in-person betting, you can use sites like social sportsbook Fliff or DFS sites like Sleeper and PrizePicks to get a similar experience.

The interactive map below details where betting is legal and, in places where it isn't yet, projects when it will be. We're also tracking where online casinos are legal.

[Check out the best sportsbooks in Kentucky, Ohio, Massachusetts, New York, Louisiana, Arizona, Illinois, Colorado, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Virginia, Iowa, and West Virginia.]

Looking for a new sportsbook in one of these legal states? Make sure to pair your sign-ups with top offers like the exclusive BetMGM bonus code for free bets to maximize your betting upside.

Where Is Sports Betting Legal?

Use the links to jump to your state.

StateOnlineIn-Person
AlabamaXX
AlaskaXX
Arizona
Arkansas
CaliforniaXX
Colorado
Connecticut
DelawareX
Florida
GeorgiaXX
HawaiiXX
IdahoXX
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
MinnesotaXX
MississippiX
MissouriXX
MontanaX
NebraskaX
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New MexicoX
New York
North Carolina
North DakotaX
Ohio
OklahomaXX
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South CarolinaXX
South DakotaX
TennesseeX
TexasXX
UtahXX
VermontX
Virginia
WashingtonX
Washington D.C.
West Virginia
WisconsinX
WyomingX

Legal, Taking Bets (39 Total States)

There are several different categories of "legal" betting in the United States:

  • In-person betting only, which drives a fraction of a fraction of what full online betting does
  • Full online betting with multiple sportsbook options, like New Jersey, which has more than 20 operators
  • Online betting with a single operator, like Oregon or Rhode Island

Arizona

Full mobile betting with multiple options

Arizona passed its sports betting bill in April 2021, allowing for online wagering and some of the nation's first in-stadium sportsbooks. Its quickly becoming one of the most popular states to place a bet.

The first online sportsbooks went live Sept. 9, the first day of the 2021 NFL season. 18 operators, including BetMGM, Caesars, and FanDuel, now operate in Arizona, with room for two more.

In March 2022 Arizona vaulted into the top 10 states in monthly handle (amount bet) for the first time.

Earlier that month FanDuel started taking in-person at the Footprint Center, home of the Phoenix Suns and Mercury, while Caesars opened up its sportsbook at Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

BetMGM is working on a similar venture at State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals, while DraftKings is expected to unveil a betting hub at the Scottsdale golf course that hosts the Waste Management Open.

Arkansas

Full mobile betting with multiple options to come

On Feb. 22, 2022, the Arkansas Joint Budget Committee finalized rules to bring sports betting online, expanding it beyond in-person activity at three casinos, as it had been limited to since 2019.

The first online sportsbook went live March 5th–a partnership between the Southland Casino and Betly, an online betting site owned by Delaware North. BetSaracen, a product of the Saracen Casino, launched about a month after and is the only other online app in the state so far.

Arkansas' law allows for up to eight online sportsbooks, but so far national brands like DraftKings and FanDuel have been hesitant to join. To do so they must partner with one of the state's three casinos and split 51% of their revenue with them.

Colorado

Full mobile betting with multiple options

Colorado took its first legal online and retail wagers in May 2020, six-months after voters narrowly approved sports betting during the November election.

Since then Colorado's flourished into one of the most robust markets in the country, with 26 different apps, including DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM.

It was one of the first states to record more $200 million in monthly betting handle and in 2022 joined the top 6 states in dollars bet all-time.

Online sportsbooks must partner one of the Colorado's 33 casinos to operate legally in the state, which has left  the door open for even more apps to come.

Colorado has one of the most operator-friendly setups in the country, though lawmakers have started tightening some loopholes low levels of tax revenue.

Connecticut

Full mobile betting with multiple options

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont struck a deal with the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes in May 2021, authorizing the two, and the state lottery, to run online sports betting.

Those providers quickly partnered with DraftKings, FanDuel and PlaySugarHouse, who all went online October 19– just a few weeks after Connecticut started taking in-person bets.

Each have in-person sportsbooks at at least one casino, while the state lottery and Rush Street Interactive (which owns PlaySugarHouse) run seven retail locations. They may open a total of 15, under state law.

A smaller state, and new to the party, Connecticut's market is still a ways off from maturity. It'll be interesting to see how New York's recent launch impact its numbers, though it should continue to benefit from Massachusetts' inability to legalize.

Delaware

In-person sportsbooks only

Delaware became the first state outside Nevada to accept a legal single-game sports bet on June 5, 2018, beating New Jersey by a few weeks in the aftermath of the Supreme Court's industry-altering decision.

