US Online Sports Betting Legality in 2026

Sports betting was allowed to be legalized in the United States beginning in May 2018, after the Supreme Court struck down PASPA and gave each state the option to regulate sports wagering. The 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) that outlawed sports betting in the United States was struck down by the Supreme Court, giving individual states the option to legalize sports betting. In recent years, we have seen the sports betting landscape shift a lot, especially since there have been significant changes to online betting law.

Below, we cover US sportsbooks and explain where US betting online is available, plus how to choose the best US sportsbook for your state.

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Four states were exempt from the PASPA ruling: Oregon, Delaware, Montana, and Nevada. These had pre-existing sports lotteries. Nevada had Vegas, the capital of gambling, where sportsbooks were established.

New Jersey led the PASPA takedown. In 2009, Senator Raymond Lesniak sued that PASPA was discriminatory against the 46 states that weren’t grandfathered in. The NCAA and pro leagues pushed back against legalizing sports betting.

After a long battle, the Supreme Court ruled PASPA unconstitutional in 2018 by a 7-2 vote. Now, each state can legalize sports betting. Not all have jumped on board, but as of 2026, sports betting is legal in 40 states, plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Others, meanwhile, are soon expected to increase that number.

Some are choosing online sportsbooks, some keep it retail. Most have done both. State officials are looking at accessibility and how taxes can work. Many see great value in legalized American betting, earning millions in their first year.

More and more states are seeing sports betting as a potential revenue source. This has a wide-ranging impact, including the increase in pressure for the federal government to renegotiate the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, and additional competition with state lotteries. Sports betting has proven to be a significant source of tax revenue for many states thus far.

Selected states with legal sports betting in the USA

This section highlights some of the major U.S. jurisdictions where sports betting is legal and live. For a full state-by-state directory, see the guides listed below.

Below is a summary of key legal sports betting states and how each market currently operates.

Arizona

Online sports betting has been given the green light in Arizona. Governor Doug Ducey signed a bill in April 2021, paving the way for its legalization. The official launch date for sports betting in Arizona was September 9, 2021.

Arkansas

Arkansas launched retail sports betting in 2019 and mobile betting in 2022. Bettors can now place wagers through mobile sportsbooks as well as at licensed casino sportsbooks.

Colorado

Colorado launched sports betting in the state in May 2020. They have taken the mobile sports betting route, with four operators available. They also have retail sportsbooks.

Connecticut

Connecticut legalized sports betting in 2021. Both online and retail sports betting are live through licensed operators connected to the state’s tribal gaming framework and the Connecticut Lottery.

Delaware

Delaware technically already had permission to bet on sports, but they didn’t waste any time once PASPA was overturned to offer sports betting at three casinos.

Florida

The history of Florida sports betting is complicated. Initially, it was legalized via an exclusive gaming compact between the state and the Seminole tribe. Gambling operations were rolled out sometime in November 2021. However, West Flagler Associates, a gaming facility operator based in Florida, filed a lawsuit alleging the Seminoles' gaming compact violated the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Florida sports gambling forced to shut down shortly thereafter. Roughly two years later, though, the Seminoles were able to relaunch their sports betting services. Though the matter is still tied up in litigation and potentially headed to the Supreme Court, Florida sports betting remains live.

Illinois

Awkward timing got Illinois, the 15th state to legalize sports betting, off to a rocky start. A global pandemic took the world by storm one week after they launched their retail sportsbooks. The first bets were placed at Rivers Casino in March 2020, and days later, much of the United States was shut down due to COVID-19.

Indiana

In September 2019, Indiana jumped on board (surprisingly) and legalized sports betting in the state. You can bet on your mobile device or at any of their designated retail locations.

Iowa

Sports betting was legalized in Iowa in August 2019, and they offer retail locations as well as mobile betting.

Kansas

Kansas legalized sports betting in 2022. Bettors can place wagers online through licensed mobile sportsbooks and at approved retail casino locations.

Kentucky

Kentucky approved sports wagering in 2023. Retail betting launched on September 7, 2023, and mobile betting launched on September 28, 2023.

Louisiana

Louisiana offers both retail and online sports betting in participating parishes. Retail sportsbooks launched in 2021, and mobile sportsbooks followed in 2022.

Maine

Maine legalized sports wagering in 2022, and online sports betting is now live through the state’s tribal sports wagering framework. Mobile sports wagering is regulated by the Maine Gambling Control Unit.

Maryland

Maryland legalized sports betting in 2021. Retail sportsbooks launched in 2021, and online sports betting followed in 2022.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts legalized sports betting in 2022, permitting individuals to legally wager on sports events online and offline. If you meet the minimum age requirement of 21, you now have access to seven US-based sportsbooks, as well as the opportunity to participate in the lottery, visit casinos, bet on horse races, and explore numerous offshore online betting platforms.

