Which states have legalized sports betting and who are next in line?

The sports betting landscape in the USA has changed massively in recent years and this has allowed legal sports wagering to begin to take off across the country. After the US Supreme Court struck down the PASPA Act in 2018, individual states could choose whether to allow legal betting within their borders or not.

Many states have done just that since then – but not all! This makes it key to find out more about which US states have legalized this fun activity and which might be next in line before getting involved. But just where can you bet online legally in the US?

States where online betting is legal

The sports betting landscape throughout the USA is a fast changing one and this can sometimes make it tricky to determine the US states where sports betting is legal. This can be especially true for states who have made sports betting legal but have not yet handed out licenses to online and mobile sportsbooks yet.

This makes finding the latest information on which US states offer legal and accessible online betting a must. This currently includes:

·   Colorado

·   Illinois

·   New Jersey

·   New Hampshire

·   Pennsylvania

·   Virginia

·   West Virginia

·   Indiana

·   Rhode Island

·   Iowa

·   Nevada

·   Oregon

·   New York

·   Arkansas

·   Connecticut

·   Louisiana

·   Michigan

·   Wyoming

It is key to note that the above is not a list of where sports betting is now legal in the USA (this would include more states), but simply shows where fully functioning online sports betting is available right now.

In-person-only sports betting states

Although sports can teach us serious lessons about same difference or how to work as a team, it is also about having fun. Betting online is a prime example of this and a way many people love to wager on sports in the modern age. It can still be fun to wager in-person as well though – particularly if you live in a state where in-person betting is allowed but online betting is not!

But which states only allow in-person betting within their borders? The list currently includes:

·   Delaware

·   Maryland (online betting is legal but not operational yet)

·   Mississippi (online bets only allowed from within a land-based casino)

·   Nebraska

·   North Dakota

·   South Dakota

·   Wisconsin

Potential upcoming sports betting states

When you consider that the state of New York has made more than $10bn in sports betting handle since January, the benefits of opening up to sports betting are clear.

Due to the above, it is expected that more states will look at potentially legalizing sports betting soon. California is arguably THE biggest name on everyone’s lips, and it is hard to see it resisting legal betting on sports much longer. 

With the size of the Californian market, the number of pro sports teams to bet on and the love people in Cali have for sports, it seems likely to happen in the near future. The upcoming public referendum on sports betting in the state should also provide a push for making it legal. Although there are lots of fun things to do in California, legal sports betting would be the icing on the cake.  

Another state which loves its sports and could soon legalize betting on them is Minnesota. A draft bill regarding legal online betting has been put together but has not yet been fully passed. If this is approved though, it will open the door for legal sports betting and online sports betting in the state.

The other state which seems to have the most potential for legalizing sports betting soon is Florida. There has been concrete movement towards this in recent times and a May 2021 agreement with the Seminole Tribe certainly helped. Although the case for legalizing sports betting in Florida has run aground somewhat at a federal level currently, we would not be surprised to see this sorted out in the coming months.

Types of legalized sports betting

When it comes to legalized sports betting, states tend to offer:

·   Online betting at sportsbooks and mobile apps

·   In-person betting at racetracks and casinos

While real-money betting on sports such as the NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS and NHL is popular, betting on Daily Fantasy Sport (DFS) games is also attracting attention. This is especially true in states where DFS games are legal to play but real-money sports betting is not.

Sports betting in the USA

2022 has been another big year for legal sports betting throughout the US and has led some states to take the plunge to open themselves up to this exciting market. If you need to get a handle on where things stand and which states might be next in line, the above should help.