Where to Bet Online in 2020
Read about the best online sportsbooks to use and welcome bonuses to claim in the US and around the world in 2020....
Legal U.S. Sports Betting Guide
Sports betting became legal in the United States on May 14, 2018, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). States can now pass their own legislation to authorize sports wagering.
Today, a total of 26 U.S. states have legalized sports betting in some way:
● Legal and live (18 states) ● Bills passed but not live yet (4 states)
source: americangaming.org
Table of Contents
Where is sports betting legal?
Below you will find a short summary of the current status of sports betting in each state.
New Jersey
- When did sports betting in New Jersey become legal? June 2018
- Is online sports betting available? Yes
- Is land-based sports betting available? Yes
New Jersey was second to launch state-regulated sports betting on June 14, 2018. The last casino to open was the Hard Rock Atlantic City which launched its sportsbook early in 2019 and last year we noted a contract between GIG and Hard Rock City International. Two of the most successful sportsbooks in the state are at racetracks. Monmouth Park actually took the first legal sports bet in New Jersey.
Governor Phil Murphy wagered $20 on Germany to win the soccer World Cup and $20 on the New Jersey Devils to win the Stanley Cup in 2019.
The other racetrack sportsbook is at the Meadowlands little more than half an hour’s drive from central Manhattan.
There are 16 online sports betting apps in the state (and soon to be 17), and unlike Nevada, customers can sign up online. In-person registration is not required, so as long as you are located within the borders of the state you can sign up and put real-money down on sports in NJ.
More on New Jersey sports betting.
Nevada
- When did sports betting in Nevada become legal? 1949
- Is online sports betting available? Yes
- Is land-based sports betting available? Yes
Unsurprisingly, the Nevada gaming laws are extremely permissive but counter-balanced by strict and highly competent oversight by the Nevada Gaming Commission and Nevada Gaming Control Board. The regulators have broad latitude as to what game types are allowed: not only is sports betting allowed in the many casinos in Las Vegas but customers can also bet on virtual sports and esports.
Online sports betting, casino, and poker are available, but sports bettors must register for an account at a casino, a process that has been described as “markedly worse” than that of books in New Jersey.
Most casinos offer live sports betting, either at a teller window or an automated kiosk. The first online sports betting app launched in 2010 and today there are 8 online sports betting options. Between them, they take between 50%-70% of all sports betting action in Vegas.
More on Nevada sports betting.
Delaware
- When did sports betting in Delaware become legal? June 2018
- Is online sports betting available? No
- Is land-based sports betting available? Yes
Delaware has a population of less than a million, but it was the first state to introduce regulated sports betting outside of Nevada on June 5, 2018.
Three horsetrack/casinos, known as racinos are licensed to accept sports bets:
- Delaware Park
- Dover Downs
- Harrington Raceway
The introduction of sports betting has doubled gambling revenue in the state, although the Delaware Division of Gaming Enforcement has not yet authorized online sports betting. The state authorized online gambling in 2013, so there is no legal bar for launching online sports betting. It appears that the regulator is watching to see how in-person sports betting works out before giving the racinos authorization to launch online sports betting.
Extract from gamingregulation.com on online gambling:
Online poker is provided through a state-mandated monopoly. Currently, 888 has the contract. That puts 888 in a great position to win any contract for online sports betting. 888 is already operating online sports betting in New Jersey.
More on Delaware sports betting.
Mississippi
- When did sports betting in Mississippi become legal? August 2018
- Is online sports betting available? No
- Is land-based sports betting available? Yes
The old riverboat gambling traditions of Mississippi are alive and well. Currently, 23 of 28 licensed casinos offer sports betting.
The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians launched sports betting at the Pearl River Resort in August of 2018. They became the first tribal casino to get into the sports betting market. Unfortunately, the new gaming laws do not allow online gambling outside of casino premises.
