States That Have Legalized Online Gambling
- In 2018, their record-setting revenues totaled $41.68 billion, an increased of 3.5 percent from the previous year.
- One of the first major casinos to open in Las Vegas was El Rancho Vegas, opened in 1941
- The decision was made to allow states to set their own gambling policies, without federal government interference.
- In 2018, there were 465 commercial casinos in the United States
- States That Have Legalized Online Gambling Laws
- States That Have Legalized Online Gambling
- States That Have Legalized Online Gambling Sports Betting
Gambling could well be America’s favorite pastime, with the commercial casino industry raking in billions every year. In 2018, their record-setting revenues totaled $41.68 billion, an increase of 3.5 percent from the previous year. This is a far cry from the New Orleans gambling halls of the 1800s, gambling halls of the Old West, and the small casinos that opened in Nevada in the 1930s.
Legal online betting is quickly becoming a reality in the United States. Most US states have had legal online horse racing betting for several years now, but more recently we are starting to see individual states legalize additional forms of online betting such as casino games, poker, daily fantasy sports and lotteries. Below, we have a chart of which states actually have laws on the books that expressly forbid online gambling by its residents. States that do not have those types of laws on the books can be considered to 'legal' for online gambling as there is nothing from a legal standpoint to stop you as long as you meet the required age to gamble online.
One of the first major casinos to open in Las Vegas was El Rancho Vegas, opened in 1941. Although many did not set their stakes on casino gambling being successful, it grew by fits and starts and eventually shot for the stars.
Casino Industry Growth In The U.S.
In 1976, the U.S. Commission on the Review of the National Policy toward Gambling published “Gambling in America,” a report that studied attitudes about gambling in America. The Commission then made recommendations to different state governments that were thinking about legalizing gambling. The decision was made to allow states to set their own gambling policies, without federal government interference.
Just two years later, New Jersey opened its first legal casino in Atlantic City. Less than 20 years later, casino gambling was legal in nine more states. As of 2020, these states all have legal casinos. Some are the traditional Las Vegas style, some are land-based; others are Native American owned, on riverboats, or pari-mutuel (pool betting).
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Texas
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin Casinos
- Wyoming Casinos
More Ways to Gamble
In 2018, there were 465 commercial casinos in the United States, with Nevada (334), California (150+), Oklahoma (134) and Colorado (40) leading the pack. This is merely the tip of the iceberg, though, as the proliferation of online casino gambling has created even more places to place bets 24/7, 365 days a year. There is also sports betting, lotteries, Bingo, and other games, and gambling laws vary by state.
Some of the live casinos are way over the top, especially ones like the Wynn in Las Vegas and Borgata in Atlantic City. Visitors enjoy spending long weekends – if not days – in these resort towns, taking in the local attractions, seeing shows, sampling the local food, and even going on breathtaking roller coasters. Smaller casinos can be fun too, but you may have to drive out of your way to get to some of them.
Gambling Restrictions
Some of the 44 states on the legal casinos list do place restrictions on their gambling. For example, New Hampshire, Indiana, and other states do not permit online gambling. Georgia only has one casino, and it is a cruise ship. There are two states in the country that have a 100 percent ban on all gambling, and they are Utah and Hawaii.
Welcome to GamblingStates.com, your resource for finding everything you need to learn about all US states with gambling available. When you consider that gambling in the USA brings in billions of dollars each year, there is no question that Americans love to gamble. There are several different forms of gambling that exist in the U.S. and there are large markets for each. Sports bettors wager more than $4.7 billion on the Super Bowl alone, and horse racing betting brings in over $3 billion annually. The amount spent at casinos is even greater, easily surpassing $100 billion each year. Even though gambling in the USA is undoubtedly big business, there are still questions concerning which states offer specific types of gambling. That is where our helpful guide comes in.
If you want to learn more about gambling in the United States, continue reading. We will not only provide you with details on the land-based gambling options in different states, but also go over online gaming options as well. Sports bettors, horse enthusiasts, bingo players, casino gamers, and those who play the lottery can all find valuable information regarding statewide gambling options across the country.