Delaware's lottery-run sports betting market still prohibits online betting, leaving only three retail sportsbooks in the state — and unimpressive revenue numbers.

Its small size, population and the proliferation of digital sports betting options in its neighboring states leave Delaware a relative afterthought despite its quick start.

Click here to return to the map and full list of states.

Florida

Hard Rock online relaunched Nov. 7, 2023

Sports betting is back live in Florida, with Hard Rock relaunching for existing users in November 2023 and new users in early December following a two-year legal limbo. In 2021, Gov. Ron Desantis negotiated a compact with the Seminole Tribe (which owns Hard Rock) to give them exclusive rights to operate sports betting. Naturally, those with competing interests sued to stop it.

But in October 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a request from West Flagler to stop the Seminole Tribe from offering sports betting in Florida, and while the compact still has hurdles to clear in court in 2024, there's belief the Seminoles were waiting for this denial to relaunch in late 2023 — and they did just that.

Hard Rock relaunching was a good quick win for sports bettors in Florida, but it will prevent any competition — including DraftKings and FanDuel — from entering the state.

Florida sports betting has been on a strange journey — perhaps the strangest of any state — in the last two years. Here's the timeline.

  • November 2021: Hard Rock took the first and only legal online sports bets in Florida in November 2021 after the Seminole Tribe brokered a deal with Gov. Ron Desantis to give the Seminoles full control over sports betting in the state.
  • December 2021: Online betting in the Sunshine State came to a halt after a federal judge struck down the agreement. A judge ruled the back-door agreement was in violation of both state and federal laws.
  • June 2023: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia overturned the decision, saying the Seminole Tribe should be allowed to offer online betting in the state.
  • August 2023: West Flagler Associates, which owns competing casinos in Florida, appealed that June decision. That means at best Hard Rock's re-launch was pushed back, and at worst (depending on your point of view) the re-launch won't come for years.
  • September 2023: West Flagler is taking the case to the Florida Supreme Court, "asking that the court find that Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state legislature “exceeded” their power in approving a 2021 compact with the Seminole Tribe that grants the tribe a monopoly on sports betting." Some legal experts think this effort will fail, but it could at least delay the Seminoles from relaunching their Hard Rock sportsbook.
  • October 26, 2023: The U.S. Supreme Court has denied a request from West Flagler to stop the Seminole Tribe from offering Florida sports betting through the compact negotiated in 2021, which could pave the way for Hard Rock Digital to start offering online sports betting again soon.
  • Nov 1, 2023: Hard Rock announced it will launch retail sports betting in Florida on Dec. 7.
  • Nov. 7, 2023: Hard Rock relaunches its online betting app for users who already had an account. The fight isn't over, however, as West Flagler could still ask the Florida Supreme Court to suspend Hard Rock's operation, following SCOTUS's deniable of a similar motion. Sports gaming attorney Daniel Wallach said on Twitter that both options in which Hard Rock must stop operating its product are unlikely, so sports betting will continue for now.
  • Dec. 2023: Hard Rock begins accepting new users to register for its sports betting app.

It would take either a #SCOTUS merits loss or a Florida Supreme Court temporary stay or merits loss — both statistical longshots (#SCOTUS is the better argument though) — to cause the cessation of online sports betting in Florida.

— Daniel Wallach (@WALLACHLEGAL) November 7, 2023

Illinois

Full mobile betting with multiple options

Illinois launched in-person betting on March 9, 2020, (just ahead of an NCAA Tournament that didn't wind up happening) and launched online betting in June 2020.

One of the nation's most populated (and sports-crazy) states, Illinois among the top 5 states in both handle (dollars bet) and tax revenue.

A major roadblock was lifted March 5, 2022 when an in-person registration rule, waived on a month-by-month basis during pandemic lockdowns, expired for good.

Shortly after, BetMGM and Caesars joined the Illinois online sportsbooks already operational in the state.

Betting on in-state colleges was made legal in Dec. 2021, though bettors are only able to do so in-person.

Indiana

Full mobile betting with multiple options

Indiana went live with online sports betting Oct. 3, 2019, just a month after its first in-person bets.

The 13th state to approve sports betting–Indiana's done well ever since Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a bill legalizing it in May, 2019. It's taken over $7 billion in bets, which is the fifth most of any state.

Indiana's law allows for over 40 online sportsbooks, though only 13 currently operate in the state. Four more are expected, but so far the biggest players, including FanDuel and DraftKings, have dominated the market.