There was a bill introduced in 2019 to the state legislature that would have changed that, but it died in Committee. Another bill to legalize statewide mobile sports betting in Mississippi was introduced in January of 2020, but it has been slow to gain any momentum for it.
However, unlike certain states, The Mississippi gaming laws do allow betting on Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and other college teams based in the state. Betting on college teams and professional teams outside the state is also permitted.
Check out this video from when the first bet was placed in Beau Rivage Casino & Resort in August 2018
Mississippi sportsbooks also have live betting and mobile sports wagering apps available within their establishment.
More on Mississippi sports betting.
Pennsylvania
- When did sports betting in Pennsylvania become legal? November 2018
- Is online sports betting available? Yes
- Is land-based sports betting available? Yes
Pennsylvania was early to the starting gate with its new gaming laws. However, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has taken a measured approach to regulating live sports betting and online gaming.
The first sportsbook opened in November 2018 at the Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course. The Sugarhouse and Rivers casinos joined with their live sports betting offering on December 13 of that same year.
A total of 13 casinos have agreed to pay the $10 million license fee which authorizes both live and online sports betting. All but two of them have launched sportsbooks, and The Meadows Racetrack and Casino launched a sportsbook in Pennsylvania in October 2019; Unibet launched a mobile sports betting app later that same year as well.
Live! Casino & Hotel was the latest to agree to the high licensing fee. Construction of their land-based sportsbook is estimated to be completed at the end of 2020 but their online sports betting app in Pennsylvania could launch sooner.
Here is an extract from their announcement in October, 2019:
Penn National Gaming was also granted a license to open up a satellite casino in York, Pennsylvania. That Hollywood Casino location will have the ability to offer sports betting in southern Pennsylvania as soon as it opens.
Online sports betting in Pennsylvania is live and accessible throughout the state. The first online sportsbook to launch was PlaySugarHouse and they did so in June of 2019.
There are now nine sports betting apps in PA for residents to choose from. Those include:
- PlaySugarHouse provided by SugarHouse Casino
- BetRivers provided by Rivers Sportsbook Pittsburgh
- Parx Sportsbook provided by Parx Casino
- FanDuel Sportsbook offered by Valley Forge Casino
- Fox Bet provided by Mount Airy Casino
- Unibet through a deal with Mohegan Sun Pocono
- DraftKings through a partnership with Penn National Gaming
- Caesars Sportsbook through Harrah’s Philadelphia.
- Barstool Sportsbook through a partnership with Penn National Gaming.
More on Pennsylvania sports betting.
West Virginia
- When did sports betting in West Virginia become legal? September 2018
- Is online sports betting available? Yes
- Is land-based sports betting available? Yes
Five casinos have sports betting up and running in West Virginia:
- Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races
- The Greenbrier
- Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort
- Mardi Gras Casino & Resort
- Wheeling Island Hote-Casino Racetrack
FanDuel, who are better known for their Daily Fantasy Sports business, provide the Greenbriar operation. Those who are FanDuel DFS members can use their same account to access the Online FanDuel Sportsbook.
William Hill powers the retail sportsbook at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races and the Mountaineer Casino. Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races also has a deal with DraftKings as an online partner. Two more casinos opened sports betting operations in December 2018.
However, the sportsbook at both of those locations and their BetLucky sports betting app was indefinitely suspended in March of 2019. The suspension came from a contract dispute between Delaware North, the parent company of both casinos, and a third-party sports wagering provider.
But, Delaware North signed a new deal with International Gaming Technology (IGT) and BetGenius in late January 2020 in order to relaunch sports betting at their West Virginia casinos and a mobile sports wagering app. The relaunch of their retail casinos happened just days before the 2020 Super Bowl, allowing them to cash in on the highest sports wagering day of the year. Their online platform is now known as Betly and launched in August 2020.
William Hill was the latest sportsbook to join the market through a deal with Mountaineer Casino.
Online and mobile sports betting is legal and also live in West Virginia.
