28 States Where Online Gambling Is Legal

Sports betting is the most popular — and the most widely legalized — form of online gambling, generating $4.3 billion in gross revenue in 2021, according to the American Gaming Association. Twenty-one of the 22 states featured below have approved it.

Among the other forms, six states have legalized online casinos, and online poker is now legal in seven states. Online gaming, or iGaming, is expected to bring in $29.94 billion in 2024.

Gambling online was accepted in the United States from the late 1990s until 2006, according to The New York Times. That's when Congress banned gambling companies from taking online bets for "unlawful" transactions.

After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a federal ban on sports betting in 2018, some states rushed to legalize it. By the following year, more than $13 billion had been legally wagered on sports games.

OddsSeeker researched 22 states where online gambling is legal using news reports and government resources from across the internet. For this list, three forms of online gambling were considered: online casinos, online poker, and online sports betting.

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Arizona

Type of legal online gambling: Sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2021

After Gov. Doug Ducey and Arizona tribal leaders reached an agreement in 2021, lawmakers approved betting on sporting events such as National Football League and National Basketball Association games and fantasy sports.

The U.S. Department of Interior signed off on an amended tribal-state gaming compact in which the tribes continue to guard their exclusive rights to most gambling in Arizona, as approved by voters in 2002.

Under the deal with the governor, the tribes may expand their casino offerings and offer sports and fantasy betting, but at least one state senator, who also is a member of the Yaqui Community of Guadalupe, felt it was unfair to tribes and called the legislation "a sham."

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Arkansas

Type of legal online gambling: Sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2022

Legislators legalized mobile betting in Arkansas in 2022, allowing residents to use apps to place bets from their mobile phones.

Casinos had lobbied to keep 51% of profits.

The first mobile sportsbook — a place where wagers may be made — became available in April. Tax revenue from sports betting totaled $583,000 in 2020 and $1.2 million in 2021, according to television station KARK.

Though online casinos are not yet legal in Arkansas, would-be bettors can play casino games for cash prizes at sweepstakes casinos. Games include slots, table games, live dealer games, bingo, and more.

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Colorado

Type of legal online gambling: Sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2020

Online sports betting in Colorado became legal in May 2020 with the requirement that bets be placed with authorized sportsbooks and operators.

The Rocky Mountain State allows wagering at casinos and through mobile or web-based apps that have partnerships with licensed Colorado casinos.

An audit released in June 2022 found some problems with the expanded gambling — regulators had failed to complete background checks for most of the internet operators, and examiners uncovered discrepancies between some reported net proceeds and tax payments.

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Connecticut

Types of legal online gambling: Casinos, sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2021

Online sports gambling is offered in the Constitution State through the Connecticut Lottery Corporation, the Mohegan Tribe, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, and their online gaming operating partners.

Bets can be placed on professional sports events and college athletics such as the Rose Bowl and e-sports unless one of the teams playing is from Connecticut and the game is not part of an intercollegiate tournament.

Betting on the Olympics and other international sports such as the World Cup is also permitted; however, betting on poker is not permitted outside of social settings.

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Delaware

Types of legal online gambling: Casinos, poker

First year of legal online gambling: 2012

Delaware was the first state to allow full online casino gambling, including slots, roulette, and poker.

The vote among legislators was close, with opponents arguing that gambling brought with it too many social costs; however, proponents said the state had to be able to compete with the larger neighboring states of Maryland and Pennsylvania.

Casino gambling is provided through the websites of the state's casinos.

Types of legal online gambling: Sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2023

The Sunshine State had a rocky start with online betting after its original sportsbook was shut down in November 2021, by a federal ruling — just a few days after it launched.

Yet in November 2023, Hard Rock Bet successfully launched its sportsbook, in partnership with the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

Bettors can now place same-game parlay wagers on NFL, NBA, MLB, MMA, and college sports.

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Illinois

Type of legal online gambling: Sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2020

Illinois approved sports betting in 2019 as part of a gambling expansion bill.

Lawmakers had planned to require gamblers to register in person at a casino before placing their bets online, but Gov. J.B. Pritzker waived that requirement because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Pritzker's office estimated that gambling could bring in more than $100 million—which could be allocated for statewide capital projects—each year. Illinois is now ranked among the top three mobile betting states in the country.

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Indiana

Type of legal online gambling: Sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2019

Online sports gambling began in September 2019 at 10 of Indiana's 13 state-regulated casinos for bettors within state borders.

Sports betting declined in June 2022. The Indiana Gaming Commission reported $256.3 million in wagers for the month—the first time the total for monthly betting fell below $300 million since August 2021.

The recent drop in betting aside, Indiana had received $151.1 million in taxes from gambling since the start of the year.

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Iowa

Type of legal online gambling: Sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2019

Iowa lawmakers approved online sports betting in 2019.

Initially, the state required bettors to visit a casino once to prove that they were 21 years old; but that provision later expired, and bettors can now register online.

After Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the legislation allowing wagering on professional and college teams, she said through a spokesman that legalizing gambling would bring betting out of an unregulated black market.

Types of legal online gambling: Sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2022

Online sports betting was legalized in Kansas on May 12, 2022, with the signing of Bill SB 84.

Four online sportsbooks have since launched in the state, including BetMGM Sportsbook, FanDuel, Caesars Sportsbook, and DraftKings, under agreements with local casinos.

Sunflower State residents can now bet on sports, such as football, basketball, baseball, hockey, and more.

Kansas is home to several pro sports teams, including the Kansas Chiefs and Kansas City Royals.

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Louisiana

Type of legal online gambling: Sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2022

Louisiana got its online sports betting up and running at the start of 2022, in time for the Super Bowl, the year's biggest sports betting day.

The state awarded 20 licenses and gave its 15 riverboat casinos, four horse tracks, and a land-based casino the opportunity to apply for them first. Each licensee has the ability to offer two mobile platforms.

Most of the tax revenue to be collected, 60%, will go into the state's general fund, with another 25% to be used for early education programs.

Types of legal online gambling: Sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2023

Maine legalized online sports betting in late 2023 and sportsbooks launched in November of the same year.

Currently, only two sportsbooks accept bets from Mainers, including Caesars Sportsbook and DraftKings. Caesars works in partnership with three Wabanaki Nations and Maine has an agreement with the Passamaquoddy Tribe.

In the first two weeks after launching, online sportsbooks raked in an average of $1 million per day in wagers.

Maine may not be home to any major sporting leagues, though residents are keen to bet on nearby New England pro sports teams, as well as some Canadian NHL teams.

Types of legal online gambling: Sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2022

Online sports betting was legalized in Maryland in 2021, and the first online sportsbook launched in 2022.

Since Maryland has hit the ground running — it boasts 12 sportsbooks, where residents can place bets online. In its first year of online sports betting, the bettors wagered an estimated $1 billion. Top sportsbooks include BetMGM, FanDuel, BetRivers, Caesars, DraftKings, and more.

In Maryland, sports betting is allowed on professional sports, college sports, and upcoming Olympic events.

Baltimore is home to the Ravens and the Orioles.

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Michigan

Types of legal online gambling: Casinos, poker, sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2021

Online gambling in Michigan is permitted for the state's licensed casinos which include 24 tribal casinos and three casinos in Detroit.

The casinos lost revenue at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, with the ones in Detroit reporting revenue down 56% in 2020 from 2019. Industry experts report that Michigan online casinos bring in over $1 billion a year in revenue for the state's gambling industry.

Michigan online casinos include FanDuel, Caesars Palace, BetRivers, and BetMGM. Players can take advantage of real-money online casino no-deposit bonuses to try the platforms, play games, and see if they want to play long-term.

In addition to online casinos, the Wolverine State also offers online sports betting. Michigan has teams in four professional sports leagues and several well-known universities including the University of Michigan and Michigan State University.

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Nevada

Types of legal online gambling: Poker, sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2010

Nevada was the first state to approve interstate online gambling. Its lawmakers hurried to pass a bill permitting online poker — part of a race with New Jersey to become a key online gambling hub — according to the Las Vegas Sun.

World famous as the home of Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada first legalized gambling in 1869. The state later criminalized betting only to bring back what was called "wide open" betting in 1931.

The online poker law allows residents to play poker with players in other states. Previously, Nevada lawmakers had planned to wait for federal action before authorizing gaming over the internet.

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New Hampshire

Type of legal online gambling: Sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2019

Gov. John Sununu cast New Hampshire's first legal online sports bet in 2019, choosing the New England Patriots to win Super Bowl LIV (ultimately, the team did not make the championship game that year).

Sports betting is permitted through the New Hampshire Lottery Commission. As neighboring Massachusetts does not permit online gambling, Gov. Sununu predicted hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents would cross the border to place bets.

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New Jersey

Types of legal online gambling: NJ online casinos, poker, sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2013

New Jersey followed Delaware and Nevada in permitting online gambling but was considered a better test of its potential for revenue because of the range of games it allowed and its larger population, The New York Times reported.

Online gambling sites have made a total of over $1 billion in revenue since 2013.

Top online casinos include FanDuel, Caesars Palace, Stardust Online Casino, PlayStar, BetRivers, and more. Players can take advantage of online casino promotions, including no-deposit bonuses and first deposit promos.

New Jersey took over as the lead mobile sports betting spot in the country after ​​legalizing it in 2018 (it has since been surpassed by New York).

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New York

Type of legal online gambling: Sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2022

New York topped all other states in online gambling after it legalized the practice in January 2022.

As reported by The New York Times, online gambling quickly brought in more than $2 billion in wagers and nearly $80 million in tax revenue through the first five weeks it had been available.

Gamblers spent $472 million in the week ending with the Super Bowl in 2022. Most of the New York State tax revenues from online sports betting go to fund education.

