Which States Have Legal Online Sports Betting?
The world of online sports betting can be a confusing one. Which states have legal online sports betting? Here’s a quick rundown of the current situation.
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Introduction
Sports betting is currently legal in eight states: Arkansas, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee and West Virginia.
Three more states have legalized sports betting but have not yet launched: Montana (launch date unknown), North Carolina (tentatively set for late 2020) and Washington D.C. (launch date unknown). Mississippi (1), New Mexico (2) and Michigan (3) recently legalized sports betting but have not yet launched.
Eighteen additional states have introduced legislation that would legalize sports betting.
The Supreme Court struck down a federal law that had effectively banned sports betting everywhere in the country except Nevada in May 2018.
Nevada
Nevada is the clear leader when it comes to legal online sports betting, as the state has offered this type of gambling for decades. There are currently four online sports betting brands operating in Nevada, including William Hill, Caesars Entertainment, and Boyd Gaming. All four brands are available across desktop and mobile devices, and bets can be placed both in-person and online. The only requirement for bettors in Nevada is that they be 21 years of age or older.
New Jersey
New Jersey has been a leader in the push for legal online sports betting, and it was one of the first states to offer legal betting after the Supreme Court ruling in 2018. There are now over a dozen online sportsbooks operating in the state, including DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, andPointsBet.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania was one of the first states to pass legislation legalizing online sports betting. The state’s gambling expansion bill was signed into law in October 2017, and online sports betting was launched in May 2019.
Pennsylvania is home to a number of major professional and collegiate sports teams, and it’s no surprise that sports betting is extremely popular in the state. Thanks to the wide range of legal online sportsbooks operating in Pennsylvania, bettors have plenty of options when it comes to choosing where to place their bets.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) is responsible for regulating all forms of gambling in the state, including online sports betting. The PGCB has issued licenses to a number of online sportsbooks, and it plans to issue more in the future.
All licensed online sportsbooks in Pennsylvania are required to partner with one of the state’s land-based casinos. This means that bettors will need to create an account with a licensed casino before they can start placing bets at an online sportsbook.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island was one of the first states to jump on board with legal online sports betting. The state launched its sports betting operations in November 2019, becoming only the second state in the US (after New Jersey) to do so. Rhode Island offers online and mobile sports betting through its two licensed casinos, Twin River Casino and Newport Grand Casino.
The Rhode Island Lottery oversees all sports betting in the state. Both retail and online/mobile sports betting are taxed at a rate of 10%. Betting on college sports is prohibited in Rhode Island.
West Virginia
West Virginia was one of the first states to take advantage of the change in federal law and offer legal online sports betting. The state had already legalized sports betting at physical locations, so the transition to online was relatively easy. There are currently three online sportsbooks operating in West Virginia, and more are expected to launch in the future.
Conclusion
As of May 2020, online sports betting is legal in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia.
In addition, the states of Delaware and Montana have both passed legislation to allow sports betting, but have not yet launched any sports betting operations. The state of Tennessee has also passed legislation to allow online sports betting, but has not yet launched any operations.