Iowa

Full mobile betting with multiple options

Iowa started accepting bets on Aug. 15, 2019 and has methodically grown since.

Home to a dozen plus online sportsbooks, Iowa has some of the cheapest licensing fees in the land — $45,000 for the first year and a $10,000 every year after that. bet365 in Iowa will be the latest entrant into the state, as the global giant looks to make its mark in the U.S.

Its monthly handle saw an immediate boost in 2021, after an in-person registration requirement expired for good. It now takes in between $100,000 to $300,000 in bets month-to-month.

Though Iowa has a smaller in population and has no professional sports teams, it's one of the more lucrative per capita markets in the country and benefits from sharing boarders with multiple states yet to legalize.

Kansas

Full mobile betting with multiple options

Kansas legalized sports betting in 2022, after a legislative race which saw it beat out neighboring Missouri.

Online and in-person betting began Sept. 1, one of the fastest launches of any state and just in time for the 2022 NFL season. Six online operators and two casinos began taking bets to start, with more expected to join soon.

Kansas law allows up to 12 online sportsbooks, though the state's licensed just nine so far. Two additional casinos are expected to take bets in the coming months.

Additionally, casinos may sign contracts with retail locations, like professional sports arenas, to install and oversee betting kiosks.

More online sportsbooks could come into the state too. The law allows Kansas' native tribes to update their gaming compacts and also partner with commercial operators to offer online betting.

Kentucky

Full mobile betting with multiple options

Kentucky came extremely close to legalizing sports betting in 2022, though an effort to give racetracks control over retail and online markets fell short at the last minute. In 2023, they got it done. HB 551 passed both the House and Senate in April.

Kentucky in-person sports betting launched on Sept. 7 and mobile sports betting launched on Sept. 28 — the quickest turnaround time of any state from legalization to launch.

The bill allows Kentucky's nine racetracks to offer sports betting at their tracks, and they could partner with three online operators each, potentially paving the way for 27 online betting options in the state.

Louisiana

Full mobile betting with multiple options

In November 2020, voters in 55 of the state's 64 parishes approved legal sports betting, including all those in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lafayette.

In-person betting launched in October of 2021. Six online sportsbooks launched on Jan. 28, 2022, including including FanDuel, DraftKings and BetMGM. WynnBet launched shortly after–brining the state to seven online sportsbooks.

More are expected to join in the future, as Louisiana's law allows for up to 41 different mobile apps. Louisiana is one of the only Southeastern states to legalize online betting, which should be a significant advantage as its market develops.

Maine

Full mobile betting with two options (DraftKings & Caesars) 

Maine was the first state to legalize sports betting in 2022, and it took until November 2023 to get live. DraftKings and Caesars are the only books live in the state.

A bill signed by Gov. Janet Mills in April permits Maine's four native tribes to partner with commercial operators and offer online sports betting.

The Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway, owned by Penn National, and the Oxford Casino Hotel, owned by Churchill Downs, can apply for betting licenses too, though only for in-person wagers.

Maryland

Full mobile betting with multiple options

Maryland bettors legalized sports betting during the 2020 election. And after the longest go-live period in U.S. betting history, Maryland operators launched fully on Nov. 23, 2022.

There was a strange soft launch period on the first Monday, as well, with books going live for eight hours before going offline all day Tuesday. They relaunched Wednesday at 9 a.m. ET.

Maryland's law allows for up to 60 online sportsbooks and 30 retail sites. Seven launched right away, three more are expected in the next few months, and another dozen could be live by next football season.

Massachusetts

Full mobile betting with multiple options

Massachusetts passed a sports betting bill in the wee hours of the morning on Aug. 1, 2022. In-person sports betting launched on Jan. 31, with online expected to follow on March 10, ahead of the NCAA Tournament.

Six books went live on Friday, March 10 — DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, WynnBet, Barstool and Caesars.

In early December, the state began its licensing process, which made waves due to questions about Barstool and its responsible gambling messaging.

The final sports betting bill, which combines interests from far apart House and Senate visions includes the following:

  • 15% retail tax, 20% online
  • No betting on Mass. colleges, except for tournaments with 4+ teams
  • Casinos allowed to partner with two online operators each
  • Racetracks allowed one online partner

Michigan

Full mobile betting with multiple options

Michigan launched in-person wagering at the MGM Grand Detroit on March 11, 2020. Online sportsbooks, including BetMGM and DraftKings launched in early 2021. It now has a total of 15, the maximum allowed under state law.

Home to 7 million over the age of 21 and teams in every major-league sport, Michigan has quickly become one of the top betting states, regularly finishing among the top 10 in monthly handle.

