Legal Sports Betting States: Where is Sports Betting Legal in 2024?

Alabama

Alabama sports betting is illegal in all its forms. In May 2024, the Alabama lawmakers ended this year's legislative session without legalizing sports betting in the state.

Alaska

Alaska sports betting is prohibited, and there are no signs of this changing anytime soon.

Arizona

On April 12, 2021, the state Senate approved Senate Bill HB 2772, which legalized retail Arizona sports betting and online sports betting. Online operators in Arizona took their first wagers five months later in September.

Retail licenses have been issued to professional sports teams and Native American tribes.

Arkansas

Arkansas sports betting was legalized in 2018. At first, bets could only be placed at one of three land-based casinos: the Saracen Casino Resort, Southland Casino, and the Oaklawn horse racing track and casino.

After new rules met legislative approval in 2022, online sports betting became legal and officially launched in April of that year.

In May 2024, the Arkansas Racing Commission postponed any discussion on a plan to legalize iGaming statewide. No date has been set for when the commission might address that issue. 

California

Despite legislative efforts to legalize California sports betting, it remains illegal. The most recent failure came in 2022 when California voters rejected Proposition 27, an initiative to legalize sports wagering. The earliest that betting can become legal in the state is 2026.

Colorado

Mobile and land-based Colorado sports betting became legal during the spring of 2020. Retail sports betting is limited to casinos in Black Hall, Central City, and Cripple Creek.

Several online operators are available to choose from, including Caesars, Fanatics, and BetMGM.

Connecticut

Both in-person and online Connecticut sports betting were legalized in 2021. While there are other retail locations, Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun tribal casinos are the two most popular places in the state to bet on sports. Fanatics, DraftKings, and FanDuel are available online.

Delaware

In 2018, Delaware became the first state outside of Nevada to legalize sports betting. Until recently, the state only supported retail sports betting at one of the state’s three racinos.

However, at the beginning of 2024, BetRivers launched its state app to make online Delaware sports betting available.

Florida

Retail and online sports betting is legal in the Sunshine State; however, the situation in Florida is more complicated than in most legal states.

In-person Florida sports betting is available at certain casinos run by the Seminole Tribe. Meanwhile, Hard Rock Bet, an app relaunched in 2023 after being shut down for two years, is the only legal option for online sports betting in Florida. The Florida Seminole Tribe owns and operates the Hard Rock brand, including its sportsbook.

Other online operators challenged in court what they believed to be a monopoly by the tribe. However, on June 17, 2024, the United States Supreme Court declined to hear the case, meaning the Seminoles will maintain control of sports betting in the state through the end of a 30-year pact that began in 2021. 

Tribes in states such as California might use Florida as a template in amending their current state compacts to legalize sports betting without having to endure a costly ballot initiative, analysts say.

Georgia

While several bills that would legalize Georgia sport betting have been put to a vote in the last few years, none have passed. In-person and online sports betting are still illegal in the state. 

Hawaii

All kinds of gambling, including sports betting, are illegal in Hawaii. While bills have been introduced in legislative sessions that would legalize Hawaii sports betting, none have passed.

Idaho

In-person and online Idaho sports betting is prohibited. It’s not likely to become legal anytime soon since not a single bill has been proposed to introduce it.

Illinois

Illinois sports betting went live in March of 2020. Retail wagering is available at facilities throughout the state, and there are currently eight options for Illinois online sports betting, including Caesars Sportsbook and BetMGM Sportsbook.

The Illinois House of Representatives approved the state budget, including a major sports betting tax increase, on May 29, and Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed it into law.

The increase would be "devastating" to the industry, the Sports Betting Alliance has said.

Indiana

Land-based and mobile Indiana sports betting became legal in 2019. In fact, there are 13 online operators to choose from.

As required by law, all of these sports betting sites have retail partners, so land-based sports wagering is readily available in the state as well.

The popularity of Indiana Fever rookie guard Caitlin Clark is causing WNBA sports betting to "sky rocket," experts say.

Iowa

Since it was legalized in 2019, in-person and mobile Iowa sports betting is widely available. In addition to 18 brick-and-mortar casinos, bettors can choose from several online options in Iowa, such as Fanatics and Caesars.

Kansas

Kansas sports betting has been legal online and in-person since legislation passed in 2022. Bettors can place wagers at four in-state retail casinos as well as six online operators, including Caesars Sportsbook and BetMGM Sportsbook.  

Kentucky

Launched in September 2023, Kentucky is one of the newest states where sports betting has become legal. Numerous horse racing tracks across the state offer retail Kentucky sports betting, and eight online sites, including Caesars and Fanatics, allow bettors to place wagers remotely.

Louisiana

Louisiana sports betting is legal online and in person. Retail sports betting began in October 2021, and online sports betting soon followed in January 2022. Currently, race tracks, as well as commercial and tribal casinos, across the state house retail betting locations.

Meanwhile, bettors can sign up for as many as eight Louisiana online sports betting sites.

Louisiana could see a falloff in gaming revenue if Texas legalizes sports betting and commercial casinos, says the Louisiana Gaming Control Board chairman, adding that some of the nine Louisiana parishes without sports betting still might legalize sports wagering.

