States where sports betting is legalized and possible new ones in 2022

Written by:
March 11, 2022
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

This story originally appeared on BestOdds and was produced and distributed in partnership with 麻豆原创 Studio.

States where sports betting is legalized and possible new ones in 2022

Sports betting underwent a sea change in 2018. That鈥檚 the year the United States Supreme Court overturned a federal law that had banned sports betting anywhere but Nevada. Since then, more than 30 states have approved wagering on sports, and in more than 20 of those states, sports betting is already operational.  a sports research analyst, compiled a list of the states with legal sports betting and ones that might make it legal in the next year or two. 

As the and Americans were staying home, more states began approving online sports betting. In 2021, U.S. commercial gaming revenue hit a record on sports betting, according to the American Gaming Association. Currently, twenty states have full sports betting with multiple options. The remaining states have limited sports betting options, legislative proposals for the near future, or no legal sports betting with little to no legislative movement. 

1 / 51
Moment of Perception // Shutterstock

Arizona: Legal

Sports betting in Arizona in 2021, with licenses split between 10 Native American tribes and 10 professional venues. Online and in-person wagering is possible on all major American sports (football, basketball, baseball, and hockey), and others such as tennis and even table tennis. Some limitations do apply, though. No betting is permitted on high school sports, and no proposition bets鈥攐r bets not tied to the final score鈥攁re allowed on college sports. Nor are bets permitted on injuries or penalties.

2 / 51
Brian P Gielczyk // Shutterstock

Colorado: Legal

became legal in Colorado as of May 1, 2020, online or in-person. Bets must be placed with authorized operators or sportsbooks鈥攖he name for a place that takes wagers. reported that in the first year of legalized gambling, more than $2.3 billion was bet on sports, with net proceeds at nearly $66 million. The state has a 10% tax on the proceeds to help with water conservation. 鈥嬧婭n September 2021, the state reported collecting more money than anticipated for water projects.

3 / 51
Tino Bandito // Shutterstock

Connecticut: Legal

Connecticut made online sports betting (and online casino betting) legal on Oct. 19, 2021, and players responded immediately. In the first half-month, the state brought in $1.7 million in taxes on in bets. What鈥檚 allowed as far as sports betting in Connecticut? Wagers on fantasy sports, professional sports, and Olympic and international sports. What is not allowed? Betting on esports and college sports if one of the teams playing is from Connecticut and playing in a non-tournament event. Before online betting could move forward, agreement was needed from the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes, who operate big casinos in the state.

 

4 / 51
Kaspars Grinvalds // Shutterstock

District of Columbia: Legal

in the District of Columbia dates back to 2018 and now includes online gambling, too. Among the sports you can wager on at both the professional and college levels: basketball, baseball, football, hockey, and soccer. There are some restrictions. You cannot bet on a college game occurring with the District of Columbia. Horse racing is also off limits.

5 / 51
Canva

Illinois: Legal

Bettors can wager in person on under a change signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzer in December 2021. Previously, the state allowed betting on college games, but not on teams from Illinois. This recent change will expire in 2023 unless lawmakers renew it. Still prohibited are bets on an individual athlete鈥檚 performance or on live action during the game. Sports betting became legal in Illinois in 2020.

 

6 / 51
Wpadington // Shutterstock

Indiana: Legal

Mobile sports betting opened in Indiana in 2019. Of those who responded to an Indianapolis Star in October 2021, 48.8% said that they bet for fun, 40.8% said that they did not wager on sports, 6.4% said that they bet too much, and 4% said that they might be addicted. What can you in the Hoosier State? Professional football, basketball, baseball, hockey, boxing, golf, soccer, tennis, and auto racing. Wagers on less common sports such as sailing, cricket, and darts are also allowed, as are proposition bets. Gambling on high school and amateur sports is prohibited.

7 / 51
NYCStock // Shutterstock

Iowa: Legal

Iowa was an early adopter of legalized sports betting, , but the state also required that bettors first register in person at a licensed casino, even to bet online. That restriction was lifted at the beginning of 2021, and soon after, the on sporting events soared. 鈥嬧婻esidents placed more than $2 billion in bets in 2021, compared to $575 million in 2020. Last November, Iowans bet $287.4 million on sports, and in December, $266.5 million.