It ranks 7th among states in dollars bet all-time, right behind Colorado. It's also one of the few states where iGaming is legal.

Despite the proliferation of betting across the mid-west in recent years, and a new market on the way in Ohio, Michigan's operator-friendly rules should keep it atop the leaders in sports betting for years to come.

Mississippi

In-person sportsbooks only

Mississippi was one of the earlier states to launch, opening up for business on Aug. 1, 2018.

The state technically has mobile wagering, but you can only place bets while inside a casino. This has hurt its market share, despite being one of the few legal Southern betting states.

It passed retail sports betting in 2017, as a corollary to a fantasy sports bill, at a time when the Supreme Court lifting the federal ban seemed unlikely. Since then several bill online bills have been introduced, but none have made it to a vote.

Expanding sports betting in conservative Mississippi will be a tall task. Like most Southern states, it's politicians have deep-seated opposition to gambling.

Montana

In-person sportsbooks only

Montana, like Mississippi, technically has mobile wagering, but you can only place bets on a retail location's property.

Intralot, a Greek company that runs the state lottery, started taking bets in March 2020. It's the only game in town and has severely jeopardized competitive pricing.

Not surprisingly, Montana's limited betting options and sparse population make it a small part of the overall U.S. market.

Nebraska

In-person sportsbooks only

Voters approved three constitutional amendments in November 2021 that would legalize "games of chance" at Nebraska's licensed horse tracks.

A regulatory bill that permits retail sportsbooks was signed into law, and in-person sports betting began at WarHorse Sportsbook is now open in Omaha and Lincoln in 2022.

Nevada

Full mobile betting with multiple options (in-person sign up required)

Nevada, the gold standard for in-person betting, still hasn't quite mastered online wagering. The state requires bettors to come into a casino to register in person before placing via the Internet.

That really hurt the state during the early days of COVID-19, when casino traffic plummeted. Nevada will always hold a special spot for American gaming, but its already dropped to the second-most lucrative sports betting state and may continue to fall down the ranks as more and more populated states (with statewide mobile wagering) launch in the coming years.

Click here to return to the map and full list of states.

New Hampshire

One mobile betting option

New Hampshire went live with online wagering on Dec. 30, 2019.

DraftKings is the sole mobile operator in the state, though there are a handful of retail betting locations that have opened or intend to do so. Intralot, which runs apps in Montana and Washington D.C., is expected to eventually launch its mobile product in conjunction with the state lottery.

Betting on in-state colleges is not permitted.

New Hampshire has done decently well despite its limited market, but its handle will likely plummet after Massachusetts launched online betting.

New Jersey

Full mobile betting with multiple options

New Jersey, the state to bring the sports gambling case to the Supreme Court, is now enjoying the fruits of its labor. "The Gold Standard" for legal sports betting was the third state to take a legal bet and has continued to set state records thank to a competitive, operator-friendly system.

It's home to 21 online sportsbooks, with room for at least 20 more. It's also accepting new operator models like betting exchange Prophet.

New Jersey brought in $10.9 million in bets in 2021, beating out Nevada in handle every month that year. It now leads all states in handle, despite a betting ban on in-state colleges, which cost it during Saint Peters' Cinderella run to the Elite Eight.

Though New York's mobile sports betting launch — and the massive revenue its amassed since January — pose a threat to New Jersey's dominance, so far revenue's been up over last year.

New Mexico

In-person sportsbooks only

New Mexico hasn't passed any legislation, though Native American tribes have run in-person sports betting at their casinos since October 2018.

They've done so by interpreting their gaming compact with the state to mean that they can offer any form of Class III gaming. The Department of Interior, which overseas tribal agreements with states, hasn't intervened.

It's one of the first "grey states" to take bets without approval from lawmakers or voters, though only six retail locations are open.

It's seen little to no movement towards legalizing online sports betting.

New York

Full mobile betting with multiple options

New York launched online sports betting on, Jan. 8 2022, and has left almost every other state in the dust since then.

New York had retail sports betting at a handful of upstate commercial and tribal casinos, but these have generated little revenue despite the state's massive population and gaming interest. That's because online betting was not legalized.

But the time has come. Sports bettors can rejoice and bet from the comfort of their own homes instead of crossing bridges or going through tunnels to place their wagers.

In the meantime, New Jersey has essentially turned into "Vegas East" (with the help of New Yorkers coming across the border). We estimate that New York cost itself $1.3 billion in tax revenue by not legalizing when New Jersey did.

