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August 12, 2020

The Best American Casino Guide-A State by State Breakdown of US Gambling



Online gambling is gradually becoming legal in the US. It all started in May 2018 when the Supreme Court struck down the PASPA Act and ruled that states could legalize online gambling. After the announcement, Delaware legalized sports betting immediately.



New Jersey, which sponsored the bill to strike down PASPA, was second. Mississippi created a restrictive law to bet on sports within a casino a few months afterward. Along the way, more states have made efforts to legalize online gambling.

As you’ll discover below, how you bet and what you bet on differs widely from one state to another. You can find a comprehensive guide of casinos by state and city at casino.us. But read on for information about gambling laws in different states.

Arkansas

Arkansas legalized physical sports betting July 1, last year. It was a law made through a voting process. It's relatively restrictive since it only permits betting over the counter. That means you can't use an app to bet. You can't play online casino games, either.

Colorado

Colorado was one of the first 20 states to legalize sports betting in 2018. Unlike Arkansas, the gambling law in Colorado permits mobile betting but does not allow online casinos. That said, the state is a fast-growing hub for sports betting sites.

Delaware

Delaware legalized sports betting and online casinos once it became clear that the Supreme Court would create a favorable ruling for states. That made it the first state to legalize the industry.

Delaware’s laws allow the state lottery to sanction online casinos. A few online casinos provide casino games to people in Delaware. But hopefully, more will come in the future.

Illinois

In Illinois, both sports betting and online casinos are now permitted. The state legalized the sector in March this year. By June, at least one company had an app for sports bettors. Existing land-based casinos have the freedom to apply for online casino licenses. So, expect gambling sites to launch in Illinois sooner rather than later.

Indiana

Since September last year, you can bet on sports through apps and websites in Indiana. You can also participate in fantasy sports but not online casinos. The state's legislators have, for long, remained opposed to iGaming. But with sports betting legal, it's only time before they permit online casinos. 

Lowa

Lowa legalized online sports betting May last year. But before you gamble online, you need to register an account in person at a casino that permits sports betting. Can you play online casino games? No, Legislators in Lowa are yet to allow online casinos.

Michigan and Mississippi

Michigan legalized physical sports betting last December. There are efforts to permit online betting by next year. But there are no plans to allow online casinos. In Mississippi, the state legalized sports betting shortly after the Supreme Court decision of 2018. It’s yet to allow online casinos.

Montana

Similar to Michigan and Montana, gambling in Montana means placing your bet at a designated physical place. The state makes it possible to bet inside restaurants, bars, casinos, and kiosks. So, you have plenty of places to wager while around the state. However, you can play online casino games while in Montana.

Nevada

Home to America's best casinos, Nevada indeed allows sports betting and casino games. It also permits online sports betting but only accepts poker in the casino section. That means you can't play online slots, blackjack, or roulette except during a few tournaments organized by easyPLAY.vegas.

New Hampshire

It's legal to bet on sports in New Hampshire. All you need is to visit a land-based casino or sign up for an account at a legitimate betting app. Unfortunately, there are very few places where you can bet in New Hampshire.

New Jersey

Under Governor Chris Christie, New Jersey sponsored the bill that made it possible for American states to legalize online gambling. Naturally, it authorized the sector after it got a favorable ruling from the Supreme Court.

New Jersey legalized both physical and online gambling, including online casinos. The state permits over 30 betting sites, helping accrue revenue worth $4.5 billion in 2019.

New Mexico and New York

New Mexico permits sports betting to a small degree. What this means is that you can bet on horse racing and fantasy sports. But you can wager on MLB, NBA, NHL, or MLS. You can’t play online casino games, though.

In New York, you can bet on all forms of sports betting online and at land-based casinos. But you can’t play online poker or slots. Legislators have often tried to turn the Big Apple (News - Alert) into an online gambling hub. But so far, that dream is yet to be actualized.

North and South Carolina

North Carolina launched a bill to allow physical sports betting at Native American Casinos. It also sanctioned a committee to study the potential of online gambling. That means online casinos could be legal soon. Unfortunately, nothing remotely to gaming is licensed in South Carolina.

Oregon

Like many states where gambling is legal, you can bet on some sports but not others in Oregon. You can bet on major sports, horse racing, daily fantasy, and land-based casino games. It also permits mobile betting and online poker but not slots, bingo or blackjack.

Pennsylvania

Full mobile betting was permitted in Pennsylvania May last year. The state went on to collect $1.5 billion in tax revenue, the third-largest in the US. In all fairness, Penny also allows online casino games.

Rhode Island and Tennessee

Rhode Island permits both online casinos and sports betting through the state lottery. Surprisingly, the legal gambling age is 18 and not 21 years. Tennessee, on the flip side, permits online and not land-based sports betting.

Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia

Virginia is one of the most recent states to legalize online gambling. Luckily, it permitted all forms of betting, from sports and fantasy games to poker and slots. Washington and DC, on the other hand, allow land-based betting at Native American casinos.

West Virginia is a tad more open to online gambling. It legalized both online casinos and sports betting March last year. 



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