Quick State Gambling Statistics
States With Casinos: 43
States With Poker: 40
: 2
States With Bingo: 48
States With Parimutuel Betting: 43
States With Lottery: 44
States With Daily Fantasy Sports: 13
Facts About The USA Gambling Industry
The gaming industry has had a positive impact on the United States economy in several ways. Casinos, suppliers, manufacturers, and other gaming entities account for 1.7 million American jobs according to the American Gaming Association (AGA). These jobs provide more than $74 billion in income to workers across 40 different states. While casino dealers and hosts may come to mind, a report by Oxford Economics cited more than 200 unique careers that the gaming industry provides. The workforce is also more diverse than the national average – 5 percentage points higher to be exact.
On a global scale, the gambling industry in the United States contributes $240 billion to the national economy. This includes tribal and commercial casino revenues, tax payments, property taxes, and impacts on other businesses. U.S. casinos account for the largest contribution, with $81.2 billion, followed by payments to suppliers which accounts for $60 billion. The $38 billion in tax revenues help to pay for various services that benefit Americans, such as education, healthcare, and retirement programs.
Why States Should Regulate Online Gambling
States should regulate online gambling in the USA because the benefits far outweigh the risks. If states were to regulate gambling sites, they would be able to tax the gambling revenues that are generated by operators. New Jersey is a perfect model of how imposing an online gambling tax can stimulate the local economy. Since NJ legalized online gambling in 2013, regulated online casino and poker operators have generated more than half a billion dollars in revenue. The operators have paid more than $51,358,216 in taxes as of April 2017. If legalized, it would also open the door for existing sites to move operations to the US, creating more jobs to help lower the unemployment rate in the nation.
Statewide regulation of gaming sites could also help with identifying problem gambling early on. About 3% of U.S. adults suffer from a gambling disorder. Offshore gambling sites do offer resources for problem gambling, but since they are located overseas it is impossible to have a hands-on approach. If states were to take the reins they would perhaps be able to conceptualize additional safeguards and implement more aggressive treatment programs.
Billion In Tax Revenue Per Year
The gambling industry as a whole paid out $38 million in taxes. If the US government would regulate online gambling, then you would see that number multiplied by several. There is over $100 Billion in illegal gambling each year in the USA, and that money is not taxed.
Million Jobs Created In Gaming Industry
According to the latest research, there are currently more then 1.8 million people working in the gambling industry in the USA. That number would more then double if they would let the states decide if they want to regulate gambling both online and land based.
Of Workforce Are Minorities
The gambling industry is well known for giving minorities jobs that range from the bottom to the very top. Minorities make up 45% of the workforce in the gambling industry and this includes job titles such as casino managers, pit bosses, and other great gaming jobs.
Billion Into The Economy
If you add up all the money that is brought into the economy because of gambling, you will come up with $240 billion a year. This comes from research from the American Gaming Association and would grow tremendously if online gambling were legalized and regulated.
States That Have Legal Gambling
As gambling proponents who believe that every state should have some form of gambling, we hate to say that this is not quite the case. While the majority of states will have horse racing betting or a state lottery, other types of gambling such as sports betting are not as prevalent. Though online gaming makes all types of gambling in the USA more accessible, it is still worth knowing what the gambling landscape looks like on a national level. You will find that the lottery and bingo are the most common land-based options, while horse racing betting and poker rooms are not as widespread as you would initially think.
Right now there are commercial casinos in 24 states and tribal casinos in 28 states. Some other states have casino cruises or other types of small casino gambling, but there is only 24 states that have true commercial casino gaming. In total, 43 US states have casinos in some shape or form. For the most part, you can be to a casino in less then 8 hours in most parts of the country.
As far as sports betting goes, there is only one state that has legal sports betting in it’s full capacity, and that is Nevada of course. The other is Delaware, who lets you do parlay bets with NFL football. If you want to have legal sports betting available to you, then you have to look into online sportsbooks.