North Carolina Sports Betting

In-person sportsbooks operating; online launching March 11, 2024

North Carolina legalized in-person sports betting in 2019 for two tribal casinos miles away from any of its major cities. It first took bets in March 2021.

Now, online betting is almost here. The NC House and Senate aligned on a few changes to the state's sports betting bill on June 2, 2023, and concurred early the next week, paving the way for legalization. Gov. Roy Cooper is an advocate for sports betting and signed the bill on Wednesday, June 14, 2023.

Online betting will start on March 11, 2024, with eight North Carolina sports betting apps:

The bill allows for 12 online sportsbook licenses, so all the big players like FanDuel and DraftKings are there. The bill also adds pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing to the state, and adds more brick-and-mortar sportsbooks.

Lawmakers came one vote shy of passing online sports betting during the 2022 session, though confusion over reworked legislation and concerns over collegiate betting killed the effort just when it seemed to be at the finish line.

North Dakota

In-person sportsbooks only

There's been no political movement to legalize sports gambling in North Dakota, but state tribes have already opened retail sportsbooks under authority granted to them by the federal government, a similar legal path for the sports betting launch in New Mexico.

This too means retail only, but North Dakota is among a rare group of states that can take bets without an act of the legislature.

Ohio

Full mobile betting with multiple options 

Ohio is another sports-crazy state that's behind in legalizing sports gambling, especially given the action in many of its Midwestern neighbors.

But late in 2021, Ohio legislators passed an online sports betting bill and Gov. Mike DeWine approved it.

Some had hoped betting would start in time for the 2022 NFL season, but in May regulators announced all forms of betting will go live Jan. 1, 2023.

More than a dozen sportsbooks launched on New Year's Day and more than a dozen more could join the fold in the coming year. Ohio sets up to be one of the biggest and most competitive sports betting markets in the country, which is great news for bettors.

Oregon

One mobile betting option

Thanks to a limited exemption in the federal sports betting ban that allowed it to offer parlay cards, Oregon officials determined the state lottery could begin taking bets without a separate act of the legislature. The state lottery app took its first bet in 2019, but with only one legal mobile wagering option, it has not been able to match competitive markets.

In January of 2022, Oregon switched from its own lottery app to DraftKings as its sole operator. A handful of Native American casinos operate retail sportsbooks.

Notably, in-state college betting is prohibited.

Click here to return to the map and full list of states.

Pennsylvania

Full mobile betting with multiple options

Pennsylvania was among a handful of states to accept a legal retail sports bet in 2018 and, beginning with its 2019 digital launch, has been among the biggest markets in the country.

Pennsylvania consistently pulls in among the top five largest sports betting handles, despite higher taxes and fees than some other states.

The fees, and a limit of only 14 total operator licenses, could continue to hinder Pennsylvania's potential, but it's large population and high-profile sports teams will help it maintain some of the nation's highest-grossing handle totals.

Pennsylvania is also one of five states with online casinos, generating massive revenue for operators.

Rhode Island

One mobile betting option

Rhode Island has been offering legal sports betting since 2018 when retail sportsbooks opened at its two commercial casinos.  William Hill (now owned by Caesars) is the only legal retail and online sportsbook in the state.

Lawmakers repealed an in-person mobile registration requirement, but the small population and lone legal option keep revenues small, despite Rhode Island's proximity to Massachusetts.

South Dakota

In-person sportsbooks only

The first retail sportsbooks opened in September 2021.

South Dakota legalized sports betting in November 2020 as part of a ballot initiative and lawmakers passed retail-only authorization for Deadwood casinos and certain tribal gaming facilities.

The state constitution only permits wagering within Deadwood and tribal lands, but some policymakers believe statewide mobile wagering can be approved as long as the servers are placed in Deadwood. Legislation to do so gained little traction in 2021 or in 2022, but could open an interesting new digital market in the years to come.

Tennessee

Full mobile betting with multiple options

Since it has no casinos, Tennessee is the only state with online-only sports betting. The conservative state's unlikely launch of an uncapped, digital sports betting market excited industry stakeholders, but other restrictions could hurt its potential.

Tennessee was the only state that made the operators return a mandatory 10% hold — basically, the books needed to keep 10 cents of every dollar wagered, or pay a fine. But in April 2023, TN passed a bill that removed this rule and replaced it with a 1.85% tax rate on betting handle — the total betting volume. It's the first rule of its kind in the U.S.

That means if a sportsbook generates $10M in betting action in a month, it must pay $185,000 in taxes, even if it lost money to bettors.