 

8 / 51
Canva

Louisiana: Legal

began in October 2021. More than 67 million wagers were placed onsite in November and December. After went live at the end of January 2022, the amount wagered through that outlet eclipsed the amount taken in through in-person gambling. Approximately $40.5 million in bets were placed in the first four days of mobile betting. Compare that to nearly $50 million for the entire month for in-person gambling.

 

9 / 51
Canva

Michigan: Legal

Sports gambling brought in in 2021, the first year that it was permitted. Players bet $3.7 billion at online sportsbooks. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation allowing in December 2019, but its implementation was delayed by the pandemic until the end of January 2021. was bet on sports the following February. The launch came just in time for bets on the Super Bowl and then March Madness.

10 / 51
Kobby Dagan // Shutterstock

Nevada: Legal

The Super Bowl matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals ended with a Rams鈥 win and in Nevada in February 2022. The game brought in $179.8 million in wagers, topping the 2018 record of $158.6 million. Even though other states now offer sports betting, Nevada has remained prosperous. The state saw three months of bets totaling over $1 billion during 2021. Nevada鈥檚 sports gambling history goes back decades. Nevada first legalized the activity .

11 / 51
MediaNews Group/Long Beach Press-Telegram via Getty Images // Getty Images

New Hampshire: Legal

In New Hampshire, more than placed on the most recent Super Bowl came from residents from neighboring Massachusetts, where sports wagering is not legal. New Hampshire, by contrast, has allowed sports gambling since 2019. It was the second New England state to approve it, after Rhode Island. As of November of 2021, sports gamblers had placed more than during the year, up nearly 87% year-over-year.

12 / 51
dikkenss // Shutterstock

New Jersey: Legal

New Jersey first allowed in casinos and at racetracks in 2018, but some college games were excluded over concerns of match-fixing by unpaid student athletes. College sports betting is accepted but on matches that involve a New Jersey school, or that take place in New Jersey. The ban was in 2021. New Jersey was the largest sports betting market in the country in 2020 with more than $6 billion in bets. That amounted to about $51 million in state tax revenues, up from $39 million in 2019.

 

13 / 51
David MG // Shutterstock

New York: Legal

New York state started in early January 2022, and quickly jumped ahead of Nevada and New Jersey, the country鈥檚 best known states for gambling. New York was responsible for one quarter of the country鈥檚 mobile sports bets for the Super Bowl. Wagers totalled $472 million in the week ending with the game. Lawmakers are considering expanding betting opportunities with kiosks in stadiums, racetracks, and arenas. New York鈥檚 mobile gambling law was approved in 2021, as part of the state budget.

 

14 / 51
Lori Butcher // Shutterstock

Oregon: Legal

Oregon  in 2022, from Scoreboard.app to DraftKings, which hosts sports betting and fantasy sports. State officials told The Oregonian that the change was being made for financial savings and a smoother user experience. Oregon permits betting on professional sports鈥攂oth teams and athletes鈥攂ut not at the college level. Lawmakers are considering , but Native American tribes and anti-gambling groups have objected.

15 / 51
Canva

Pennsylvania: Legal

Pennsylvania hit a record in in January 2022, with $793.7 million in wagers placed, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. More than 90% of those bets were made online. Online games and sports wagering were approved in 2017. However, gamblers in Pennsylvania have only had access to sports betting apps since the summer of 2019. Almost all of the in the state over the last two years has been a result of that change.

16 / 51
Boston Globe // Getty Images

Rhode Island: Legal

Rhode Island became the to permit bets on professional sports in 2018. The legalization of sports gambling followed a U.S. Supreme Court ruling striking down a federal law that had made most sports betting illegal. The state added in 2019, to keep up with neighboring states. Rhode Island initially made gamblers activate their mobile accounts in person for security reasons. Lawmakers have since introduced bills to .