Michigan

Michigan quickly followed behind Illinois as the 16th state to legalize sports betting—two days after, to be exact, on March 11, 2020. They also had awkward timing with the pandemic moving in on the United States, shutting down all retail sportsbooks. However, the market has since rebounded nicely. Especially when it come sto online sports betting.

Mississippi

Another surprising state to jump on the sports betting bandwagon so early was none other than Mississippi. They began accepting sports bets in August 2018, a mere three months after PASPA was overturned. The state only offers sports betting at land-based casinos, with no intention of offering mobile in the near future.

Missouri

Missouri launched legal sports betting on December 1, 2025. Both retail and online sports betting are now live in the state, following voter approval in 2024 and subsequent rulemaking by the Missouri Gaming Commission.

Montana

Montana launched its sports betting product in March 2020 during the pandemic. You can place a wager at any Sports Bet Montana kiosks in licensed retailers around the state.

Nebraska

Nebraska allows legal retail sports betting at licensed casino locations. Statewide online and mobile sports betting have not yet launched.

Nevada

While PASPA’s overturning didn’t really affect Nevada or Las Vegas in the slightest, they have made some improvements to their sportsbooks and online offerings in the past two years.

New Hampshire

Sports betting was legalized in New Hampshire in July 2019 and launched just before the new year. They offer mobile betting through a partnership with DraftKings Sportsbook, the only mobile operator in the state thus far.

New Jersey

Obviously, since New Jersey spearheaded the PASPA overruling, they were the first state to legalize sports betting in June 2018. They offer retail sportsbooks as well as plenty of mobile betting options. Many New Yorkers would travel across the bridge to place a wager.

New Mexico

Legal sports betting launched in New Mexico in August 2018. NM was the sixth state to allow sports betting at their casinos. There is no plan thus far to offer online betting.

New York

In June 2019, New York legalized sports betting after the New York State Gaming Commission took its time developing laws and rules around sports betting, which evidently delayed the launch. As of January 2022, both retail and online sports betting services are live.

North Carolina

Sports betting in North Carolina is now legal and live. Online sports betting launched at noon on March 11, 2024, and eight state-licensed sports betting apps are currently available to bettors in the state. In addition to online sports betting, there are also three retail sports betting locations in North Carolina.

North Dakota

Sports betting has been available at tribal casinos in North Dakota since December 2021. However, attempts to legalize and regulate online sports betting through a proposed bill were unsuccessful. Some restrictions apply, including limitations when it comes to betting on in-state college teams and individual college athletes.

Ohio

Ohio launched legal sports betting in January 2023. Bettors can use licensed online sportsbooks and place wagers at approved retail locations across the state.

Oregon

Oregon launched its sports betting product in August 2019, opening a sportsbook at Chinook Winds Casino. They recently opened mobile betting in October 2019, which is overseen by the state's lottery department.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania launched sports betting in August 2018, not long after the PASPA overruling. They have plenty of retail sportsbooks around the state and officially launched their mobile betting platform in June 2019.

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico legalized sports betting in July 2019 when Governor Ricardo Rosselló signed a bill to regulate both in-person and online wagering. Although the law passed in 2019, the first sportsbook didn’t launch until February 2022. Bettors in Puerto Rico can now legally place bets at licensed retail sportsbooks, with online betting expected to expand further as more operators enter the market.

Rhode Island

Our smallest state began offering sports betting quite early after PASPA was overturned, launching in August 2018. They quickly added mobile betting to their offering in September 2019.

South Dakota

South Dakota launched legal sports betting in September 2021, but only in a limited in-person format. Bets can be placed in Deadwood and at certain tribal casinos, while statewide online sports betting has not yet been approved.

Tennessee

Tennessee legalized sports betting in 2019 and launched online betting in November 2020. It remains a mobile-only market.

Vermont

Legal sports betting has been introduced in Vermont. Residents of the Green Mountain State now have access to three leading U.S. betting sites, along with special promotions from a unique Vermont sportsbook tailored for the NFL playoffs. Vermont has become the 38th state in the U.S. to legalize sports betting.

Virginia

Sports bettors began to place bets in January of 2021 but are not allowed to bet on Virginia-based collegiate sports. The Commonwealth finally implemented its legal sports betting legislation that it approved in August of 2020.

Washington

Washington allows legal sports betting at tribal casinos under approved tribal-state compacts. Sports wagering is not offered as a broad statewide commercial mobile market.

West Virginia

West Virginia legalized sports betting in 2018 and now offers both retail and regulated online wagering through licensed operators overseen by the West Virginia Lottery.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin offers sports betting through tribal gaming arrangements. Statewide online sports betting was authorized in 2026, but full rollout depends on tribal compact changes, so the market remains limited compared with fully open mobile states.

