WHERE TO BET ON SPORTS IN THE USA
IS SPORTS BETTING LEGAL in the United States?
Until May 2018, betting on sports at the USA was essentially restricted to putting a wager in person at a sportsbook at Nevada. That all changed when the Skilled and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), also Called the Bradley Act, has been struck down by the Supreme Court. Now that PASPA is lifeless, each nation has the power to establish its own laws for online and in-person sports betting.
Laws and rules surrounding sports betting vary from state to state. New Jersey, for example, moved extremely quickly and passed a legislation to allow legal sports betting online and in person in June 2018. West Virginia and Pennsylvania currently allow in-person betting but not online. Other states, such as California and New York, have yet to legalize sports wagering.
How Can You BET ON SPORTS LEGALLY in the United States?
Sports betting in the United States is regulated on a state-by-state foundation, which means that you have to live in or go to a country that has legalized sports betting gambling in order to wager on sports legally (see map below). As soon as you’ve entered a country where sports gambling is legal, it’s time to find a legal sportsbook, either online or by visiting a brick-and-mortar location (and again, this will vary state-by-state).
WHERE CAN I BET ON SPORTS IN the USA?
A map of the place to wager on sports in the USA WHERE IS SPORTS BETTING LEGAL in the United States?
Nevada
Not much has changed in Nevada post-PASPA. Bettors can place wagers in person in one of many sportsbooks across the state. Most sportsbooks do offer mobile wagering within state limits but online accounts have to be enrolled, verified, and financed in person at the sportsbooks.
Find out More about gambling on sports in Nevada
New Jersey
New Jersey became among the first states to modify its regulation post-PASPA in June 2018. Bettors are now able to place wagers online sports in quite a few brick-and-mortar sportsbooks as well as through online apps as long as you are within state limits.
Learn more about gambling on sports at New Jersey
West Virginia
West Virginia began offering legal sports betting at August 2018 and is now available at sportsbooks in a couple of casinos. In late December 2018, online wagering became available through the BetLucky app, and other big players are expected to be online soon.
Find out More about gambling on sports in West Virginia.
Pennsylvania
The Keystone State launched sports gambling at November 2018 and currently has five sportsbooks across the state. Online betting isn’t an option just yet but that could occur as soon as 2019.
Find out more about betting on sports at Pennsylvania.
Mississippi
Mississippi flipped the switch and began accepting single-game wagering on sports at August 2018. Sports betting, like all gambling in the state, is currently limited to land- and – water-based casinos. The law does permit mobile sports betting on casino land, though it isn’t currently offered.
Learn more about sports betting in Mississippi.
Delaware
Delaware moved quickly post-PASPA and began accepting sports gambling at its three casinos on June 5. The current law allows for mobile and online wagering, though it currently is not offered.
Find out more about sports betting in Delaware.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island started accepting sports bets in late November 2018 at the Twin River Casino and then in December 2018 in the Twin River Tiverton Casino. The legal age for gambling on sports at Rhode Island is 18, whereas its 21 in most other states. Online sports gambling is legal as of March 25, 2019, but isn’t yet available.
Find out more about sports betting in Rhode Island.
New Mexico
New Mexico took its first sports bet in October 2018 at the Santa Ana Star Casino & Hotel. No new law was passed, but after PASPA, sports betting is allowed because a gaming compact that the casino has the state. Sports gambling remains prohibited online and elsewhere in the state.
Arkansas
Sports gaming formally established in Arkansas on July 1, 2019, when the first legal sports wager was accepted at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort. Presently, Oaklawn is the sole real estate to provide sports gambling. Arkansas becomes the ninth state in the country to legalize sports gambling.
WHAT OTHER STATES WILL LEGALIZE SPORTS BETTING SOON?
Sports gambling should be legal in a couple more countries in 2019 and plenty more are anticipated to roll out new legislation in the next several years.
California
A set of lawmakers in the Golden State are hoping to legalize sports gambling since Sen. Bill Dodd and Assemblyman Adam Gray introduced a ballot measure in late June 2019. This could give Californians the chance to vote on changing the state Constitution — and legalize sports betting — in the November 2020 election.
Connecticut
Connecticut, along with New York, needed a state-level law set up in 2017 in advance of their legalization from the federal authorities. Sports betting did not become a fact in 2018 however there is hope for 2019 as a new invoice emerged in March that could legalize sports gambling.
Find out more about gambling on sports at Connecticut.
Illinois
Sports gambling in Illinois is official after Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed it into law in late June following lawmakers and the Senate passed a broad expansion of gaming that includes sports betting in earlier in the month.
Find out more about betting on sports at Illinois.
