Sports Betting in the US: Which States Are Legal?

The rate at which sports betting is becoming legal in the US is so speedy that it’s creating something of uncertainty. If you were to stop the average person in the street and ask them if sports betting was legal in their state, it’s likely they wouldn’t know.

As each state looks to pass legislation legalizing sports betting, be that in physical betting shops or online, the number of options for the general public grows. Those who take an active interest in the market, or have a passing interest in sports betting, are now much nearer to being able to get involved.

Some regions are actively looking to get sports betting legal; others, such as Texas sports betting, appear less likely to come to fruition anytime soon. Currently, there are upwards of a dozen states where the push to legalize sports betting is pending, and as many as 17 states now allow online activity.

So Which States Allow Online Sports Betting?

If you are looking to place an online sports bet, then you’ll need to be physically located in any of the following states.

• Oregon
• Nevada
• Arizona
• Montana
• Wyoming
• Colorado
• Iowa
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Michigan
• Tennessee
• Virginia
• West Virginia
• Pennsylvania
• New Jersey
• Rhode Island
• New Hampshire

Five states allow retail sports betting.

• New Mexico
• Arkansas
• Mississippi
• North Carolina
• New York

The road to legalization is long, and some states have started the ball rolling on this matter. California is looking to legalize sports betting in Native American casinos from 2023, and in Connecticut, it’s hoped that legislation will have passed by the end of 2021, meaning that the Constitution State could soon be open to customers.

In Kansas and Kentucky, it has, at different points, almost come to pass that both states would allow sports betting, but as yet, neither has passed the relevant acts. Oklahoma and Ohio are similarly lagging.

The key state of Florida appeared close to joining the list of legal states before an amendment slowed down the process. In Massachusetts, as many as 34 different sports betting bills have been pushed through, and it appears that they could soon become the next state to give the green light.

The size of the sports betting market in the US is potentially huge, with the key sports leagues such as the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL making up a sizable chunk of the overall industry.

However, there is also a great interest in other sports as well as sporting action that takes place outside the US, and it’s clear that millions of Americans want in on some of that action.

Not all of the US states will likely make firm moves to legalization; with party politics and conservative values being potential impediments, the vast majority of them are actively moving in the direction of allowing some form of sports betting.

It would be fair to say that the issue of sports betting in the US is one that is ever-changing and fluid, and as such, you should keep your eyes out for relevant reports on your particular start, and with any luck, you’ll soon be able to join the fun.