Wyoming

Wyoming launched legal online sports betting in 2021. It is one of the few states with a regulated online-only sports betting market overseen by the Wyoming Gaming Commission.

Which states are least likely to legalize sports betting?

Sports betting has spread across most of the United States, but a small group of states still have no legal sportsbook market. As of July 2026, the states without legal sports betting include Alabama, Alaska, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Minnesota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah.

• Utah remains the least likely state to legalize sports betting. The state has no lottery or commercial casino market, and its political leaders continue to take a hard line against gambling expansion. In 2026, Utah officials also pushed back against sports-related prediction markets, reinforcing how strongly the state opposes betting-style products.
• Hawaii is still one of the toughest states for legalization, but it is no longer a complete non-starter. Hawaii and Utah remain the only two states that prohibit all commercial gambling, yet Hawaii lawmakers considered online sports betting again in 2026. House Bill 2570 proposed an online-only model with at least six platforms, a 15% tax on adjusted gross revenue, and $500,000 licensing and renewal fees. That movement makes Hawaii more active than Utah, even though passage remains difficult.
• Alaska has no legal sports betting and very little pressure to change that soon. The state has a smaller population, no major professional sports franchises, and limited operator urgency compared with markets like Texas or California. Alaska does not show the same ideological opposition as Utah, but the lack of momentum keeps it near the bottom of the legalization list.
• California is difficult for a different reason. It is not anti-betting in the same way as Utah or Hawaii, but the state has not found a workable agreement between tribal gaming interests, commercial operators, and political stakeholders. California remains one of the biggest potential sports betting markets in the country, yet that size has made the fight over control more complicated, not easier.

Other states with slower paths

Texas is still the biggest state to watch, but it is not close to launch. Sports betting remains illegal in Texas as of July 2026, and the next real opening is the 2027 legislative session because the Texas legislature meets in odd-numbered years. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has also kept gambling issues on the Senate radar through interim priorities, including prediction markets, but that does not mean sportsbook legalization has enough support to pass.

Alabama has no legal sports betting and continues to move slowly on wider gambling bills. Lawmakers have discussed broader gaming packages in recent sessions, but those efforts have not produced a regulated sportsbook market.

Nebraska already allows retail sports betting at licensed casinos, but online sports betting is still not live. The state discussed online expansion during a 2024 special session, and the issue may reach voters through a 2026 ballot effort. For now, Nebraska is better described as a partial sports betting state, not a full online market.

Wisconsin should no longer be listed as a state with no real online path. Gov. Tony Evers signed an online sports betting bill on April 9, 2026, but betting cannot launch until the state negotiates new agreements with its 11 federally recognized tribes. That means Wisconsin has moved from “unlikely” to “pending implementation.”

Texas in the spotlight, but 2027 is the earliest real window

Texas remains the most closely watched sports betting state because the market would be huge, with major teams, national operators, and business groups all interested in legalization. The problem is political. Sports betting proposals have not cleared the Senate, and any serious push would still need to move through the legislature before voters could approve a constitutional amendment.

The next meaningful chance is 2027. Until then, Texas bettors do not have access to state-regulated sportsbooks. Prediction markets and DFS apps may still operate in different legal categories, but they are not the same as a licensed sportsbook market with moneyline, spread, totals, prop, parlay, and futures betting under Texas regulation.

Is online betting legal in the US?

Offshore sportsbooks aren’t state-licensed, and legality depends on state law; many users consider it a gray area compared with regulated, state-licensed sportsbooks. However, it's important to always avoid Blacklisted /closed books like Caliente.

State by state betting guides and updates

We’ve kept up to date on all things sports betting in the United States. We have created individual sports betting guides for all 50 states and updates on sports betting legislation and legalization as it occurs.

Offshore sportsbooks available to US bettors

While sports betting is not legalized everywhere in the US, offshore sportsbooks are not state-licensed in the United States, and their legal status depends on state law. Because of that, bettors should review local rules before using them. Online books are great options for bettors without local books or state betting.

In fact, many online sportsbooks will be far better than state betting sites. Online sportsbooks have decades of experience and know-how to make a great platforms. They offer many deposit options, bonuses, great mobile sites/apps, and huge customer service teams.

Key factors to consider

However, not all sportsbooks are the same. On the contrary, some are definitely better than others. Many don't recommend offshore betting because sketchy books could take your funds. You can't bring American legal teams in since these aren't on US soil.

But don't let that scare you. The top offshore sportsbooks are totally legit, safe, and trustworthy. Many in states with legal betting still use offshore sportsbooks anyway for convenience.

Reading reviews and researching before signing up helps avoid bad books. We review and use the top online betting sites and only recommend the most trusted.

You can find our online sportsbook reviews in our reviews section, the majority of which are available in the United States.