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There are three sports betting apps available in the state. Those are FanDuel Sportsbook, DraftKings Sportsbook, and BetMGM. Residents may register to use these apps from wherever, so long as they are within state lines. West Virginia gambling is regulated by the state lottery.
More on West Virginia sports betting.
Rhode Island
- When did sports betting in Rhode Island become legal? November 2018
- Is online sports betting available? Yes
- Is land-based sports betting available? Yes
Sports betting in Rhode Island can only be offered through two casinos. The Twin River Casino opened first, on November 26, shortly followed by its sister business, the Tiverton Casino Hotel.
All legal sports betting is operated by the state lottery. In an unusual arrangement, the state takes 51 percent of sports betting revenue with the sole technology providers IGT and William Hill taking 32 percent. That leaves the casinos with just 17 percent of revenues.
The newest gaming laws allow online and mobile sports betting. The state-wide mobile sports betting app launched on September 4, 2019.
Originally, users of the app or online platform had to first register in-person at one of the Twin River casino locations. But, that rule was eliminated in the 2020 legislative session. Bettors in the state now have the option of signing up and betting remotely.
Either way, users must be able to show proof of ID when making an online account.
More on Rhode Island sports betting.
New Mexico
- When did sports betting in New Mexico become legal? October 2018
- Is online sports betting available? No
- Is land-based sports betting available? Yes
New Mexico has only four casinos where sports betting is allowed. The Santa Ana Star Casino and Hotel opened its sportsbook for business on October 16, 2018, followed by the Hilton Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino in Santa Fe just before the 2019 Super Bowl.
The Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort and Casino, whos online betting platform is powered by William Hill, was the next New Mexico sportsbook to open in July of 2019 and Isleta Resort & Casino is the latest tribal casino to offer sports betting, having done so in August of 2019.
The Navajo Nation is also currently in the process of partnering with a Las Vegas-based sports betting provider in order to open a sportsbook at two of their casino locations. What makes it an unusual situation is that New Mexico has not passed new laws authorizing sports betting.
Casinos that are offering sports betting are doing so on tribal land. The state compact between New Mexico and the tribal groups permits the tribal members to offer sports betting even without the need for new state laws.
However, in order for the state to have online sports betting outside of tribal casinos, a new law will have to be passed by the state legislature.
More on New Mexico sports betting.
Oregon
- When did sports betting in Oregon become legal? First sportsbook launched in August of 2019
- Is online sports betting available? Yes
- Is land-based sports betting available? Not yet
Oregon was actually one of four states that were grandfathered into the federal ban on sports betting known as the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA). Thus, once PASPA was repealed in May of 2018, the State of Oregon was able to bring about sports betting without the need to pass new legislation. So, The Oregon Lottery is able to regulate and provide legal sports betting in Oregon under pre-existing laws.
Because of the way the state’s tribal gaming compact works, tribal casinos can offer sportsbooks. Essentially, tribes can offer any gaming activities that the lottery offers.
The first casino to take advantage of this freedom was the Chinook Winds Casino Resort.
The only other tribal casino to also introduce a sportsbook in Oregon is The Mill Casino located in North Bend.
In terms of mobile betting options, a mobile sports betting app called Scoreboard launched during the Fall of 2019 and is available statewide to those who are 18 years old or older.
At this time, tribal casinos DO NOT offer mobile apps but they do offer collegiate sports betting. To counter that, the state lottery offers mobile sports betting but does not offer collegiate betting odds.
More on Oregon sports betting.
Illinois
- When did sports betting in Illinois become legal? June 2019
- Is online sports betting available? Yes
- Is land-based sports betting available? Yes
Sports betting in Illinois was voted on in June 2019. Following more than a year of back-and-forth battles between competing parties, sports betting advocates finally found a way through. Adding sports wagering to an old casino expansion bill, Rep. Robert Rita was able to win enough support for SB690.
A positive House vote on May 31 was matched by the Senate on June 2. The bill was subsequently submitted to Governor Jay Robert Pritzker. Having already signaled his support for legal sportsbooks in Illinois, the votes were considered wins for locals.
