Where are online casinos legal?
It’s probably best that we start by showing you the full list of what states have online casinos and which ones don’t permit online casino gaming:
| State |
Is Online Casino Gaming Legal Here? |
| Alabama |
No |
| Alaska |
No |
| Arizona |
No |
| Arkansas |
No |
| California |
No |
| Colorado |
No |
| Connecticut |
Yes |
| Delaware |
Yes |
| Florida |
No |
| Georgia |
No |
| Hawaii |
No |
| Idaho |
No |
| Illinois |
No |
| Indiana |
No |
| Iowa |
No |
| Kansas |
No |
| Kentucky |
No |
| Louisiana |
No |
| Maine |
No |
| Maryland |
No |
| Massachusetts |
No |
| Michigan |
Yes |
| Minnesota |
No |
| Mississippi |
No |
| Missouri |
No |
| Montana |
No |
| Nebraska |
No |
| Nevada |
No |
| New Hampshire |
No |
| New Jersey |
Yes |
| New Mexico |
No |
| New York |
No |
| North Carolina |
No |
| North Dakota |
No |
| Ohio |
No |
| Oklahoma |
No |
| Oregon |
No |
| Pennsylvania |
Yes |
| Rhode Island |
Yes |
| South Carolina |
No |
| South Dakota |
No |
| Tennessee |
No |
| Texas |
No |
| Utah |
No |
| Vermont |
No |
| Virginia |
No |
| Washington |
No |
| West Virginia |
Yes |
| Wisconsin |
No |
| Wyoming |
No |
A closer look at these states with online casinos
Below is a rundown of the states where online casino gaming is legal, with a summary of what big brands you can expect to find servicing the region.
New Jersey - One of the first online casino legal states
Online gambling launched in New Jersey in 2013, and since then over 20 online casinos have successfully been launched in the Garden State. These include major brands such as Caesars, DraftKings, BetMGM and FanDuel, as well as various smaller operations.
You will need to be at least 21 years old to gamble at online casinos in New Jersey but you don't actually need to be a resident of the state itself. As long as you are playing from somewhere within the state lines, you can play anything from slots to live dealer games from no less than 28 casino sites.
Pennsylvania - Another one of the big online casino states
Pennsylvania has 21 online casinos legally operating within its state borders. These include many famous casino gaming brands such as Borgata and Caesars as well as many newer entrants to the market such as FanDuel, BetMGM and DraftKings.
Online casino gaming was legalized in Pennsylvania back in 2017 but the first online casinos didn't actually launch until 2019. You will have to be at least 21 years old and located in PA to play, and there are a full range of games such as slots, table games, video poker and live dealer games on offer.
Michigan - Plenty of legal online casinos here
You can currently play at no less than 15 online casinos from anywhere in Michigan right now. These include famous brands such as Caesars, DraftKings, BetMGM, FanDuel and BetRivers.
The first online casinos launched in the Great Lakes state in 2021 after the legislation was pushed through in 2019. As such anyone over the age of 21 can play anything from slots to roulette, blackjack and even poker from anywhere within Michigan.
West Virginia - A good choice for legal online slots
West Virginia is currently home to 11 online casino apps that can be used by anyone within the state who is over the age of 21. These apps contain all of the games that you'd expect such as online slots, table games and live dealer games.
Popular casino brands in the Mountain State include the likes of BetMGM, BetRivers, DraftKings, FanDuel and Caesars. Plus many newer brands such as Fanatics Casino have made a successful start in West Virginia. The state legalized online casinos in March 2019 and was quick to launch its first sites in July 2020.
Connecticut - Your guide to legal online casino gaming in CT
Legal online casino gaming became a reality in Connecticut in October 2021. This saw two brands - DraftKings and Mohegan Sun Casino - being launched and they now offer a selection of hundreds of slots and table games to anyone in CT who is aged 21 years or more.
While only these two online casinos are currently licensed to operate in Connecticut, there are hopes that more brands may be able to enter the state before too long.
Rhode Island - Play at a legal online casino here
Rhode Island became the seventh state to launch legal online casino gaming back in March 2024. This came after the activity was legalized just eight months prior and now anyone aged 21 years and older can play around 170 slot games and live dealer table games via Bally's site or iOS app.
While it is just a monopoly at the moment, hopes are high that more casino brands could be allowed to launch in Rhode Island sooner or later.