The incoming Louisiana Gaming Control Board chairman vows to keep gaming "free from criminal and corrupt elements."

Retail locations in northwest Louisiana expect a double-digit increase in sports betting now that the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners are in the SEC. Sports betting is illegal in Texas and Oklahoma but legal in Louisiana.

Maine

Maine sports betting is legal. Currently, there are only two online sportsbooks, Caesars and DraftKings, that are operating in the state. However, expect this to change in the near future because there are 10 retail betting licenses, as well as two additional online licenses available.

Maryland

Online Maryland sports betting launched in November 2022, nearly a year after retail betting became legal.

Now there are eleven online sites taking wagers, including Fanatics Sportsbook and Caesars Sportsbook.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts sports betting is legal both in-person and online sports betting. The state’s retail casinos accepted the first wagers on the last day of January in 2023. Then, online operators launched in Massachusetts in March 2023, just ahead of the start of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. 

It should be noted that Massachusetts does not allow betting on college player props or in-state college teams (unless they are in a tournament.)

Michigan

Legal Michigan sports betting went live on March 11, 2020. You can bet on sports in person at most of the state’s tribal and commercial casinos, and online sports wagering is readily available.

Minnesota

Federally recognized tribes of Minnesota have blocked the expansion of gambling in the state; consequently, neither retail nor online Minnesota sports betting is legal. However, legalization bills have been introduced, so there is still hope.

Mississippi

Sports betting is legal in Mississippi and can be accessed at casinos throughout the state. While there are numerous retail locations across the state, online Mississippi sports betting is only available to app users who are physically present on the premises of a licensed casino.

Missouri

Retail and online Missouri sports betting are not legal. Despite the support of a frustrated public (according to polling), legalizing betting is still an uphill battle due to political resistance. A bill that recently passed in the state’s House stalled in the Senate.

Meanwhile, a coalition seeking to put sports betting on the November 2024 ballot submitted voter signatures to the secretary of state several days before the May 5 deadline. If those signatures are validated, votes will decide on Nov. 5 whether they want legal sports betting in Missouri.

By August 2024, voters in Missouri should know whether sports betting will be on the November ballot, the secretary of state's spokesman says.

Montana

Montana has legalized in-person sports betting through its lottery system. There are well over 100 different sites with sports wagering kiosks, but there is no mobile sports gaming in the state.

Nebraska

In-person sports betting was legalized in Nebraska by the state legislature in 2021. However, online wagers are still illegal, and this is not expected to change soon.

The 2024 Men's College World Series takes place during June at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, featuring four teams from the SEC and four from the ACC. 

Nevada

The home of legalized gambling in the United States, Nevada offers in-person sports betting at any of its many casinos, as well as other retail establishments. Nevada is home to perhaps he most famous gambling destination in the world: Las Vegas, which hosts 45 casinos along the main strip.

Nevada made online sports betting legal in 2010.

New Hampshire

In-person and online sports betting are both legal in New Hampshire. However, for mobile betting, DraftKings Sportsbook is the only option in the state due to a contractual license agreement. This arrangement restricts all other operators from accepting bets online in New Hampshire.

New Jersey

New Jersey was the state that challenged PASPA, which led to the Supreme Court overturning the law in 2018. So it’s not surprising that the state immediately took advantage and legalized New Jersey sports betting that very year. Now, the state allows betting in person at at Atlantic City casinos and NJ horse tracks, as well as online. 

Despite being one of the states most known for gambling along with Nevada, New Jersey prohibits bets of any kind on in-state college teams as well as games taking place in the state.

New Mexico

New Mexico has Native American casinos that operate under compacts with the state in accordance with the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Under the terms of the compacts, they have been allowed to open retail sports betting locations at their gaming facilities.

Online sports betting is not permitted, and sports bettors cannot wager on college football or similar games that involve schools located in New Mexico.

New York

Legal New York sports betting in 2019 when retail betting sites went live in casinos upstate. New York sports betting online began in January 2022 and has since grown to nine operators. 

North Carolina

On March 11, 2024, North Carolina became the latest state to allow online sports betting. North Carolina sports betting is available with eight online operators in the state. 

During the 2024 legislative session, two lawmakers submitted bills to ban college player proposition bets. 

In May, two North Carolina lawmakers told Gambling.com their bills to ban college player prop bets probably would not win legislative approval this year, adding they might seek other ways to ban those bets. Indeed, that legislation never made it out of committee in 2024. 

Retail locations were legalized in the Tar Heel State in 2019, and retail Caesars Sportsbooks have operated at three tribal casinos since 2021. Harrah's Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel in Murphy is adding a poker room and 12-story hotel tower in two phases.

North Dakota

Tribal casinos in North Dakota have opened retail sports betting locations under existing gambling compacts. North Dakota’s state legislature has not legalized online betting, but there is some support among lawmakers.

Ohio

Ohio sports betting is legal both in-person and online. There are nearly 20 online betting operators, and there are many retail locations throughout Ohio, as well. In fact, sports wagers can even be placed at select Kroger grocery stores in Cincinnati and Dayton.

