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Best Sportsbooks US / Betting Guide / Legal Sports Betting States as of November 2024 for the US

Legal Sports Betting States as of November 2024 for the US

Publish Date: 30/03/2022
Fact checked by: Sam

The situation surrounding sports betting legal states in the US is constantly changing right now, making it exceptionally difficult to work out which are the current sportsbook legal states.

But never fear! We’re on hand to help you make sense of it all, with our guide to the states where you can legally make an online sporting wager. We’ll tell you what’s permitted on a state-by-state basis, as well as letting you know where sports betting remains illegal for the time being.

The principal reason why live betting and online sports betting across the US has had such a hard time is down to PASPA. Short for the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, the legislation was created to preserve the integrity of the sports being played.

Sporting leagues had often been accused of actively participating in bribery, dating as far back as 1919. The World Series that year was played out between the Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago White Sox, with a number of White Sox players deliberately losing the game to provide more favorable returns to gamblers. Known as the Black Sox scandal, this was just one of the conspiracies that rocked the sports betting world.

It certainly wasn’t an isolated incident! Some sports bettors may still remember the point-shaving scandal of 1951, in which college basketball teams from New York, the South and the Midwest conspired to fix games to profit bettors. Or how about the cocaine-fueled incident in Tulane in 1985, in which five players and two assistant coaches were found to have fixed a match? That makes it a little less surprising that PASPA was passed into law, in an attempt to stop sports betting in its tracks and discourage further sporting scandals.

PASPA is finally overturned

PASPA came into force in 1992, before online gambling was on the radar. The law banned all states, apart from Nevada, from permitting sports betting. But as soon as PASPA was overturned by the Supreme Court, in May 2018, individual states began reappraising their position on sports betting. And now there are several sports betting legal states in the US, some of them permitting retail sportsbooks to legally operate, and others offering online sportsbooks that let you wager from just about anywhere through sports betting apps – as long as you’re within state lines when you place your sporting bets.

And there are even more sportsbook legal states in the pipeline, so the situation is constantly evolving. Nonetheless, it’s easier than ever before to find a sportsbook near me. While this is great news, it’s pretty hard to keep up to speed with all the latest developments, but luckily you have us on hand to explain all the facts you need to know!

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If you’re looking for the definitive list of sports betting legal states in the US, you’ll find it right here, on this page. We regularly update our information, so this current list is as up to date as we can make it. But bear in mind that things can move quickly once a state decides to permit sports betting, so we advise bookmarking this page and checking back regularly to find out what’s new.

This is our list of all the states which permit retail sports betting and / or online sports betting. But we expect this list to grow over the coming months, as more states are reacting to the demand for the best free bets today and lucrative sports betting opportunities.

Arizona

In person and online sports betting has been legal in the Grand Canyon State since fall of 2021. Sign up and collect sportsbook promotions at a variety of world-class sportsbooks from within Arizona.

Arkansas

Mobile sports betting has just gone live in Arizona, although retail sportsbooks have been available since 2018, when PASPA was overturned.

Colorado

Both retail and online sports betting is now legal in Colorado.

Connecticut

Online sports betting went live in Connecticut in October 2121, with retail sports betting becoming available the following month.

Delaware

Retail sports betting went live in the First State as soon as PASPA was overturned in 2018. But although online sportsbooks are also legal in theory, no online operators have moved into Delaware as yet. Keep watching this space, and we’ll let you know when that changes!

Illinois

Retail sports betting was legalized in Illinois very soon after PASPA was overturned. Online sports betting followed in 2020, although bettors were obliged to visit a land-based operator to complete the verification process for their online accounts. This requirement has now been abolished making it easier than ever to get started with online sports betting in the Prairie State.

Indiana

Land-based sportsbooks have been legally operating in Indiana since May 2019, with the first online mobile sports betting sites going live in October that same year.

Iowa

Both online and in-person sports betting has been legal in Iowa since 2019, but as with Indiana, online bettors were required to verify their identity at retail premises before being able to make sporting wagers online. This law has now been revoked, so Iowa residents can sign up to an online sportsbook and complete the registration process without having to leave their own homes.

Louisiana

Retail sportsbooks launched in Louisiana in October 2021, with the first online sports betting operators opening their virtual doors to betting enthusiasts in January 2022.

Maryland

Sports betting was legalized late in 2020, with retail sportsbooks launching at the tail end of 2021. Bettors will have to wait until fall 2022 before they can sign up to an online sportsbook in Maryland.

Michigan

Retail sportsbooks went live in March 2020 in the Great Lake State, with online sports betting launched in January 2021.

Mississippi

Although Mississippi quickly became one of the first sports betting legal states in the US once PASPA was overturned, online bettors still have a wait ahead of them. You can place sporting wagers on your mobile when physically within retail betting premises, but you can’t yet bet from your own home, or when out and about.