Types of legal online gambling: Sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2023

In January 2023, online sportsbooks launched in Ohio, the year after Bill HB 29 was signed into law by Governor Mike DeWine in 2021.

Though it took over a year for sports betting to start, Ohio is home to upwards of 20 online sportsbooks. Some of the most popular include Caesars Sportsbook, BetRivers, FanDuel, DraftKings, Bet365, Tipico, and BetMGM.

Sports fans bet a total of $1.1 billion in the first month of online betting alone — which isn’t really a shock, seeing as Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Columbus are home to a whopping seven Major League Sports teams.

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Oregon

Type of legal online gambling: Sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2019

Oregon launched a live, state-run sports betting app in 2019, becoming the eighth state to add one.

According to the Oregon Lottery, 9.8 million bets were placed in 2021, an increase from 7.1 million in 2020. The state had gambling revenues of $331.6 million, up 52% from the year before.

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Pennsylvania

Types of legal online gambling: PA online casinos, poker, sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2019

Online sports bets were permitted in the Keystone State for the first time in 2019.

Pennsylvania was the fourth state to offer online casino gambling including slots and other such games. Online poker was added separately. Pennsylvania online casinos include PlayLive! Casino, Caesars Palace, FanDuel, Borgata, BetMGM, and BetRivers.

Almost all of the online casinos in Pennsylvania offer no-deposit bonuses. Players can take advantage of bonuses, such as the PlayLive! no-deposit bonus for 25 free spins, to try out the online casino platforms and win real money. In addition to free spins, online casinos, such as Borgata, also offer no-deposit bonuses for set dollar amounts

The gambling expansion was agreed upon in 2017 by the Republican-controlled General Assembly and Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, to balance the budget while avoiding tax increases, according to PennLive.com.

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Rhode Island

Type of legal online gambling: Sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2019

When Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo signed a bill allowing online sports betting in March 2019, the state was the only one in New England to allow sports gambling. New Hampshire began permitting mobile sports wagers later that year.

As in other states, Rhode Island legislators were divided among those eager to embrace new technology and generate new revenue for the state, and those worried that easier gambling would lead to more gambling addiction problems.

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Tennessee

Type of legal online gambling: Sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2020

Tennessee, which has no in-person gambling sites, says its online-only sports betting program is unusual in the country.

The state is regulating online sportsbooks directly — without an established framework for casinos — according to The Tennessean. Twenty-eight sports were approved for wagers. Gamblers can bet on college sports but with conditions.

Types of legal online gambling: Sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2024

The state that most recently legalized online sports betting is Vermont.

In June 2023, Bill H127 was signed into law by Gov. Phil Scott, and online sports betting went live on January 11, 2024.

Three online sportsbooks currently operate in the Green Mountain State, including FanDuel, DraftKings, and Fanatics Sportsbook. State revenue is projected at nearly $7 million in the first year.

Like Maine, Vermont isn’t home to any professional sports teams, and residents generally support other New England teams, such as the Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots, and Boston Bruins.

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Virginia

Type of legal online gambling: Sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2021

Virginia residents were able to make their first online bets in January 2021 on all major sports, except for college sports. Like many states, the gambling industry is used as a means of revenue.

Virginia's neighbors already have sports gambling or are putting it in place with voters' approval.

Online casinos are not legal in Virginia, but sweepstakes casinos offer the same games as their real-money counterparts and totally legal in the state.

Sweepstakes casinos have streamlined player experience to include many of the same features real-money online casinos offer.

You can even play games on your mobile device on your phone's browser or a sweepstakes casino app. Most of the same games offered on the full site are available on apps, and you can make purchases and redeem cash prizes in the app, too.

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Washington D.C.

Type of legal online gambling: Sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2019

Sports betting began in our nation's capital following a fight in the D.C. Council.

Lawmakers chose a Greek company named Intralot to handle its online gambling, but a Washington Post investigation showed the contract benefited people with ties to City Hall.

The city-owned gambling app GambetDC had flaws that hobbled its launch. District residents cannot use the app while on federal property or near arenas.

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West Virginia

Types of legal online gambling: Casinos, poker, sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2018

West Virginia was the fifth state to legalize casino games online, after Delaware, Nevada, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Among the table games allowed are blackjack, roulette, and keno. Online poker is also permitted.

The gambling bill allowed for five online gaming licenses, with only brick-and-mortar casinos eligible to receive them.

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Wyoming

Type of legal online gambling: Sports betting

First year of legal online gambling: 2021

On September 1, 2021, Wyoming became the 23rd state to legalize sports betting. Its law allows for sports wagering online only, with no physical sportsbooks.

Even though online casinos are not legal in Wyoming, it's still possible to play casino games at sweepstakes casinos. Play slots, table games, live dealer games, scratch games, and more.

You can even get no-deposit bonuses for FREE Sweeps Coins to play on games. If you play your Free Sweeps Coins enough times, you can redeem them for cash prizes.

Sweepstakes Casinos are a great way to get the experience of playing casino games in a state where online casinos aren't legal.