17 / 51
Joe Murphy // Getty Images

Tennessee: Legal

Tennessee in 2020, and has since become one of the fastest growing states for gambling revenue. In October 2021, more than $375 million was wagered. The state has , with no brick-and-mortar casinos. In fact, kiosks or other sites to place bets are banned. Betting on college sports is allowed with some limits, such as no wagers on individual actions or statistics during a game.

18 / 51
DOMINICK REUTER // Getty Images

Virginia: Legal

Virginia lawmakers approved in 2020, at the same time that they legalized casinos for five cities that were struggling financially. Betting on colleges and universities in Virginia remains off limits. The first wagers were placed in January 2021, with the number of companies to receive  set at 12. Among its neighbors, West Virginia has allowed sports gambling since August 2018, both online and at its casinos. The District of Columbia began online sports betting in May 2020 (in-person betting has been around since 2018), creating a lot of competition in the Beltway.

19 / 51
Jerry Sharp // Shutterstock

West Virginia: Legal

West Virginia approved in March 2018. That was even before a U.S. Supreme Court decision that expanded the opportunity for gambling across the country. When the court ruled as local lawmakers expected, the state became one of the first beyond Nevada to offer complete sports betting. The state positioned itself to take advantage of gamblers in the Washington D.C. area before any of its immediate neighbors approved betting. Soon after, Delaware and New Jersey offered

20 / 51
Canva

Wyoming: Legal

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon making online sports betting and participation in fantasy sports legal in April 2021. The first month of sports gambling came in September 2021, when more than $6 million was wagered. Football was the most popular sport, even though there are no pro teams in the state. At the college level, the University of Wyoming drew the most bets, followed by Notre Dame, Alabama, Iowa, and Michigan. Among professional teams, gamblers placed a lot of wagers on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders, and Dallas Cowboys.

21 / 51
Wpadington // Shutterstock

Arkansas: Legal

Arkansas is just beginning its foray into. The Arkansas Legislature's Joint Budget Committee approved the change on Feb. 22, 2022. Casinos in the state will now be able to take mobile sports bets from those wagering from within Arkansas. Apps can be launched in the first week of March, just in time for the March Madness college basketball tournaments. In-person sports betting has been legal

22 / 51
Rosemarie Mosteller // Shutterstock

Delaware: Legal

Delaware got on board with full-scale early. The state鈥檚 lawmakers approved wagers at the state鈥檚 casinos in 2018, and Delaware became the first state outside of Nevada to offer gambling on a full range of sports. Delaware allowed betting on professional football, basketball, hockey, major league baseball, and out-of-state college teams. But bets have to be made in person. Before the 2018 ruling, Delaware had permitted since 2009, the only state east of the Rocky Mountains to do so.

23 / 51
The Washington Post // Getty Images

Maryland: Legal

The in Maryland was made in December 2021, by Gov. Larry Hogan. According to the Washington Post, he bet $50 that two Maryland teams, the Washington Football Team鈥攏ow the Washington Commanders鈥攁nd the Baltimore Ravens would face off in the Super Bowl. Maryland was one of the last states in the region to legalize sports betting. Wagers are predicted to bring in $100 million a year once the state鈥檚 operation is running fully. Betting is limited to those placed in person.

24 / 51
Tino Bandito // Shutterstock

Mississippi: Legal

Mississippi allows but only in person, not online. The state鈥檚 legislators are working on legislation to allow its casinos access to sports betting apps, but in a way that will protect Mississippi鈥檚 casinos. 鈥淚 want to make sure we can protect our bricks and mortar,鈥 Congressman Casey Eure, the chair of the House Gaming Committee, told WLOX in November 2021. Neighboring Louisiana has started online wagering, putting Mississippi at a disadvantage.

 

25 / 51
REDPIXEL.PL // Shutterstock

Montana: Legal

began in Montana in March 2020, just as the coronavirus pandemic took hold in the U.S. In 2021, bettors wagered $46 million through the end of the year, an increase of $28 million from the first year. A gambler has to place a bet at a kiosk, typically located in bars and casinos. Control of sports betting rests with the state lottery. Montana awarded the sports-betting contract to the state鈥檚 lottery vendor, Intralot, which offers poor odds to bettors, according to the . Intralot has received the same criticism in Washington D.C.