Montana

Sports betting was legalized in Montana in 2019, although the first retail sportsbooks didn’t open their doors until spring the following year. While online sports betting is legal in the state, only the state lottery-run sports betting site is available to sign up to, and it’s unlikely that this situation will change any time soon.

Nevada

As the only state not to have been negatively affected by PASPA, Nevada is one of the most long-standing sportsbook legal states. Not surprisingly you’ll find plenty of retail sports betting opportunities, as well as a great choice of online sportsbooks.

New Hampshire

Sports betting was officially legalized in the Granite State in 2019, so you can place sporting bets both in person at retail premises, and online.

New Jersey

Sports betting fans have a world of choice available in the Garden State. New Jersey was responsible for overturning PASPA, and embraced all forms of sports betting in 2018. It’s one of the best-known sports betting legal states in the US, after Nevada.

New York

Retail sports betting has been available in the Empire State since the summer of 2019, and now online sportsbooks have joined the party! The first mobile sports betting sites launched early this year, with more expected over the coming months.

North Carolina

Sports betting fans can visit retail sportsbooks in the state of North Carolina, but there are no online wagering opportunities just yet. There’s a bill making its way through the House this year though, so we’ll let you know the results as soon as we have them.

North Dakota

Although you can’t yet sign up to an online sportsbook in North Dakota, retail sports betting went live at the end of 2021.

Ohio

Currently, there are several land-based sports betting opportunities in Ohio, but the state has now passed laws to permit online sportsbooks to operate too. The first of these is expected to launch early in 2023.

Oregon

Retail sportsbooks have been available in Oregon since 1989, but it took much longer for mobile sports betting to go live across the state. For now, DraftKings is the only option, since taking over the state-sponsored sportsbook site.

Pennsylvania

Sports bettors in Pennsylvania are spoilt for choice, with a fantastic selection of retail and online sportsbooks to choose from.

Rhode Island

In addition to being able to bet on sports in person at retail premises, Rhode Island residents can also sign up to online sportsbooks within the state.

South Dakota

Although it’s possible to bet on sports in person in Deadwood, online sports betting isn’t yet legal in the state. Of course, we’ve got our ears to the ground, so we’ll let you know the minute there are any changes.

Tennessee

There are no retail sportsbooks in Tennessee, but mobile sports betting was legalized in November 2020.

Virginia

There are no retail sportsbooks in the Mother of States at present, but online sports betting was legalized in April 2020.

Washington

Retail sports betting went live in the state just before the start of the NFL season this year. Online sportsbooks are expected to launch soon, but bettors will need to be physically present within retail premises to place sporting wagers.

West Virginia

West Virginia is one of the sportsbook legal states that offers numerous betting deals and wagering opportunities. You can place bets both online and in person at a retail sports betting premises.

Wyoming

Just like Tennessee and Virginia, Wyoming doesn’t offer any retail sports betting sites, but online sportsbooks officially went live in the state in September 2021.

The following list of states that don’t allow any form of sports betting is changing all the time. Now that PASPA has been overturned, several states on this list are reconsidering their position. Some of them, including Florida, have even come within a whisker of making changes to permit sports betting, but have come to grief at the final hurdle. But you can rest assured as we’ll let you know when any of them decide to revoke their current laws, and legalise betting on sporting fixtures.

Here are the states that currently don’t allow any form of sports betting: Alabama, Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Wisconsin. If you’re within any of these states, tools like a betting sites odds calculator may not be of much use to you.

Are betting apps legal in the US? You now know the answer! Hopefully, your own state has made its way onto the legal sports betting list. But if it hasn’t, don’t despair! As state lawmakers see the benefits of sportsbook taxes from permitting sportsbooks to operate, you can be sure that more of them will rush to legalize sports wagering and betting companies that allow US players.

And as soon as any state announces that it’s going to welcome betting companies that allow US players, we'll be right there, preparing our reviews and comparisons for every operator. So be sure to check back in regularly, to find out where sports betting is legal across the US. You sure don’t want to miss out on a sportsbook review of what could be your next favorite place to bet on sports.

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The laws surrounding sports betting across the US are decided by the states themselves. And since the overturning of PASPA, increasing numbers of them are opting to legalize the practice. Come and check out our definitive list of the states where you can legally place a sporting wager. We’ve got the full details, right here!

✋ How do I know which states allow sports betting?

Trying to keep up to speed with the latest developments in sports wagering across the US is practically a full-time job! Every state can make up its own mind, and constant changes are underway, making it difficult to know what’s legal, and what isn’t. But we’ve got a complete list of all the current sportsbook legal states for you to explore, so come and check it out!

❔ Does my state allow online and in-person sports betting?

Some states allow all forms of sports betting, some only allow it on retail premises and others will only permit you to make sporting wagers online. And then there are the states that have banned all forms of sports betting completely. Come and find out what’s available across the US, and see what the situation is in your state. We’ve got the very latest information about all the sports gambling legal states, so come and take a look!

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