Where Is Sports Betting Legal? Projections for All 50 States …

Updated Sept. 9, 2021

Its been three years since the Supreme Court struck down the federal ban on sports betting, allowing states to legalize it if they wish.

So where do we stand now? What states are in business, and how are they doing? What states are imminently coming online? And what states are on the back burner? Weve 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 legal sports betting, but the reality is that full online sports betting will not come to more than a dozen states for a long time due to deep-seated political opposition to gambling or complex tribal relationships.

An interactive map is below, and the text for each state is ordered by the projected year we expect them to come online. Two experts Daniel Wallach, principal at Wallach Legal, the nations first law firm solely devoted to sports betting, and Jake Williams, vice president of legal and regulatory affairs for Sportradar helped with the projections and sub-categories for every state.

Possible states for 2021 and 2022 include states such as Kansas, which has seen some movement but has no real timeline for legalization, and Maine, which had a bill vetoed by the governor, killing sports betting until at least 2021.

[Check out the best online sportsbooks in Arizona, Illinois, Colorado, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Indiana, Michigan, Virginia, Iowa, and West Virginia.]

Ala. | Alaska | Ari. | Ark. | Calif. | Colo. | Conn. | Dela. | Fla. | Ga. | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Ind. | Iowa | Kan. | Kent. | La. | Maine | Mary. | Mass. | Mich. | Minn. | Miss. | Mo. | Mont. | Neb. | Nev. | N.H. | N.J. | N.M. | N.Y. | N.C | N.D. | Ohio | Okla. | Ore. | Penn. | R.I. | S.C. | S.D. | Tenn. | Texas | Utah | Ver. | Virginia | Wash. | Wash. D.C. | W.V. | Wisc. | Wyo.

Full mobile betting with multiple options

Arizona passed a sweeping online sports betting bill in April 2021 that allows statewide mobile wagering as well as some of the nations first in-stadium sportsbooks.

A handful of sportsbooks went live Sept. 9, the first day of the 2021 NFL season, with 10 more to follow in the coming weeks.

In-person sportsbooks only

Legal sports betting started in Arkansas on July 1, 2019, at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort. An additional sportsbook was added in October 2019 at the Saracen Casino Resort.

There is no online wagering in the state.

Lawmakers have considered statewide mobile legislation but this could still be a difficult sell in one of the nations more politically and culturally conservative states.

A 2018 ballot measure that allowed the two sportsbooks and permitted two new casinos in the state passed, but a 2020 measure that would have allowed even more casinos didnt make that years ballot. It could be a while before Arkansas has full mobile betting.

Full mobile betting with multiple options

Colorado accepted its first online and retail wagers in 2020 and has quickly turned into one of the most robust markets with all the major players involved, including DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM and BetRivers from day one.

In Sept. 2020, Colorado joined Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Indiana among states to record more than $200 million in monthly betting handle. Australian-based PointsBet opened its North American headquarters in Denver, helping what could be a major player in U.S. sports betting.

Colorado has one of the most operator-friendly setups in the country and more than two-dozen digital sportsbooks are expected to be live there in the coming years.

In-person sportsbooks only

Delaware was the first state outside Nevada to accept a legal single-game sports bet, beating New Jersey by a few weeks after the Supreme Court struck down the federal wagering ban in May 2018.

Delawares 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 will leave Delaware a relative afterthought despite its quick start.

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

The state launched betting on March 9, 2020, (just ahead of an NCAA Tournament that didnt wind up happening) and launched online betting in June 2020.

One of the nations most populated (and sports-crazy) states, Illinois is expected to be a major player in the U.S. sports betting sphere. However, market participation has been slow, in part due to limited online skin counts plus stiff taxes and fees.

More importantly, Illinois bettors are required to register at a retail sportsbook before betting with an online option. This requirement had been waived on a month-by-month basis by Gov. J.B. Pritzker during the COVID-19 pandemic, but he unexpectedly failed to renew the order starting in April 2021; assuming he (or the legislature) take no further action, in-person registration will remain until 2022.

This will be a hiccup Illinois potential but the registration mandate sunsets permanently in 2022, and marquee sports venues such as Wrigley Field and the United Center could open sportsbooks in coming years. More online brands will also likely join, which could finally push Illinois near or to the top of the U.S. sports betting handle lists.

Full mobile betting with multiple options

Indiana went live Sept. 1, 2019 and has done well, pulling in more than $200 million a month in handle in the 2020 football season. It took just a few months from legalization to first bet, and Indiana has continued its fast start with a well-rounded market.

The biggest players, including FanDuel and DraftKings, take up most of the market share within the state, but a dozen or so sportsbooks are expected to make noise in the coming years. More operator entrants and a business-friendly environment should help continue Indianas sports betting success.

Full mobile betting with multiple options

Iowa started accepting bets on Aug. 15, 2019 and has methodically grown in the months since. The in-person registration requirement set to sunset in 2021 should help the market even further.

Iowa has some of the cheapest licensing fees in the land $45,000 for the first year to get an initial license and a renewal fee of $10,000 annually. Iowa took in $72 million in bets in September 2020 alone.

Though it has a smaller in population and has no professional sports teams, it could still be among the more lucrative per capita markets in the country.