26 / 51
Oleg Kovtun Hydrobio // Shutterstock

New Mexico: Legal

Sports gambling has been legal in New Mexico since 2017. However, New Mexico allows in-person gambling only. In 2019, a New Mexico casino, the tribal Isleta Resort & Casino, decided to take bets on , which includes games played by the University of New Mexico Lobos and New Mexico State University Aggies. Another tribal casino, the , was the first to offer wagers on sports. But it prohibited gambling on games played by teams from the University of New Mexico or New Mexico State University.

27 / 51
Canva

North Carolina: Legal

A bill passed the state Senate in 2021, and is now in the House. Lawmakers there are expected to take up the bill in the spring. The bill would allow companies to take mobile bets and wagers near sports venues. Sports gambling is already allowed at tribal casinos in the state. Sports betting could bring in up to $24 million a year in tax revenues, state officials predict. Gov. Roy Cooper, who would have to sign the bill into law, has expressed support for sports betting, the notes.

28 / 51
Hyoung Chang/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post // Getty Images

North Dakota: Legal

Sports betting is permitted at a state tribal casino, , which began taking wagers through digital kiosks in December 2021. Gamblers can bet on both collegiate and professional games. But statewide sports gambling was rejected by the legislature in 2019 and again during the 2021 session. The attempt in 2021 would have allowed voters to decide by referendum in 2022. The state House approved the measure, but it was defeated in the Senate. Tribal governments, and colleges and universities have opposed broader access to sports gambling.

29 / 51
Nick_Nick // Shutterstock

South Dakota: Legal

South Dakota legalizing online sports wagering in February 2022, when a House committee killed a resolution passed by the state Senate. Supporters of gambling say South Dakota is losing millions of dollars in potential revenue. Two of the state鈥檚 neighbors, Wyoming and Iowa, permit online sports betting. There seems to be an appetite for betting in South Dakota. Earlier in February, more than 6,700 people were blocked from betting on the Super Bowl on their phones. Wagering on sports is available at in the Black Hills鈥攚hich was approved by voters in 2020鈥攁nd in two tribal casinos, Dakota Connection and Dakota Sioux.

30 / 51
Kit Leong // Shutterstock

Washington: Legal

As of September 2021, sports betting is available at in Washington. 鈥嬧婽he Native American tribes鈥 gaming agreements with the U.S. Department of the Interior were amended to allow sports wagering here. Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill in 2020 permitting betting in tribal casinos only. Also facilitating matters, the Washington State Gambling Commission has approved the changes to gambling agreements for 15 tribes. Mobile app betting is not allowed unless the bettors are at a tribal casino.

 

31 / 51
Andy Manis // Getty Images

Wisconsin: Legal

In 2021, Gov. Tony Evers approved sports betting at One of those is the Oneida Casino, west of Green Bay, which is the only site currently offering wagers on sports. At Oneida, betting is permitted on professional and college teams, but not on in-state games. The second agreement, with the St. Croix Chippewa, is under federal review. Meanwhile, the Potawatomi Casino in Milwaukee has indicated it is also interested in providing sports betting, according to Milwaukee鈥檚 NPR radio station,.

32 / 51
Canva

Nebraska: Upcoming

Sports betting is where voters in 2020 approved an amendment allowing casino gambling. But the ability to actually make wagers could still be years away. Governor Pete Ricketts signed the changes into law in May 2021. However, the Lincoln Journal Star reported that gambling will not likely begin in 2023 or even 2024. Online betting will not be allowed either; only in-person wagering at casinos or other approved locations will be permitted. Nor will bets be taken on home games played by the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers.

33 / 51
Javier Ruiz Garcia // Shutterstock

Ohio: Upcoming

Governor Mike DeWine signed a bill authorizing sports gambling into law in December 2021, but he told News 5 Cleveland that it could take before it was implemented. The wording of the law specifies that wagering on sports be operational no later than Jan. 1, 2023. Gambling will be allowed . Casinos, stadiums, bars, and restaurants can apply for gambling licenses, and cell phone apps will be permitted. Ohio officials estimate sports gambling will bring in more than $3.35 billion in yearly revenue by the end of the decade.