Vermont

Full mobile betting with limited options

Rep. Matthew Birong introduced a new sports betting bill in February of 2023 that would allow 2-6 online sportsbooks in Vermont. In late April, a Senate committee approved it, and the full senate approved it in early May, sending it to Gov. Phil Scott's desk. He signed it on June 14.

Vermont will undergo a competitive bidding process, much like New York, where operators will submit their plan and what tax rate they'd be willing to pay to get licensed. Two other states that did this, New York and New Hampshire, ended up with tax rates north of 50%. They also did something similar in Massachusetts and Connecticut, though those tax rates ended up much lower.

That resulted in just three sportsbooks entering the market on Jan. 11 when it launched — DraftKings, FanDuel and Fanatics Sportsbook.

Virginia

Full mobile betting with multiple options

Virginia took its first online sports bet in January 2021 and is now home to over a dozen operators.

The state's lagged behind some of its neighbors in handle and tax revenue, despite its close proximity to Maryland and Washington D.C., where betting is currently much more limited.

In an effort to change lawmakers worked a clause into the 2023 budget that phases out promo tax deductions for operators after 12-months in the market.

Washington

In-person sportsbooks only

Washington legalized sports betting on March 25, 2020 and took its first bet Sept. 9, 2021. Only certain tribal casinos can take bets.

Mobile sports betting, like Mississippi, will only be allowed if it is placed within a casino facility, a huge deterrent to the state's revenue potential. Statewide mobile betting doesn't seem like a reality anytime soon.

Washington D.C.

Limited mobile betting options

The bad news? D.C. sports betting is a single-operator jurisdiction. The good news is that FanDuel Sportsbook is set to take over in D.C. this year — perhaps in the next few months.

The lone legal District-wide mobile app, GamBetDC, was run by the lottery and, partially because it has no legal competition, has offered lines worse than market averages. And somehow, it lost $4 million in 2021. The app is geofenced out of any federal properties, a major problem in the nation's capital.

That has allowed the city's first retail sportsbook, a full sportsbook bar and restaurant in Capital One Arena. Caesars allows mobile wagering only within the stadium.

Under its former brand-name—William Hill—the retail book opened July 31, 2020 as a makeshift sportsbook in the arena's box office.

A few miles to the south, BetMGM struck a similar partnership with the Washington Nationals. Its retail sportsbook opened Feb. 1, 2022 at Nationals Park. Its mobile app too, is available within a two-block radius of its retail location near Nats Park.

Another entrant, Handle 19, is readying to enter the marketplace with a retail location. Overall, D.C. hasn't generated much from sports betting because of unfair pricing and issues with the GamBetDC app.

West Virginia

Full mobile betting with multiple options

Mobile betting had some initial hiccups in West Virginia, but it's been fully live since August 2019.

The state has a handful mobile operators, including DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM and William Hill. It will never rival some of the larger markets, but bettors at least have several legal options to place a bet from anywhere within the state.

Wisconsin

In-person sportsbooks only

The Oneida Nation and Gov. Tony Evers announced a deal In July 2021 that permits the tribe to open retail sportsbooks at its casinos. The deal does not permit statewide mobile betting or wagering on in-state college sports, and there's no timetable for online betting.

Following federal approval in August 2021, the tribe to launched sports betting at its Green Bay casino in November 2021.

Click here to return to the map and full list of states.

Wyoming

Full mobile betting with multiple options

Lawmakers surprisingly approved statewide mobile wagering, becoming just the second state to allow online betting without any retail sportsbooks. The first two online sportsbooks took bets beginning Sept. 1, 2021.

Meanwhile, the Northern Arapaho Tribe appears it may add retail sports betting under the authority of existing law, much in the way tribes in New Mexico are operating sports betting without any legislation.

Click here to return to the map and full list of states.

2025 Launch Possible (4 total states)

  • Considering bills in 2024 with possible launches in 2025

Alabama

Bill passes House, will move to Senate (updated March 11)

Alabama's HB 151 passed the state House in mid-February, moving it to the Senate. HB 152, another sports betting bill, will be discussed last month, as well. Passing such a bill remains a difficult task in a state with strong gaming aversions, but it's nice to see progress.

Alabama is one of the few remaining states without a lottery, but there's some appetite from at least a few lawmakers on all gambling fronts — sports betting, casinos and lottery.

The bill doesn't have specific language about the number of sports betting licenses, but it would separate retail from online licenses.

The biggest hurdle is still the Poarch Band of Creek Indians (PCI), the key gaming stakeholder in Alabama, and changes could be required to the bill to get the group on board.