Indiana
Indiana has moved quickly in 2019 to create legalized sports betting a reality and on February 26 the state Senate passed a gambling bill (SB 552) which could include sports gambling. The bill moved through the House in late April and obtained Gov. Eric Holcomb’s signature on May 8, meaning legalized sports betting in Indiana is on its way. The projected launch date is September 1, 2019.
Find out more about betting on sports in Indiana.
Iowa
Sports gambling is legal in Iowa following Gov. Kim Reynolds signed charge SF 617 in law on May 13, 2019. Iowa is considering summer 2019 for the launching of sports betting. The new law allows for both mobile and retail wagering, though cellular accounts will need in-person registration through the end of 2020.
Learn more about gambling on sports at Iowa
Maine
Maine has taken a drama out of Illinois’ and Indiana’s playbooks in passing a sports betting bill at the last moment. Bill LD 553 made it through the Senate on June 18, 2019, and then was approved unanimously by the House. The bill now faces additional votes along with a touch from the Governor, but it’s predicted to be set into legislation in 2019.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker announced plans to legalize sports gambling in the state when he introduced a bill to the nation’s legislature in mid-January, 2019. Baker’s invoice, or among those others which were introduced in mid-January, is expected to pass, meaning legalized sports betting in Massachusetts must be arriving shortly.
Learn more about betting on sports at Massachusetts.
Michigan
It looked like it online sports gambling was to eventually become a reality in Michigan if lawmakers passed a bill in late December 2018 that could legalize it. A few days afterwards, however, and only three days before leaving office, Gov. Rick Snyder vetoed the bill. Lawmakers will continue to try to legalize it but it is going to probably be 2021 prior to online sports gambling is allowed in Michigan.
Montana
Montana became the ninth country in the country — and in 2019 — to legalize sports betting if Gov. Steve Bullock signed a bill on May 3. The state lottery will oversee sports gambling which is administered through kiosks and mobile apps. The country expects to launch sports gambling by the fall of 2019.
New York
New York is just another state that had a state law which legalized sports betting on the novels before PASPA fell in May 2018. Back in 2013, New York voted to allow the building of four new casinos which would also accept sports wagers. The Supreme Court’s decision last May triggered legalized sports gambling in New York and all that was required was to the New York State Gaming Commission to pass a set of sports wagering rules. That happened on June 10, 2019, making sports gambling officially legal.
Learn more about betting on sports at New York.
Oregon
Oregon has a law in place that allows some types of sports betting and really used to offer a football charge card through its state lottery, though that stopped about 10 years back. The state intends to roll out single-game sports wagering through the state lottery and it’s targeting September 8, 2019, as the launch date.
Tennessee
Tennessee became the fourth state to legalize sports betting at 2019 when Gov. Bill Lee returned the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act (HB001/SB0016) into the General Assembly on May 24 with no signature, allowing the bill to become law. Sports betting in Tennessee is going to be unique in that it will be online only and there won’t be some brick-and-mortar places.
Find out more about sports betting in Tennessee.
Washington D.C.
The nation’s capital joined the sports gaming arena in late 2018, passing a law that will enable its lottery to administer legalized sports gambling. There are no strategies for casinos and also the big-name programs won’t be accessible within the jurisdiction, but there will be an online app available, as well as brick-and-mortar locations run by the DC Lottery. Expectations are for this to be live by September 2019.
Find out More about betting on sports at Washington D.C.
SPORTS BETTING FAQS
How do you wager on sports?
There are several distinct ways to bet on sportsbetting. The most common approaches are generally betting on the moneyline (who’ll win the game), the spread (which team will win or not lose by a predetermined margin of points), and the total (whether the entire number of points will be Over or Under a predetermined total). Learn more about sports betting basics and approaches in our How to Bet section.
Is sports betting legal in Europe?
Sports gambling is governed on a country-by-country foundation in Europe. Online sports gambling is legal in many European countries, such as the United Kingdom, France, Ireland, Spain, and Russia.
Is sports gambling legal in Canada?
Generally , yes. Canadians can put sports bets via their provincial lotteries and may also set wagers with offshore sportsbooks who operate in a legal gray area in Canada.
Are online betting sites and programs safe?
For the most part, online betting websites are safe. To ensure you are protected, be sure to place your wagers using a legal sportsbook from the USA as all these are heavily controlled by governmental authorities.
What are offshore sports gambling apps and websites?
Offshore sports gambling apps and sites refer to online sportsbooks that run outside of the USA. Betting at one of these sites while at the USA is illegal. Check out Covers’ sportsbook review page for a list of legal sportsbooks in the USA.