34 / 51
Kit Leong // Shutterstock

California: Upcoming

Californians could be asked to vote on several in 2022. One that is already on the ballot would permit sports wagering only in person at tribal casinos or horse racing tracks. Another circulating for signatures would allow online gambling. Slot machines, blackjack, and other such games have been available in tribal casinos for 20 years under compacts with the state. Gambling at tracks has been legal in California since 1933, while card rooms proliferated during the Gold Rush.

35 / 51
Frank Romeo // Shutterstock

Missouri: Upcoming

At least five have been introduced in the Missouri Legislature in 2022 to allow betting on Cardinals and Royals baseball games, Blues hockey games, Chiefs football games, and other events. A new analysis shows that sports betting would bring in $15 million in tax revenue for the state. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that more than 20 bills including some form of sports betting have come before lawmakers since 2019, with none successful. Some lawmakers want to include college sports betting, and ban high school sports wagers.

 

36 / 51
ZAK BENNETT // Getty Images

Florida: Not legal

A proposed that would have allowed for sports betting will not be on the ballot in 2022. Backers failed to get the required 900,000 signatures by Feb 1. Florida voters would have been presented with a measure allowing sports wagering online and at sports venues and pari-mutuel facilities. Supporters said that the surge in the Omicron coronavirus variant hampered their ability to collect signatures. Meanwhile, Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe agreed to put the tribe in control of sports betting throughout Florida. The multibillion-dollar deal was invalidated by a federal judge, a ruling that is being appealed.

37 / 51
Canva

Alabama: Not legal

, created by Gov. Kay Ivey in February 2020, estimated that the state could raise up to $710 million from a lottery, casinos, and sports betting. Voters would need to approve a constitutional amendment expanding gambling. Legislation proposed in 2021 would have permitted casinos at each of the state鈥檚 four greyhound tracks. Now, the owners of the greyhound tracks are pushing to allow voters to be able to decide whether to approve a lottery and casinos. But the House Republican caucus has not included gambling as one of its priorities for the 2022 session.

 

38 / 51
Canva

Alaska: Not legal

The Alaska Department of Revenue has a $400,000 study to look at gambling in the state. The study will consider sports betting, casinos, and a lottery, and how each might be developed. Gambling in Alaska is now limited to two tribal casinos. But more options could be on the way. Gov. Mike Dunleavy introduced legislation in 2020 to establish a state lottery corporation that would control sports betting. He also has called for to make up for falling revenue.

 

39 / 51
Canva

Georgia: Not legal

Georgia lawmakers might put in 2022, according to the state House Speaker David Ralston. If voters approve, lawmakers would then decide what kind of gambling the state would permit, from sports betting to casinos. Currently, the state only has a lottery. Legislators debate bills to expand gambling every year, but do not approve them. In 2021, a state Senate resolution 鈥嬧媤ould have asked Georgia voters whether the state鈥檚 constitution should be amended to allow . Democrats in the House did not support it.

 

40 / 51
PhotoProCorp // Shutterstock

Hawaii: Not legal

Honolulu Democrat John Mizuno in 2022 to make sports wagering legal for residents and tourists. If passed, the law would allow Hawaii鈥檚 first form of legal gambling and, at 55%, would introduce the highest gaming tax rate on any sports betting in the U.S. Other efforts to lift Hawaii鈥檚 prohibition have failed. Mizuno calls his bill 鈥渁n opening salvo鈥 that could be amended. If Hawaii adopts sports betting, only Utah would remain without any form of legalized gambling.

 

41 / 51
Kirk Fisher // Shutterstock

Idaho: Not legal

Idaho has and there has been little movement among state legislators to legalize it. However, its neighbors Montana, Nevada, and Oregon have, which could put pressure on Idaho to make a change. And Oregon鈥檚 sports wagering is online. Idaho does have 10 tribal casinos.

42 / 51
Kirk Irwin // Getty Images

Kansas: Not legal

The state Senate legalizing sports gambling in 2021, but it failed in the House. Bets would have been permitted , as well as in person at casinos, and at stores where lottery tickets are sold. The estimates up to $600 million in bets could be placed each year. Sports betting could bring in $3.5 million a year for the state. Some legislators are making in 2022.