Alabama Rep. Andy Whitt tells me his committee will pass Alabama sports betting, casino and lottery legislation today. His goal is a vote on the House floor tomorrow, which would require approval from 3/5ths members in the usually gambling-averse chamber.https://t.co/XTkPBToGPh

— Matthew Kredell (@MatthewKredell) February 14, 2024

Georgia

2024 bill passes Senate, now moves to House (updated March 11)

Georgia has some hope for legal sports betting to launch later in 2025, but it's far from a sure thing. The state Senate approved SB 386, sending it to the House for approval. If the House approves it, the bill would go on the ballot during the November 2024 elections and voters would decide on sports betting's fate then. Legal sports betting requires a constitutional amendment approved by voters in November; the first version discussed by the Senate did not.

Sports betting bills have gotten past the Georgia Senate several times in the last few years, but no bill has ever passed through the House. The bill needs approval from at least two-thirds of the House to move forward, since it now includes a constitutional amendment after the Senate changed that on Feb. 1 before passing it.

The bill as originally proposed would make sports betting a lottery game, meaning it wouldn’t need a constitutional amendment to become law.

Sports betting is probably still an underdog to get done this year, but if it does get through the House, it would have the support of Gov. Brian Kemp, and then voters would decide in November.

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Minnesota

2023 bills fall short, 2024 possible (updated March 6)

Minnesota came extremely close to legalizing sports betting in 2022 and lawmakers took it up again in 2023, but fell short once again.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are back in 2024 with a pair of bills. Gov. Tim Walz is confident something can get done this year. The state's tribes, which hold a significant lobbying presence in the statehouse, have for years opposed any legislation that wouldn't give them a monopoly on sports betting. It's a hurdle, but lawmakers believe they can get something done.

An amendment to a Minnesota sports betting bill in March that would ban live betting could cause problems, as well.

"My preference would be to give the tribes a license, as well as the tracks, the (professional) teams and even the charities," Republican Senator Jeremy Miller told KARE 11, who brought forward one of the two bills. "The reality is, the votes aren't there in the legislature right now to make that happen, so instead of focusing or complaining on what's not possible, with the 2.0 proposal I really wanted to focus on what is possible."

"I'm very optimistic," Sen. Matt Klein said. "Minnesotans want this, Republicans want this, Democrats want this. Senator Miller's bill was a serious effort at finding a solution this year, and we're hearing that from all interested parties — the tracks, the tribes — people want to get this done and they want to get it done this session."

Missouri

2023 bill dead, 2024 possible (updated Feb. 14)

Missouri lawmakers introduced two new bills in early January, and a ballot measure could be added to the ballot in November 2024 if things can't be worked out by lawmakers. Missouri had two new sports betting bills in 2023 and there was a desire to get something done after nearly getting things across the finish line in 2022.

One of the bills brought forward in 2024, HB 2331, looks likely to pass the House after Missouri House’s rules committee for administrative oversight passed the bill on Feb. 13. It now moves to a full House vote. But the past two years, promising sports betting bills have gotten through the House then died in the Senate.

HB 2331 would allow for double-digit sports betting licenses — three skins to each casino and one to each pro sports team in the state.

At one point Missouri looked like the surest bet to pass a sports betting bill in 2022, as lawmakers openly competed with their counterparts in Kansas to get there first. The House managed to pass a bill that would have authorized up to 39 sportsbooks, but it fell apart somewhat unexpectedly in the Senate and never recovered despite a last-minute push.

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2026+ or Never (8 total states)

There's a variety of statuses here — some states, like Idaho and Utah, will likely never have legal sports betting. Others like California and Oklahoma have complex situations with tribes, which control much of the gaming in those states.

Alaska

No movement

Alaska is pretty much nowhere on sports gambling. The 49th state might actually be the 49th to legalize it, if ever.

California

2025-26 possible, but still very unlikely

The 2022 election featured two different ballot proposals to legalize sports betting in California, and both fell way short — historically short, in fact. One was backed by DraftKings and FanDuel to legalize online betting, and the state's tribes lobbied hard against it. Quite successfully, it turns out.

In January of 2024, proponents of California sports betting initiatives called off their efforts. Legal sports betting will have to wait until 2026 at the earliest, in all likelihood, and potentially several years beyond that.

At this point, there are two likely paths forward:

1) Another ballot initiative, which sportsbooks may not want to try. DraftKings CEO Jason Robins even said in March of 2023 this doesn't seem like a path forward, because the tribes will just outspend the operators no matter what. That relationship requires mending, and it may not be tenable for a few more years.