Delaware was actually the first state to legalize online casino gaming all the way back in 2012. Since then the state has successfully introduced three casino brands which come in the forms of Bally's Dover Online Casino, Harrington Raceway and Casino and Delaware Park Online Casino.
Each of these brands is operated through the state lottery in conjunction with Rush Street Interactive, and has to be played via that brand's BetRivers app. Just note that you will have to be at least 21 years old to play online casino games from Delaware.
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Which could be the next states with online casinos?
Now that we know what states allow online casinos, many people’s thoughts will be turning to which will be the next states to legalize online casino gaming.
Virginia - Soon to be a legal online casino state
Plans are afoot in Virginia to legalize online casino gaming as soon as 2025. Senator Mamie Locke has already pre-filed the bill that would allow for each retail casino in the state to partner up with up to three online sites.
The bill would also introduce a 15% tax on all licensed brands, pave the way for a variety of responsible gambling legislation and even permit the use of live dealer games as well as regular slots and table games. Virginia has already successfully introduced legal sports betting and hopes are high that it could be the next state to allow online casino gaming.
Louisiana - Expected to be one of the next online casino legal states
June 2024 saw lawmakers in Louisiana examining Senate Resolution 149 that could pave the way for legal online casino gaming in the state. The resolution is set to weigh up the potential economic benefits against the potentially negative impact that such a change would have on Louisiana's land-based casinos.
The state successfully introduced legal sports betting back in 2022 and it's thought that by having licensed casino sites, it would counter Louisiana's black market for online casino gaming.
Florida - Legal online casino gaming in the Sunshine State?
The gambling realm has been changing rapidly in Florida over the past few months with the Seminole Tribe tipped to push for online casino legalization at some point this year.
The Tribe has already made a success with its sports betting products and it's hoped that the introduction of online slots and table games could have substantial economic benefits in the Sunshine State. But whether those benefits outweigh the concerns regarding problem gambling remain to be seen, and there are a lot of complex regulatory negotiations to be addressed too.
Illinois - Could legal online casinos come to IL?
Illinois has already made significant inroads into legalizing online casino gaming thanks to three proposed bills. These have aimed to implement tax rates of between 12% and 15% on online casinos, and there are already 15 retail casino licenses across the state.
While there are unlikely to be any further discussions about legalizing online gaming in 2025, it's expected to be one of the most likely states to give the green light to the activity. Illinois successfully introduced legal online sports betting in 2020.
Why you need to know what states has have legal online casinos
It’s essential that you know what the legal situation is regarding online casino gaming in your state because you will want to make sure that you stay safe when you play online.
After all, there are plenty of offshore casinos out there who are acting illegally by saying that they accept US customers despite having no licensing to legally operate in any US states. Here are the main pros and cons of only playing at fully licensed online casinos in the US:
Pros and cons
- Legal way to play
- Get customer protection
- Enjoy fair gameplay
- Receive responsible gambling help
Conclusion - Check back for updates about the latest legal online casino states
We’ve shown you that there are only a handful of states where you can legally play online casino games. While that is a small number, it looks like the tide is slowly turning.
Hopes are high that forward-thinking states such as Virginia and Louisiana could successfully introduce the legislations required to legalize online casino gaming in the coming years, and when it happens, we’ll be the first to let you know. So watch this space to see who the next states to have legal online casinos will be.
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Online casino legal states FAQ
🏛️ Which states allow online gambling in the US?
Over 30 states in the US allow online sports betting, but just seven permit online casino gaming. Those seven states are Michigan, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Delaware.
🔍 Which online casino is legit in the US?
Each online casino listed in the banners of this page is legally allowed to operate in certain states of the US. Just remember that each state has its own gambling laws and the power to decide which brands are legally allowed to operate within their borders.
📊 Which state has the most online gambling?
Michigan came out top in terms of having the largest online gambling market in 2021, 2022 and 2023. However, other states like Pennsylvania and New Jersey won't be too far behind.
🏆 Which are the best states for legal online casinos?
It’s fair to say that Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and even West Virginia are the best states for online casino gaming. This is because they have the broadest range of legal online casinos to give you more choice in terms of games and promo offers.
🚫 Where is online gambling illegal?
States like Utah and Hawaii forbid any form of online gambling but all other 48 states permit state-run lotteries. Just note that Washington makes it a felony to transmit any information regarding gambling over the internet.
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