We legalized sports betting and expanded gaming, leading the Midwest in a new industry and setting us up to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for our state. pic.twitter.com/zQJ1cqC1YV
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) June 2, 2019
Although the industry is still finding its feet, SB690 contains provisions for offline and online betting. There are several online sportsbooks in Illinois available now.
The timeline for when all online sports betting sites will launch in the state is still a bit unclear. Current provisions allow online sports wagering companies to do business in the state without tethering to a casino, however, they will have to wait 18 months in order to do that. BetRivers was the first to launch since they are tethered to Rivers Casino Des Plaines.
Rivers Casino Des Plaines was the first casino sportsbook to launch in Illinois, but six others have launched since.
The Illinois Gaming Commission is continuing to accept sportsbook applications and they are vetting through other potential operators now. DraftKings has launched and so has FanDuel and PointsBet by partnering with retail casinos.
Look out for more Illinois sportsbooks to open throughout 2020.
More on Illinois sports betting.
Tennessee
- When did sports betting in Tennessee become legal? May 2019
- Is online sports betting available? Not yet
- Is land-based sports betting available? No
Although the provisions set out in SB16 are less attractive for operators than they are in other states, Tennessee sports betting is now legal.
Following a vote in May 2019, the Volunteer State gave online sportsbooks the green light to go live. What’s interesting about Tennessee’s sports betting bill is that it only has provisions for online operators.
As we have noted previously, there are no offline venues where locals can bet on sports:
However, as the law states, licensed operators will be able to offer single, multiway, and in-play betting. Live betting data will be supplied by an official vendor. In practice, this means the odds will be supplied to by a central source to all Tennessee sportsbooks. This does raise issues with regard to value. The fact remains, however, that you will have access to live bets as well as pre-event wagers within the state.
The Lottery is now vetting through applications sent by companies hoping to host online sports wagering apps in TN. Several vendors have been approved but bettors are still waiting for them to launch.
More on Tennessee sports betting.
Iowa
- When did sports betting in Iowa become legal? May 2019
- Is online sports betting available? Yes
- Is land-based sports betting available? Yes
Sports fans and gamblers alike have multiple ways in which they can bet on sports in Iowa.
When state lawmakers and Governor Kim Reynolds passed IA SF 617 in May of 2019, it opened the door for both retail sportsbooks to be opened in the state’s casinos and for mobile sports wagering apps to launch in Iowa.
As of right now, every casino in the state has been approved by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission to offer a land-based sportsbook. Besides Casino Queen Marquette, each of these casinos currently accepts sports wagers.
In order to use sports betting apps in Iowa, you will have to register in-person at the casino in which the apps is partnered with. This rule will remain in place until January 1, 2021.
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Those who are 21 and up can put money down on just about every sport there is. Betting on collegiate games is also allowed, however, prop bets on college athletes that are based in Iowa is off-limits.
More on Iowa sports betting.
Montana
- When did sports betting in Montana become legal? May of 2019
- Is online sports betting available? No
- Is land-based sports betting available? Yes
Montana sports betting has been legal since 2019 through sportsbooks owned and operated by the state lottery. There is a chance this could be changed so that private companies would be allowed to offer legal sports betting in the future.
The local sports betting rules allow restaurants, bars, and taverns in the state to offer sports wagering kiosks. Licensed establishments can offer mobile betting in Montana as it is conducted on-premises.
Sports betting officially launched in March 2020 when hundreds of sports betting kiosks were distributed to license holders, and the Montana Lottery is currently accepting applications from businesses hoping to open sportsbooks inside their establishments.
More on Montana sports betting.
Indiana
- When did sports betting in Indiana become legal? May of 2019
- Is online sports betting available? No
- Is land-based sports betting available? Yes
Home of the Pacers, Indiana sports betting has been legal since May 2019. Following Montana as one of the first states to pass a law in 2019, Indiana was one of the first states in 2019 to open legal sportsbooks.