Full mobile betting with multiple options

Michigan launched in-person wagering at the MGM Grand Detroit on March 11, 2020. Online books such as BetMGM launched in early 2021.

Michigan is becoming one of the biggest sports betting and online gaming markets in the country, and its legislation allows for a competitive market with multiple operators.

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.

The initial retail sports betting legislation was passed as a corollary to a fantasy sports bill at a time when the federal ban appeared it would not be lifted.

Passing a statewide online betting bill in conservative Mississippi will be a far more difficult task.

In-person sportsbooks only

Montana officially started taking bets in March 2020 with a sports betting app run by the company that runs the state lottery. This government-run monopoly keeps out other top sportsbooks and can jeopardize competitive prices. It also only works in licensed gaming properties.

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

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

Nevada, the gold standard for in-person betting, still hasnt quite mastered online wagering. The state requires bettors to come into a casino to register in person before placing via the Internet.

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

One mobile betting option

Online wagering began 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.

New Hampshire has done decently well despite its limited market, but this could end when (or if) Massachusetts launches mobile wagering.

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.

Although there are physical books in Atlantic City and at the Meadowlands, more than 80% of bets taken are on online, a number thats risen during COVID-19 and should continue going forward.

New Jersey brought in $4.5 billion in sports bets in 2019 and is on track to bring in $5 billion in 2020, beating out Nevada in handle every month that year. A New York mobile launch could cut into these massive numbers, but New Jersey will still continue as a marquee market for years to come.

In-person sportsbooks only

No bills have been passed, but Native American tribes have interpreted that sportsbooks are legal at tribal casinos under existing state-tribal gaming compacts. There are only a handful of retail sportsbooks spread across the state and it appears the first state to take a bet without an act of the legislature or voters will continue to do so.

Only physical sportsbooks; online launch pending in 2022

New York has retail sports betting at a handful of upstate commercial and tribal casinos, but these have generated little revenue despite the states massive population and gaming interest. Thats because theres no online betting.

However, Gov. Andrew Cuomo for the first time on Jan. 6 fully embraced online sports betting as a new revenue source, but the plan he signed into law in April 2021 runs sports betting through the state; The limited-operator model could prevent books such as DraftKings, FanDuel, and many more from entering. It would ultimately harm the consumer experience, as well.

State officials are expected to announce the winning bids in December.

In the meantime, New Jersey has essentially turned into Vegas East (with the help of New Yorkers coming across the border). This comes even as a study released in February 2020 estimated that New York is losing $200+ million in revenue by not legalizing online sports betting.

In-person sportsbooks only

North Carolina legalized in-person sports betting in July 2019 for two tribal casinos in the western portion of the state, taking its first bet in March 2021.

While that bill did not permit any mobile wagering, the state is expected to consider statewide mobile wagering in 2021.

In-person sportsbooks only

Theres 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.

Notably, a 2021 online bill fell just a few votes short. Lawmakers could try again in 2022, especially if tribal books launch in 2021.

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.

Notably, in-state college betting is prohibited via the lottery app. A handful of Native American casinos have opened retail sportsbooks, which permit college betting as well, but these too are small revenue generators.

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.

Despite high fees for operators to get into the game, Pennsylvania consistently sees the third-largest sports betting monthly handles, behind New Jersey and Nevada, despite a larger population, pulling in close to $500 million in bets during the meat of the football season.

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

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 Islands proximity to Connecticut and Massachusetts.

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, but could open an interesting new digital market in the years to come.

Full mobile betting with multiple options

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

Tennessee is also the only state that makes the operators return a 10% hold. Since the typical hold, which is the percentage of the total bets taken in that the books hold on to, is around 5-7% in most states, making sure that 10% is held could mean that bettors within the state will get worse odds.

Also, Tennessee took roughly 18 months to launch its first online sportsbooks after its legislature technically legalized betting. All major operators could enter the market in coming years, but Tennessees self-imposed restrictions could hurt its potential.

Full mobile betting with multiple options

Virginia took its first online sports bet in January 2021 and as many as a dozen options could be available by the end of the year. Though there is a cap on the number of skins, most top brands should be able to enter the market, and FanDuel, DraftKings, William Hill, BetRivers and BetMGM have already gone live.

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 states revenue potential. Statewide mobile betting doesnt seem like a reality anytime soon.

Limited mobile betting options

D.C. is technically a sole-source operator jurisdiction. The lone legal District-wide mobile app, GamBet, is run by the lottery and, partially because it has no legal competition, has offered lines worse than market averages. Also the app is geofenced out of any federal properties, a major problem in the nations capital.

That has allowed the citys first retail sportsbooks, a temporary operating booth in Capital One Arena. William Hill allows mobile wagering only within the stadium.

William Hills retail book opened July 31, 2020 in a makeshift sportsbook in the box office of the Capital One Arena before its moves into a permanent home in the building in 2021.

Another entrant, Handle 19, is readying to enter the marketplace with a retail location. Overall, D.C. hasnt generated much from sports betting because of unfair pricing.

Full mobile betting with multiple options

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

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Where Is Sports Betting Legal? Projections for All 50 States ...