States that have poker rooms are alot more numerous with a total of 37 states offering land based poker rooms. Most of the poker rooms in the USA are located inside of casinos or race tracks, but there are a few states with stand alone locations.
States That Have Legal Online Gambling
There are three states that currently offer legal online gambling in the USA- Delaware, Nevada, and New Jersey. Delaware was the first state to legalize online gambling with the passage of the Delaware Competitiveness Act of 2012. All three states have regulated online poker and casino sites, however, the rules differ slightly. Nevada and Delaware have entered into an interstate agreement where residents of both states can play online poker against each other. New Jersey has no such agreement in place, meaning only residents of the state can use the regulated online gambling sites.
Just as there are states that have legalized online gambling, there are also states that have expressly forbid it. In Washington, the penalty for using the internet to gamble can range from a misdemeanor to a felony. In Utah, it is considered a class B misdemeanor to participate in online gambling. Louisiana also has strict anti-online gambling laws as well. These are the only three states that have internet gambling laws that directly target bettors instead of just online operators. If you reside in any other state, offshore online gambling sites are free game as there are no laws to indicate otherwise.
All the states with legal online gambling have its own laws regarding what types of land-based gambling residents can and cannot participate in. Some states are much stricter than others when it comes to betting. Online gambling is a little different, and thankfully, most US residents are able to use online gambling sites to bet on what they want, when they want. To find out exactly what states you can gamble in, we’ve put together a network, detailing the gambling laws in each and every state in the US.
Is Online Gambling Illegal
No, gambling in and of itself is not an illegal activity. There are certain state and federal laws which restrict the locations you can gamble, as well as how you are able to place those bets, though. This is why certain states are able to have casinos or poker rooms while others don’t. The same goes for racetracks where you can bet on the horses, and sportsbooks.
Some states are stricter than others and have tried to go after online gambling as well as land-based gambling. But when the websites are based in other countries, they fall outside of the jurisdiction of those laws, making them a viable gambling alternative when the state has banned everything else. You can find individual state laws on the corresponding legal gambling state pages. Below, we’ll go over the federal laws that govern gambling in the United States.
States With Legal Sports Betting
In the USA, there are two states with land-based sports betting – Nevada and Delaware. Nevada is a paradise for sports bettors, being the only state where single-game wagering is permitted. In 2016 alone, Nevada sportsbooks raked in $219.17 million in revenue. Delaware is a bit limited when it comes to sports betting, allowing residents to wager on NFL parlays. No straight wagers are permitted, but the huge potential payoffs make parlay betting extremely popular. Though Montana and Oregon can legally offer land-based sports betting, neither state currently operates sportsbooks.
States With Legal Online Sports Betting
Legal online sports betting can be done from any state in the US through offshore sportsbooks. These are sports betting websites run by businesses that are located in other countries. The sites that we recommend on this page all accept American bettors and are based in Panama, Costa Rica, and Canada. Legal online sports betting sites will allow you to wager on any of your favorite sports, and usually, have lines on events well in advance so that you can have the best possible payout. Choosing any one of the legal online sports betting sites recommended on this page will ensure that you have a spectacular betting experience, every time.
States With Land Based Casinos
The states with land-based casinos have dramatically increased since the early 20th century, with 43 states now offering some form of casino gaming. There are more states with Indian gaming than commercial casinos, the distinction being that tribal casinos are independently operated by federally-recognized tribes. There are also some states, such as Louisiana, that have riverboat casinos with a variety of table games and slot machines. The U.S. casino gaming market revenue was $71 billion in 2016, and this number only increases each year. Casino tax revenues serve as a big benefit to local economies, and the growth of the industry also increases employment opportunities in the USA.
States With Legal Online Casinos
For American bettors, the top casinos aren’t going to be found in Las Vegas or Atlantic City – they’re going to be found on your computer. The Best USA online casinos are legal online gambling websites that can be easily accessed through your favorite browser or downloaded to your computer. These sites use the latest betting software in order to bring you better games and more tables than you would ever be able to find at a land-based casino. Below is just a small list of the best USA online casinos.