The first retail sportsbooks in Indiana to open did so during the first days of September 2019. The first online sports betting sites in Indiana launched only one month later during the first week of October 2019.
Here is DraftKings announcement from that month:
In general, sports betting in the Hoosier State is fairly unrestricted. As with the likes of New Jersey et al, the legal age to bet on sports in Indiana is 21+. For those that are legally allowed to bet, both live and mobile sportsbooks will offer single and multiway wagers on a variety of sports.
The main restrictions locals will have to note when they place bets at places such as Hoosier Park are certain in-play restrictions. Additionally, customers are not able to speculate on eSports and amateur competitions where the participants are under the age of 18.
There are 15 casino sportsbooks in the state as of now, but only eight mobile sports betting apps in Indiana. Those eight apps are DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook, BetRivers Sportsbook, BetAmerica Sportsbook, PointsBet, BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbooks, and theScore.
USBettingReport.com partner with these sportsbooks in Indiana:
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With online sports wagering in Indiana becoming more popular, lookout for more major brands entering the market.
More in Indiana sports betting.
New York
- When did sports betting in New York become legal? Legalized in 2013, rules approved in June 2019
- Is online sports betting available? No
- Is land-based sports betting available? Yes
New York was a legal sports betting state before many of its peers didn’t start accepting bets until July 2019.
When local lawmakers passed the New York Gaming Economic Development Act in 2013, New York couldn’t foresee the downfall of PASPA five years later. Under the terms of the Act, New York outlined provisions for four casinos to be built and for them to have the power to offer sports betting.
Although, without any previous provisions in place, the state had to review bids from prospective casino operators. This, coupled with the subsequent building process, meant New York missed the PASPA revolution and fell behind the likes of New Jersey and Delaware with regards to sports betting.
However, by July 2019, new casinos were in place and things officially got underway.
Rivers Casino Schenectady was the first New York sportsbook to accept bets, while Tioga Downs Casino and its partner FanDuel followed suit just a few days later. All four commercial casinos approved in 2013 now have sportsbooks.
As well as four commercial casinos offering legal sports betting in New York, tribal entities are also entitled to join the party. As of December 2019, three tribes have exercised their ability to open a sportsbook in New York. The first tribe is the Oneida Nation and they have begun to offer sports betting at Turning Stone, Point Place, and the Yellow Brick Road casino.
The Seneca Tribe also brought three more N.Y. sportsbooks to Western New York. Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino in Buffalo, Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino, and Niagara Resort & Casino opened their sports wagering area in December 2019.
While many lawmakers tried to pass a bill in order to legalize mobile sports betting apps in New York, Governor Cuomo and the Administration argued that an amendment to the state constitution would be needed.
Senator Joseph Addabbo has signified that he will try to pass it through the legislature in order to do just that. He introduced NY S 17 in January 2020 and passed it through his committee at the first legislative meeting of the year. If everything goes according to that plan, the soonest sports betting apps in N.Y. could launch is in 2021.
More on New York sports betting.
North Carolina
- When did sports betting in North Carolina become legal? July 2019
- Is online sports betting available? No
- Is land-based sports betting available? Yes
Sports betting in North Carolina was legalized in July of 2019, though, in a very limited fashion. NC SB 154 simply extended the types of gambling activities that the state’s tribal casinos could offer.
This meant that Harrah’s Cherokee Casino & Resort along with Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel could open a sportsbook in N.C. and even accept pari-mutuel wagers on horse racing.
However, those casinos are not allowed to offer sports betting apps outside of their establishments. Another bill will have to be signed into law in order for that to happen. Neither casino has opened a sportsbook yet and a timeline for when they will open one has not been set.
Each casino’s website states that the tribes are currently negotiating their tribal gaming compact with the state which is causing a bit of a holdup. In the meantime, renovations are being made for the first North Carolina sportsbooks.
More on North Carolina sports betting.