"But that’s not in the next year or two," Robins said. "There’s gotta be a deal worked out, or else we’re just going to be in a stalemate there for at least another cycle or two."

2) The other path forward is a constitutional amendment, which did gain some steam in 2019 and 2020 but it could not be worked out due to complex gaming laws and disagreements between the tribes and card rooms, among other things.

The tribes getting their way doesn't mean it will be in-person sports betting only in California — last year, a group of tribes proposed online and retail sports betting, but it didn't qualify for the ballot.

The consensus opinion seems to be that the tribes, who have immense influence in the state, can just wait out operators like DraftKings and FanDuel. They don't need sports betting and will wait to do it on their terms.

Hawaii

Little movement

Hawaii is one of just two states currently without any major gambling entity of any kind. So it's an uphill climb to get legal betting.

But there was a little bit of action in January of 2022, when Rep. John Mizuno introduced a bill.

“What we did was copycat New York’s law. We wanted to follow New York but go with a higher tax,” Mizuno told Sports Handle. “We said, ‘Hey New York got it passed, so let’s do what they did.’ That was my request for the bill drafters.”

The regulation session ended in May without very much traction on the bill, though lawmakers may still opt to advance it in upcoming sessions.

Idaho

No movement

State laws as written are currently against gambling, save for horse racing. The state doesn’t allow fantasy sports, either and there's been little political appetite for legal sports betting.

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Oklahoma

Bill was proposed in 2023, but sports betting remains a longshot

Earlier in 2023, State Rep. Ken Luttrell filed a new sports betting Bill in Oklahoma and Sen. Bill Coleman joined as its senate sponsor. The bill would have allowed tribes to add sports betting to their casino operations.

Still, legal betting remains somewhat of a longshot in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma gaming is dominated by Native American entities and most seem disinclined to agree to sports betting until other key issues with the state government are resolved. Two tribes struck sports betting deals in 2020, but those were later invalidated, part of a larger conflict between competition gaming interests and the government.

A court ruling that renewed a previous compact between the two entities gives tribes the upper hand in negotiations with the government. Sports betting, which makes up a small fraction of most casino's revenues, is a comparatively minor issue as billions of gaming dollars are up for further negotiations.

South Carolina

Bills proposed, but gained little traction

South Carolina's flirted with legal sports betting but has been unable to pass a bill.

A pair of bipartisan lawmakers introduced a bill in 2022 that would have allowed up to 12 online sportsbooks, but it didn't gain much traction. A similar effort failed in 2019. In late 2022, Democratic Rep. J. Todd Rutherford proposed a constitutional amendment that would let residents vote on the legalization of sports betting.

Gov. Henry McMaster opposes sports betting, so even if the legislature managed to pass a bill it'd face another difficult hurdle.

Texas

2023 bill dead; 2025 is next hope

Texas would appear to be an unlikely sports betting adopter, but shifting demographics and investment from outside gaming interests make it a possible target for legalization in the coming years. The Texas legislature meets every other year, so there's no hope of legalization until 2025, and even if passed, we wouldn't get live, online betting until 2026.

Gov. Rick Perry supports sports betting. The state Senate, where 2023's bill died, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick may not.

I joined @SBAllianceTX because it’s time to end the offshore, illicit market for sports betting and create a consumer protected online sports betting market in Texas. https://t.co/5IApXsej8I#LetUsVotepic.twitter.com/FY9TsQeHRM

— Rick Perry (@GovernorPerry) February 9, 2024

In May 2023, HJR102 pretty much lost all hope. Lieutenant Gov. Dan Patrick tweeted Sunday that the sports betting bill will not be referred and discussed on the Senate floor, since it was carried by Democrats.

The week prior, legalization took an important step forward. A sports betting bill passed the House with the 100 votes needed. But it faced an uphill climb in the Senate and was still a longshot to pass. Last year's Democrat-backed bill got almost no traction in the GOP-heavy Senate.

Texas is a red state. Yet the House vote on sports betting was carried by a Dem majority.

The Texas Senate doesn’t pass bills with GOP in the minority. The GOP majority guides our path.

HJR102 also will not be referred.
Can’t waste committee/floor time in the last days. #txlege

— Office of the Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick (@LtGovTX) May 14, 2023

Earlier this year, the Texas Tribune speculated that the involvement of Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, in this new sports betting bill was important because she is an ally of Patrick, who opposes sports betting. He's the biggest hurdle to getting legalization in the state.

Utah

No movement

Sports betting is likely never coming to Utah, the only state in the continental U.S. without any major legal gaming.

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