States With Land Based Poker Rooms
The states with land-based poker rooms constantly changes, but as of this writing, there are 38 states. Whether you are looking for low stakes poker or consider yourself a high roller, there’s a good chance that you will be able to find a seat at one of the 596 poker rooms in the United States. Poker tournaments of all varieties take place at casinos and card rooms all over the nation. You can play No Limit Hold’em, Omaha, Seven-card Stud, and just about any other variation that you can think of. Not only is the game fun, but depending on where you play it can also have a positive social impact. Many poker rooms use a portion of revenues to support local organizations to make a difference in the community.
States That Have Legal Online Poker
If you want to play poker with the best of them, and not be weighed down by low table limits or a poker room that doesn’t offer exactly what you’re looking for, try our guide to states with legal online poker. This is a legal gambling alternative available to US residents who are looking for bigger, better options. At an online poker room, you’ll be offered more bonuses, have more tables to choose from, and higher limits to contend with. Some online poker rooms even have no-limit, high-stakes tables. All of the classics like Texas Hold’Em, 7-Card Stud, and Omaha can be found at legal online poker sites. We’ve compiled a list of all the states with legal online poker below.
US States With Legal Horse Betting
Of the 50 states in the nation, there are 22 states with land-based horse racing betting. America has a longstanding history with betting on horses, with events such as the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes garnering national attention. There is nothing more exciting than betting on the next potential Triple Crown winner. Tracks around the nation have their own live racing schedules and various betting opportunities. There are also off-track horse betting locations where horse enthusiasts can bet on horse races that are simulcast from tracks all over the nation.
States With Legal And Regulated Online Horse Betting
Horse racing betting can be done in a number of ways. You can attend a racetrack in your state, or place your bets at a licensed off-track betting location. Another legal horse racing betting option is using an online racebook. At these websites, you can bet on more races and have access to more wager types, like quinellas and superfectas. Horse racing betting online is legal, safe, and incredibly fun. Instead of waiting for the horse racing circuit to make its way to your neck of the woods, now you can instantly be where the action is, no matter what time of the year. Below are some of the best legal horse racing betting sites available to US residents in all 50 states.
States That Have Land Based Bingo
All but two states in the USA offer land-based bingo halls – Hawaii and Tennessee. That means the majority of bingo enthusiasts can find a bingo hall at a local casino, church, Elks Lodge, or other facility. Depending on the state, you will be able to find either charitable or real money bingo games. The game of chance is actually more popular than NASCAR in the U.S., with more than 60 million bingo players participating in more than 1 billion games yearly. The billion dollar industry benefits plenty of charitable organizations and also helps line the pockets of players. States with land-based bingo will oftentimes offer variations of the popular game to make playing even more fun.
States With Legal Online Bingo
You’ve come to the right page if you’re looking for legal online bingo sites. Here, we only recommend top gambling sites, and we take our bingo seriously. No matter which states have legal online gambling they offer a legal game of online bingo. If you want to play a simple nickel game, or partake in a high-stakes round of 90-ball bingo, we’ve got the sites for you. Betting bingo online is legal in all fifty states. At legal online bingo sites, you’ll also be able to play video poker and slots, as well as a few rounds of keno if you want.
States With Legal Daily Fantasy Sports
Currently, 13 states have legalized daily fantasy sports contests. Even with debate over whether or not DFS constitutes gambling in the USA, more and more states are pushing to regulate the contests. Daily fantasy sports operators such as FanDuel and DraftKings bring in millions each year, and the states that regulate DFS are able to benefit from these numbers. Between upfront licensing costs, renewal fees, and taxes, states can benefit from both immediate and long-term income. For players, daily fantasy sports are more widely accepted than sports betting, the contests are fun, and there is less of a time commitment than with season-long fantasy sports. Once you have developed the right strategy, there are plenty of chances to win real money playing DFS.