New Hampshire
- When did sports betting in New Hampshire become legal? July 2019
- Is online sports betting available? Yes
- Is land-based sports betting available? Yes
New Hampshire sportsbooks have been legal since July 16, 2019.
Following positive House and Senate votes on House Bill 480 (HB480), Governor Chris Sununu gave his blessing in mid-July. By signing HB480 into law, Sununu gave the New Hampshire Lottery control over the local betting industry.
At the time of this writing, only two companies have been awarded sports betting licenses in New Hampshire. Those companies are DraftKings and Intralot, which is the current operator of New Hampshire Lottery games.
DraftKings launched the state’s first mobile sports wagering app in December of 2019. They also launched the first retail sportsbook in New Hampshire in August of 2020 at The Brook in Seabrook.
More on New Hampshire sports betting.
Arkansas
- When did sports betting in Arkansas become legal? November 2018
- Is online sports betting available? No
- Is land-based sports betting available? Yes
Legal Arkansas sportsbooks became a reality in 2018 when voters gave a thumbs up to Issue 4. Part of a state referendum, the legal amendment made sports betting within the state legal and put the Arkansas Racing Commission in charge of the industry.
Oaklawn Jockey Club and the Southland Racing Corporation were granted sports betting licenses. These operators now have the ability to run legal sportsbooks inside their existing facilities or via adjacent properties. Both of those casinos have opened their sportsbook to the public.
Alongside the two established operators, Arkansas’ sports betting law allows for two additional license holders. The new casinos must be built within Pope County and Jefferson County. The Quapaw Nation built and operates the Jefferson county gaming facility. The Pope County license is still up for grabs.
Mobile sportsbooks in Arkansas were not initially legalized when Issue 4 passed in 2018. However, the Arkansas Racing Commission is considering updating its rules, a change that would have to be approved by a legislative committee – so be on the lookout in 2020 for this to happen.
More on Arkansas sports betting.
Colorado
- When did sports betting in Colorado become legal? November 2019
- Is online sports betting available? Yes
- Is land-based sports betting available? Yes
Sports betting in Colorado officially became legal on November 6, 2019, when CO voters passed Proposition DD by a margin of 51% to 49%. The thin margin that separated local voters was not shared by state lawmakers when they passed HB1327 through the state legislature and put the issue on the ballot.
Lawmakers passed a Colorado sports betting bill with ease due to the fact that the 10% tax on sportsbook revenue is going to be used to fund the Colorado water plan. The state estimates that it will generate $29 million a year by allowing casinos in towns of Black Hawk, Cripple Creek, and Central City to offer the activity.
Anyone of those casinos can open a land-based sportsbook in Colorado or offer a statewide mobile sports wagering app. Now that mobile sports betting apps in Colorado have launched, anyone above the age of 21 can register and use them so long as they are physically located within state lines.
DraftKings and FanDuel were some of the first to become online operators in the state through their deal with Twin River Worldwide Holdings. Smarkets also signed a deal with Full House Resorts and now offer their mobile platform in the state.
PointsBet, BetAmerica, and many others have also signed deals with Colorado casinos in order to offer sports betting. Online sportsbooks in CO went live on May 1, 2020. There are now about a dozen different options to choose from.
More on Colorado sports betting.
Michigan
- When did sports betting in Michigan become legal? December 2019
- Is online sports betting available? Not yet
- Is land-based sports betting available? Yes
Sports betting in Michigan was legalized on December 20, 2019, in the state’s final day of the legislative session. Sports wagering was included in a package of gambling expansion bills.
However, unlike the package set of bills that were vetoed at the end of 2018, MI HB 4916 had specific rules for how retail and online sports betting in Michigan would operate.
The three commercial casinos in Detroit are operating retail sportsbooks and signed a deal with an online sportsbook provider. The same goes for the 23 tribal casinos in the state. The difference comes in the tax rate they have to pay.
