In the U.S., it is up to each state to decide on certain laws they allow within their territories, provided it doesn’t compromise the national unity and security of the country. One such is sports betting.
The U.S Supreme Court ruling on May 14, 2018, gave states the go-ahead to make sports betting legitimate based on their individual terms.
At the time of publication, sports betting is legal in 36 states and the District of Columbia. In 2021, sports betting was legal in 32 states, but more states are joining, and others are looking at ways to control it.
While betting is illegal in some states in the U.S., there are others that legitimized sports betting. And of course, there are still debates about whether sports betting is an investment or not.
While some people say it is an investment vehicle on the part of the founder of such a firm, sports betting is still not legal in all 50 states. While it is legal in some American states, it remained illegal in some other places.
Here are states where sports betting is legal in the United States:
Arizona:
Arizona is one of the American states where sports betting is legal, since April 15, 2021. As things stand now, there are up to 20 operators in Arizona with several patronizers in different parts of the state.
Arkansas:
In 2021 (July to be precise), the very first official sportsbook came alive in Arkansas, making the state one of those where sports betting is legitimate in the USA.
In December of the same year, the authorities decided to expand the existing sports betting regulations to permit online/mobile sports betting in its territories.
Colorado:
Sports betting is legal in Colorado, authorized since May 2020. While state authorities are placing restrictions on in-state college games, there are several operators permitting people to operate accounts online and place wagers.
Connecticut:
In September 2021, the state authorities chose to officially legitimized sports betting within Connecticut. Sports betting here is regulated by the Department of Consumer Protection, and the operators in the state have been more aggressive in their approach.
It is also important to add that the tax rate on money derived from sports betting and fantasy sports in Connecticut is 13.75%.
Delaware:
One of the earliest states that happened to embrace sports betting within its territories is Delaware. It was legitimized in 2018, although all forms of betting on in-state collegiate teams aren’t permitted.
Illinois:
Sports betting has been legalized in Illinois since June 2020, although there are prohibitions on in-state collegiate games. In the state, folks are permitted to place bets online and in person.
Indiana:
State authorities endorsed sports betting in the state since September 2019, allowing wagers to place bets online and in person as much as they desire. Indiana also permits placing bets on collegiate game outcomes, unlike some other American states.
Iowa:
Sports betting has been legitimized in Iowa since 2019, allowing wagers to even place bets on both pro and college sports, including on in-state collegiate game outcomes.
Kansas:
Kansas permitted sports betting through online channels in July 2022, becoming one of the most recent American states to join the club.
Louisiana:
Online sports betting was only legalized in Louisiana in January 2022, although retail sports betting has been endorsed since October 2021.
Maryland:
While online sports betting was officially legalized in Maryland by November 2022, in-person bets have been permitted since December 2021.
Michigan:
This is one of the most recent American states where sports betting has been legalized, since it started just in January 2023.
Mississippi:
Mississippi is one of the earliest American states that permitted sports betting. This has been going on since August 1, 2018.
Montana:
Montana officially embraced sports betting back in March 2020, although the state authorities have been rigid with regulations on betting in the state.
Nebraska:
State law permitted sports betting in Nebraska on May 25, 2021. However, a lot of things are prohibited here, such as in-state collegiate games and event bets.
Nevada:
Nevada gave a measure of liberty to wagers in love with sports betting, much more than several other American states.
New Hampshire:
State authorities decided to make sports betting legitimate within her territories in early 2020. However, only online bets are permitted, and all forms of in-state collegiate games and events bettings are not allowed.
New Jersey:
The state is also one of the very first American states that decided on sports betting, as it was legalized as far back as June 2018. However, all betting on in-state collegiate games is still not permitted.
New Mexico
Sports betting is legal in some parts of New Mexico but heavily restricted in various parts of the state.
New York:
While sports betting has been legalized in New York since 2013, online betting was only launched in January 2020. Nevertheless, you won’t be permitted to place bets on in-state collegiate games and events.
North Carolina:
Sports betting started on a big scale in North Carolina on March 2021. However, online betting remained illegal till this moment.
Ohio:
Ohio legitimized sports betting in December 2021, but became operational on January 1, 20223, permitting both online bets and in-person operations.
Oklahoma:
While sports betting is legal here, it is not yet launched officially till this moment.
Oregon:
In August 2019, Oregon started taking bets. However, the state is still prohibiting all betting on collegiate games and events.
Pennsylvania:
Pennsylvania is one of the earliest adopters, legalizing sports betting in 2018, and permitting mobile/online operators within her territories.
Rhode Island:
While some forms of betting have been going on in the state since 2018, online betting was officially launched in September 2019. However, Rhode Island still prohibits all betting on in-state collegiate games and events.
South Dakota:
State authorities already approved sports betting in 2021. However, mobile sports betting is still unavailable, including betting on in-state collegiate games and events.
Tennessee:
In 2019, the state permitted betting online and on mobile apps, while in-person betting is still prohibited.
Virginia:
Virginia officially legitimized sports betting in 2021 and permitted both online and in-person operations.
Washington:
Sports betting is only permitted in designated areas in the state, while mobile/online wagering remained illegal.
Washington D.C.:
Sports betting is legal in Washington D.C, except for betting on collegiate games and events.
West Virginia:
One of the earliest American states to embrace sports betting, West Virginia allows both in-person and online sports betting.
Wisconsin:
While sports betting is legal in Wisconsin, it is heavily restricted. In fact, all betting on in-state collegiate and amateur games is not allowed here.
Wyoming:
Wyoming launched sports betting officially in September 2021.
Conclusion
These are the states in the United States of America where sports betting is legal. Nevertheless, be diligent to know the restrictions placed by each state, so you won’t offend the law ignorantly.
References
- CBS Sports (Feb 16, 2023). “U.S. sports betting: Here’s where all 50 states stand on legalizing sports gambling, site mobile bets”. cbssports.com
- Sports Betting Dime (June 16, 2022). “New Jersey Gambling Revenue: America’s #1 Sports Betting Market”. sportsbettingdime.com
- Adam Liptak and Kevin Draper (May 14, 2018). “Supreme Court Ruling Favors Sports Betting”. nytimes.com