States With A Lottery
There are currently 44 states with a lottery in the United States as of 2017, along with the District of Columbia. Each state is able to operate their own lottery, giving the local government control over how revenues are allocated. Some of the programs supported by lotteries include public safety, health, education, and infrastructure improvement. With more than 70 billion dollars generated each year from ticket sales, there is no denying that lotteries have a huge economic impact. De facto national lotteries such as Mega Millions and Powerball offer a much larger prize pool, with life-changing jackpots. Though six states have opted not to operate lotteries, there is no doubt that playing the lottery is one of the most popular ways to gamble.
Federal Gambling Laws
Federal gambling laws are acts that have been put into effect by Congress. When it comes to gambling, there are only three laws you really need to know. Below, we go over in detail what these laws entail and how they affect gambling on a national level and how they affect states with gambling.
The Wire Act was instituted in 1961, by then-Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. In an effort to stem the flow of money from fixed bets to organized crime rings, Kennedy urged congress to pass a law that would make interstate gambling illegal. The Wire Act states that no one is allowed to take a wager over a wire of communication. This successfully stopped bettors from being able to phone in their bets to someone in another state, mainly Nevada, where gambling was legal.This law did what it was supposed to do – it ended betting across state lines. It did this by going after the person who takes the bets, rather than the person placing the bet. This is because the Wire Act doesn’t make gambling illegal. It just required people to make their transactions face to face. The Wire Act has been updated throughout the years to include different forms of communication, like the internet. The Wire Act prevents players from using US-based online sportsbooks. As a US law, the Wire Act does not have jurisdiction over companies based overseas.
By the early 90’s, sports betting in one form or another had been legalized in four states, with several more states working on making it legal. Many of the commissioners of professional and college sports in America were afraid that if sports betting was made legal throughout the country, it would open many players and teams up to shady characters who might try to fix a game in order to win a bet. Bringing their concerns to Congress, these commissioners and owners were the driving force behind the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA).PASPA was signed into law in 1992 and effectively eliminated land-based sports betting in 46 states by banning individual states from regulating their own sports betting operations. The four states that are exempt from PASPA are Delaware, Montana, Nevada, and Oregon. Three of these states have limited sports betting capabilities, as they had only legalized one or two forms of sports betting before PASPA got signed into law. Delaware can offer NFL parlay cards with three or more teams per card during football season. Oregon offers NBA parlay cards. Montana is allowed to offer betting squares contests at Bars. Only Nevada can offer the full range of sports betting.
This federal law is another example of the federal government limiting where and how you can gamble. But, it does not actually outlaw the act of gambling. PASPA cannot prevent American bettors from using online, offshore sportsbooks.
The most recent federal law that was passed in regards to gambling is the UIGEA, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. This law was passed in 2006 and the verbiage is confusing, to say the least, due to the rushed nature under which the bill was passed. What the UIGEA sought to do was extend the Wire Act. This law stipulates that owners of online gambling websites are not allowed to accept payment from US bettors and that banks were not allowed to process transactions between US bettors and overseas gambling businesses.There was a two-fold result to this law. Almost immediately, the country of Antigua and the European Union accused the US of violating their free-trade agreement, requesting that they repeal the UIGEA. When they didn’t, the World Trade Organization got involved, siding with Antigua when it sued the US for trying to enforce US law on businesses in other countries. Antigua won its case, and the portion of the UIGEA that banned gambling sites from accepting US players was nullified.
The banking side of this act, however, still stands. Banks are not able to process transactions between US bettors and online gambling sites because of the “trouble” they were having with verifying payments. Because of this, credit cards and bank wires are occasionally denied when used to fund an online account. It’s not every time, but it does occasionally happen. There are quite a few legal and reliable ways to fund your account without having to use credit cards now. The important thing to take away from this, however, is that the UIGEA does not make online gambling at overseas sites illegal. It just blocks a couple of popular banking methods.
Right now, this is the only bill that looks like it may actually help Americans that want to bet on sports or gamble online. There has been a big time change in opinion when it comes to legalizing sports betting by some very important people, and this bill likely has something to do with that. Companies like the NFL, MLB, and the NBA have all recently changed their thoughts on legal gambling and the NHL now has a hockey team in Las Vegas.