While every casino has to pay 8.4% of its sports betting revenue to the state of Michigan, the three commercial casinos in Detroit have to pay an additional 1.25% on top of that. Betting on in-state collegiate teams is allowed and remote registration is also allowed for online sportsbooks in Michigan.
So far PointsBet, Fox Bet, and Scientific Games have landed deals with tribal casinos in the state. Retail sportsbooks in Detroit launched in March 2020.
Although, according to the communications specialist of the Michigan Gaming Control Board, sports betting apps in Michigan are not expected to launch until late 2020 or early 2021.
More on Michigan sports betting.
Washington
- When did sports betting in Washington become legal? March 2020
- Is online sports betting available? No
- Is land-based sports betting available? Not yet
Sports betting in Washington became legal in time where almost the entire sports industry was suspended indefinitely. Sports betting was being discussed by lawmakers in the fall of 2019. Hearings with industry stakeholders were conducted from August 2019 to December of 2019. The information gained was then used to formulate a bill to be introduced in January 2020.
That bill was titled WA ESHB 2638. The information gained from the previous fall hearings led legislators to write a bill that only allowed the tribal casinos to operate sportsbooks in Washington.
The legislative session in 2020 was supposed to be short because it is an election year. In order to get the bill passed it had to be attached with emergency status. This pushed the bill through the legislature and garnered a signature from Governor Jay Inslee in March of 2020. However, this doesn’t mean there are active sportsbooks yet.
Certain sports are still suspended, COVID-19 is still not allowing tribal casinos from opening, and plenty of work still has to be done by regulators and the casinos themselves. Look for Washington sports betting venues to officially open up later on in 2020.
More on Washington sports betting.
Oklahoma
- When did sports betting in Oklahoma become legal? April 2020 is when two tribes in the state were granted the ability to offer sports betting.
- Is online sports betting available? No
- Is land-based sports betting available? No
Sports betting in Oklahoma is a bit of a trickery territory, given the nature between the state and it’s tribal casino owners. At the beginning of January 2020, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt believed that the tribal gaming compacts held in the sooner state were up for renewal. He saw this as a way to get more revenue to the state and expand gaming options for the tribes.
However, all the tribes were under the assumption that the compacts would automatically renew at the beginning of the year. After Governor Stitt required all tribes in the state to cease operations, the tribes fired back and filed a federal lawsuit.
In March 2020, the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association rejected a new compact presented by the governor.
However, a month after that initial rejection, the Otoe-Missouria and Comanche Nation each struck a deal with the Governor giving them a revised pay structure and the ability to offer sports betting at their land-based casinos.
The new compacts underwent a 45-day review by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The Bureau did not reject the new compacts, though the state’s supreme court sided with the tribes.
The court found that Governor Stitt did not have the authority to sign these compacts, dooming Oklahoma sports betting before it could even get started.
Virginia
- When did sports betting in Virginia become legal? April 29, 2020.
- Is online sports betting available? Not yet.
- Is land-based sports betting available? Not yet.
Sports betting in Virginia came by way of massive changes to the state’s gambling industry.
In 2019, Virginia passed and signed a bill that would put the opening of the state’s first-ever casinos on the 2020 November ballot. Those casinos would have the ability to offer sportsbooks.
The catch was that the bill had to be passed by the state legislature again in 2020.
Fortunately for sports bettors in Virginia, that happened by way of House Bill 4 passing. Along with that, House Bill 896 and Senate Bill 384 passed with it as well.
These other two bills set in place the rules and regulations for retail sportsbooks and for online sports betting apps in Virginia to follow. Those new rules allow for NASCAR tracks and professional sports stadiums to host sportsbooks as well as open the field for 12 online sportsbooks.
These Virginia sports betting laws went into effect July 1, 2020, and the Virginia Lottery board had until September 15, 2020, to finalize rules and regulations for the industry.
Voters in the cities of Portsmouth, Norfolk, Bristol, and Danville voted on November 3rd whether or not they want to open casinos with sportsbooks in their county. Each city overwhelming passed the measure. A vote in Richmond will come in the spring of 2021.
