Wanna Bet? Here’s Where All 50 States Stand On Legalizing Sports Gambling
The in-person registration requirement set to sunset in 2021 should help the market even further. Lawmakers finalized the regulatory language that will allow betting to begin with bipartisan support in May 2021. The enacting compact language is still subject to federal approval, but stakeholders hope betting can begin by fall 2021. Colorado has one of the most operator-friendly setups in the country and more than two-dozen digital sportsbooks are expected to be live there in the coming years.
It is no doubt that this list will grow as more states realize the increasing interest sports fans have toward betting. For states that rely on sports for local economic stimulus, adding an element of gambling can provide lucrative results from additional tourism, league franchise interest, advertising partnerships, and tax revenue. The permissibility and legality of domestic sports betting in the US is determined by each state. Each state’s legislatures also determine the minimum sports betting age for each state.
Gov. Ralph Northam signed bill SB 384 into law on April 29, 2020, following several revisions in the Virginia State Legislature. The Washington Football Team of the NFL secured a sports betting license from the Virginia Lottery in 2021. That marked the first time an NFL team had obtained a wagering-related license. Despite infighting and opposition from former Governor Andrew Cuomo, New York is inching towards legalized mobile sports betting.
Alabama lacks a lottery program, but state lawmakers advanced Senate bill SB319 to sanction a state-run lottery and implement state-wide mobile betting. In addition to the lottery, the proposed legislation calls for state racetracks to morph into casinos outfitted with retail sports betting kiosks and mobile sports betting terminals. The Commonwealth of Virginia legalized sports wagering in April 2020, with sports bettors placing their first bets in January 2021.
In April 2021, the governor of New York signed the state’s mobile sports betting bill into law. Four months later, the New York State Gaming Commission revealed a list of license applicants. It appears the state will launch in January following a licensing period. Currently, legal retail sports betting is available in New York, but locations are sparse. Online betting can always provide more benefits than physical venues can simply because online sportsbooks want to incentivize bettors to return. Online betting can offer nonstop wagering, expanded gambling options for niche sports and events, in-depth betting capabilities from prop bets to futures, and deposit bonuses.
Commercial sports betting and online sportsbooks still require laws passing in order for these to go live. Local lawmakers are interested in the sports betting market, but there are currently no sports betting laws in place. It took more than a year for legislators to finalize the regulations, but legal sports betting in North Carolina officially launched on March 18, 2021. Sports betting in North Carolina is run exclusively through the tribal casino operations and they have given no indication of launching mobile and online betting as of yet. New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu ® signed HB 480 into law on July 12, 2019.