Oklahoma

Sports betting is not legal in Oklahoma. As with several other states where sports betting is illegal, gaining the approval of tribes in the state is the primary obstacle. 

However, Governor Kevin Stitt supports legalization, which suggests there may be a path forward. By mid-May, bills that would legalize sports betting appeared unlikely to win approval at the 2024 legislative session.

Oregon

The first legal Oregon sports bet was placed at the Chinook Winds Casino Resort in August of 2019. Online sports betting is legal and live as well. However, DraftKings is currently the only legal online operator in Oregon.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania sports betting is legal both online and in person. 

In November 2018, the sportsbook at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course opened its doors. Legal mobile betting in Pennsylvania followed in 2019. 

Rhode Island

There are two casinos that allow sports betting in Rhode Island, which legalized betting on sports in 2018. The Lottery Commission oversees online Rhode Island sports betting. 

Currently, the lottery-run Sportsbook RI is the only online sports betting app available in the state.

South Carolina

Sports betting is currently illegal in South Carolina. A sports betting bill has stalled in the state’s House after passing the Senate in 2023. However, current governor Henry McMaster opposes gambling, so it’s unlikely sports betting will be legalized anytime soon.

South Dakota

South Dakota legalized retail sports betting in 2021. Casinos in Deadwood offer retail sports betting as do some tribal properties.

There is no provision for online sports gaming, but there are lawmakers who are in favor of mobile sports betting, so it is still a possibility.

Tennessee

Online Tennessee sports betting is legal. In-person betting is not offered because there are no retail locations in the state. With no limit on licenses, there is a lot of competition among nearly a dozen online operators.

The University of Tennessee Volunteers are favored to win the 2024 Men's College World Series, taking place during June in Omaha, Nebraska.

Texas

Although there have been bills introduced to legalize it (including one in 2023), sports betting remains prohibited in Texas. Legislative sessions only occur every other year in Texas, so 2025 is the earliest a sports betting bill can be considered again.

In advance of the 2025 legislative session in Texas, Las Vegas Sands Corp., is circulating an online petition to expand gaming in the Lone Star State. 

Utah

Utah is one of two states, along with Hawaii, that doesn’t allow gambling of any kind. The state has a large population of Mormons, who are strongly opposed to gambling, so it’s possible that sports betting will never be legalized.  

Vermont

Vermont sports betting was legalized in 2023. Three online operators, including Fanatics, FanDuel, and DraftKings, launched in January 2024. Currently, there are no retail locations in the state. 

Like Massachusetts, the Green Mountain State prohibits wagers of any kind placed on in-state collegiate teams unless the team is in a tournament or the playoffs.

Virginia

At the beginning of 2021, online Virginia sports betting went live. Over a dozen legal sites now operate in the state. In-person betting is also an option at several Virginia casinos. Wagering on collegiate sports is illegal.  

Washington

Tribal casinos in Washington, some of which have partnered with online operators, started taking bets in September of 2021. You can bet on mobile while on the premises of one of these casinos, but statewide online wagering is not yet legal. 

Washington sports betting on in-state collegiate games is not allowed.

West Virginia

Both in-person and online West Virginia sports betting are legal. There are brick-and-mortar sports betting locations in the West Virginia horse tracks and The Greenbrier, which is a private resort. 

Fanatics and Caesars Sportsbook are among the online sports betting sites operating in the state.

Wisconsin

Sports betting is legal in Wisconsin only at tribal casinos in the state. Legal online sports betting would require an adjustment to the state constitution. It is worth noting that in-state betting on college competition is prohibited.

Wyoming

Online Wyoming sports betting sites are legal. There are no retail options, but the tribal casinos may launch retail sports betting soon under the terms of their compacts, using the New Mexico model.

Washington D.C.

DC sports betting is undergoing a major change this summer. In April 2024, FanDuel replaced GameBetDC, the city-controlled online sports betting platform, as the official partner of the DC Lottery. In the first 30 days, FanDuel brought $1.9M to the city.

However, in June 2024, the city council approved the 2025 fiscal year budget, which included provisions for up to seven online sports betting operators to launch. Before the council officially approved the new budget, FanDuel president Christian Genetski said FanDuel would terminate its relationship with the DC Lottery and continue as an independent operator. 

Mayor Muriel Bowser returned the budget unsigned to city council, allowing it to go into effect without her signature. 

On Wednesday, July 17, BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbook expanded their online presence in Washington D.C., allowing bettors to place wagers from anywhere in the district. Previously, online bets were restricted to the two-block radii surrounding Nationals Park and Capital One Arena.

Hotels, bars, and restaurants can apply for retail sports betting licenses. The Office of Lottery and Gaming regulates sports betting in the District of Columbia. 

Puerto Rico

A 2019 bill legalized sports betting in Puerto Rico. BetMGM and Caesars are the two apps available to make wagers on the island. However, to use the apps, you must first register in person at the operator's land-based locations: Casino del Mar (BetMGM) and Casino Metro (Caesars).