More on Virginia sports betting.
Louisiana
- When did sports betting in Louisiana become legal? November of 2020
- Is online sports betting available? Undetermined
- Is land-based sports betting available? Undetermined
Sports betting in Louisiana came by way of a voter referendum. While many had eyes on the 2020 presidential election, voters in Louisiana got the chance to approve or deny legal sports betting inside their individual parish. A resounding 55-64 parishes chose to approve the activity.
However, the rules for Louisiana sportsbooks and sports bettors have yet to be determined.
The only aspect that has been figured out is that the Louisiana Gaming Control Board will be in charge of overseeing sports betting operations in the state. The locations of land-based sportsbooks and the legality of online sports betting sites will have to be figured out by lawmakers in the 2021 legislative session.
Past sports betting bills have indicated that the state’s casinos and racetracks will be in line to open sportsbooks if given the chance.
More on Louisiana sports betting.
Maryland
- When did sports betting in Maryland become legal? November of 2020
- Is online sports betting available? TBD
- Is land-based sports betting available? TBD
Maryland sports betting was legalized during the wave of gambling expansion that happened throughout the U.S. during the 2020 elections.
Voters all across the state got a chance to either pass or block legal sports betting from entering their state.
They chose to welcome the sports betting industry by an over 60% pass rate, but there is still much to be determined.
Before sports betting was put on the ballot, a sports betting bill in Maryland sought to award the state’s racetracks and casinos the ability to have sportsbooks as well as get skins for online sportsbooks to enter the market.
However, those provisions were contested in the final days of the 2020 session due to the fact that it left minorities unable to join and compete in the industry. Rather than debate it, the bill turned into a referendum style bill.
Lawmakers will now have to write and pass the rules for the industry in the 2021 legislative session. They could choose to go a similar route to what they tried to pass in 2020, or they could go another route completely.
More on Maryland sports betting.
South Dakota
- When did sports betting in South Dakota become legal? November 2020
- Is online sports betting available? No
- Is land-based sports betting available? Not Yet
Sports betting in South Dakota became legal when voters chose to pass Amendment B on their 2020 ballots.
The Amendment allows casinos in the traditional gambling town of Deadwood to open sportsbooks.
But, by law, that new rule also allows tribal sportsbooks across the state to also open sportsbooks. There should be a spot to bet on sports on every side of the state if all the casinos choose to venture into sports betting.
What Amendment B failed to mention was if there was going to be any future provisions for online and mobile sports betting.
Rules for online sports betting as well as the tax rate, what sports you can and can’t bet on, and more will have to be approved by the state legislature during the 2021 legislative session.
More on South Dakota sports betting.
More states to legalize sports betting in 2020
California and possibly another 20 states should follow in 2020 or later, according to predictions made by Kindred. Certain states already took measures to begin the legislative process in the closing months of 2019.
The states that have introduced a bill to legalize sports betting in 2020 are:
- Kentucky
- Missouri
- Washington
- Nebraska
- Maryland
- Florida
- California
- Kansas
- Virginia
- Massachusetts
- Alabama
- Georgia
- Vermont
Washington was the first to legalize in 2020. Virginia also passed a sports betting bill through their legislature and became the second state to legalize sports betting in 2020.
Other states such as Massachusetts and Ohio filed sports wagering bills in 2019 but are more than likely going to pass one in 2021.
Covid-19 has affected the legislative sessions for some of these states and has eliminated the possibility for legislation in 2020. Florida, Georgia, Missouri, and Kentucky all fell victim to this. Other states are in danger of this as well, but bettors are remaining hopeful.
Washington D.C. also legalized sports betting in December of 2018. The District is currently reviewing sports applications submitted by potential operators.
The nation’s capital launched its first legal retail sportsbooks in August of 2020 inside Capital One Arena. The District’s mobile app provided by the lottery has already launched but has drawn early criticism. More companies will join the market in 2021.