 

43 / 51
Grindstone Media Group // Shutterstock

Kentucky: Not legal

A 2020 bill to in Kentucky would have allowed gambling on the sports teams of in-state public universities such as the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville. Wagering would have taken place at horse racetracks and the Kentucky Speedway. That original bill and a subsequent bill did not get support. A is being revived again this year. Gambling is now legal only at casinos.

44 / 51
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

Maine: Not legal

An attempt in 2020 to in Maine was vetoed by Gov. Janet Mills. The state Senate voted to override her, but the House of Representatives did not have enough votes to push forward. The measure that lawmakers had approved would have legalized online and in-person sports betting. In 2021, a bill to allow Native American tribes to operate casinos passed the Legislature, but that also. Maine already has two casinos.

45 / 51
Billie Weiss // Getty Images

Massachusetts: Not legal

The has estimated that sports betting could bring in tens of millions of dollars in tax revenues annually. submitted a bill to permit sports gambling in 2019 and 2021, but those did not have success. 鈥淢A is losing out to neighboring states on this, especially during big games,鈥 Baker tweeted the night of the 2022 Super Bowl. 鈥淓njoy the Super Bowl, and let鈥檚 make sports gaming happen!鈥

46 / 51
George Rose // Getty Images

Minnesota: Not legal

Minnesota鈥檚 neighbors have approved sports betting, including Iowa and Wisconsin, putting pressure on Minnesota. But gambling in the state is controlled by a tribal coalition that must approve any changes to what鈥檚 known as the state鈥檚 compact. The Minnesota Indian Gaming Association has opposed any expansion of off-reservation gambling, including legalizing sports betting. The reports that another coalition, this one including the Vikings, Twins, and the other major teams, meets regularly to discuss topics like sports betting.

 

47 / 51
Lukas Gojda // Shutterstock

Oklahoma: Not legal

A bill that would allow sports betting in the was given a recommendation for approval by the state House Appropriations and Budget General Government Subcommittee in February 2022. Online betting would not be permitted; only in Oklahoma鈥檚 131 casinos. The 35 tribes that operate the casinos have not come to a unanimous position on the bill, Matthew Morgan, the chair of the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association, told Association members are interested in sports betting, but also in online wagering, which the bill before the legislature does not allow. Three states that border Oklahoma have already approved sports betting.

48 / 51
Wpadington // Shutterstock

South Carolina: Not legal

One candidate for governor, Joe Cunningham, on the state to legalize all sports betting at bricks-and-mortar locations, online, and on mobile apps. He estimated that South Carolina could benefit from about $40 million a year in new revenue. South Carolina has a lottery but no other gambling. Lawmakers are studying wagers on horse racing. The current governor, , has been outspoken against legalizing sports betting.

49 / 51
Pixel-Shot // Shutterstock

Texas: Not legal

Texas does not allow sports gambling, although there are legislators who. The Sports Betting Alliance told that it believed there could be enough votes to advance sports wagering in 2023. Opponents, including Texas Baptists, argue that gambling destroys communities, and say they do not see any movement toward approval. A bill introduced in 2021 鈥嬧媤ould have allowed Texans to vote on ato legalize sports gambling. The bill did not get out of committee.

 

50 / 51
Icon Sportswire // Getty Images

Utah: Not legal

Utah, with its strong ties to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has no legalized gambling. The state constitution , saying the legislature shall not authorize any game of chance. The state is forgoing at least $7 million in tax revenue by some estimates. But the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints opposes all gambling, including lotteries. Lawmakers turned away an effort to in the state in the 1980s.

51 / 51
Canva

Vermont: Not legal

Vermont Governor Phil Scott proposed in his January 2021 budget address. That June, just five months later, the state began . 鈥淲e know thousands of Vermonters are already participating in this activity, and the state should take steps to ensure fairness and safety,鈥 the governor said in a statement when approving the study. Estimates report the state could see anywhere from $1 million to $10 million a year in tax revenue from sports betting. According to one estimate, bet illegally on sports.

Trending Now