States You Can Sports Bet In
- Yes, sports betting was legalized in North Carolina in 2019. However, currently, there is nowhere to play. Only retail locations were allowed to have sports betting, and the state has yet to get through the licensing process for these locations. Hopefully, 2021 will be the year that you can wager in North Carolina.
- Right now, the only place you can legally bet on sports is Nevada. But on Monday, the Supreme Court struck down a federal law that prohibited legalized sports gambling anywhere but Nevada.
- Mobile Sports Betting Not Yet Available. Retail Sports Betting Available.
- States Where You Can Bet On The Super Bowl. The Super Bowl is coming up, and with the NFL Playoffs in full swing, a lot of bettors want to know what states they can wager in. This page contains that information, so bettors in Kansas City, Missouri, for example, can know which neighboring states have sports betting if they wish to take a trip.
There are states that have land-based sports wagering, online sports betting apps, and in some cases both. While it is true that each state can form its rules and regulations on sports betting to the way they see fit, access to sports betting odds can be found in all 50 states.
You can bet on it: Sports gambling is about to expand, big time, in the United States.
Right now, the only place you can legally bet on sports is Nevada.
But on Monday, the Supreme Court struck down a federal law that prohibited legalized sports gambling anywhere but Nevada.
So what does this court decision mean, exactly?
Now that there is no longer a federal law against sports gambling, each state is free to pass laws that govern where people will be able to bet on sports and how.
'It'll be a state-by-state matter,' said Eugene Christiansen, an expert on casino gambling and consultant to the industry. 'I'm sure there will be a wide variety as to how fast or how slow the licensing proceeds.'
Are any other states close to approving sports betting?
Six states, including New Jersey which that brought the lawsuit to the Supreme Court, have already passed laws to allow casinos to take sports bets once the federal law was struck down, according to Geoff Freeman, CEO of the American Gaming Association. Those states are New Jersey, New York, West Virginia, Mississippi, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.
Another 12 states have introduced legal sports gambling legislation.
Even in states that have approved sports gambling, it'll take some time to complete the approval process, which will requirecompanies to be licensed in order to take sports bets.
'In the case of New Jersey I think we're talking weeks before we have sports betting in place,' he said. 'For most of the other states, I'd expect it start at the beginning of the football season this fall.'
How widespread will sports betting become?
There are a total of 40 states that have some kind of casino -- either state-regulated or tribal. Experts say they believe most if not all of those states will eventually allow sports gambling, simply because they won't want their own casinos to be at a competitive disadvantage with casinos just across state lines.
'It's the same reason we've seen the spread of casinos to so many states -- the states have been watching consumers going out of state to place bets,' said Josh Schiller, an attorney who has represented various gaming interests. 'People enjoy betting on sports.'
But experts say it could still take a few years before sports books are legal in states that haven't begun the process.
'Gaming law is something that typically takes time,' said Freeman. 'It's more complex than many people think.'
Will I be able to place a sports bet online in another state where it is legal?
Monday's decision only allows states to control gambling within their own borders. It does not open the door for interstate online gambling, or placing online bets with foreign sports books. That would require additional legislation or lawsuits.
How important is sports gambling for casinos?
Actually, it's not a very profitable business. For instance, gamblersin Nevada lost about $250 million betting legal on sports last year. But that equals only about 2% of the Nevada gaming industry's take overall.
Additionally, casinos have the potential to lose big on sports bets, unlike in house games. So sports betting can be the least profitable part of the casino, or even a money loser, according to experts.
Casinos fought for the approval to take sports bets because it's an important way to draw customers into the casinos. Otherwise, they would lose that business to illegal competitors, such as bookies and offshore gambling sites.
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Sports betting in the United States has been going strong. In fact, there are over 20 states that allow you to legally place a sports betting wager. Now, because each state is free to set its own sports betting conditions, courtesy of state regulators, some sports fans can be a little confused.
Is online wagering available in the United States? Can you bet from your mobile phone and where can you bet from? We will answer all of these questions and specifically, how to legally bet on sports from the USA today!
The States Where It’s Legal to Bet from in the USA
Since 2018, sports betting legalization has been a little more than a simple buzzword in the United States. New Jersey defeated a federal law known as the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act promulgated in 1992, and allowed for states to formally offer sports betting options. NJ bookies now earn over $20 million a month with more than four-fifths of that coming from online betting.
Before the law took effect, there were only four states that allowed some form of sports wagering, and they included Nevada, Montana, Oregon, and Delaware. Today, there are 22 states and Washington D.C. where you can legally place sport wager. Now, it’s important to understand that the legalization effort has gone different in each state, and you can bet at:
- Physical sportsbooks
- Online sportsbooks
- Partial mobile sportsbooks
Best Bets In Sports Today
There are also states that only recently legalized sports betting, but the local authorities, usually a Gaming Control Board or Lottery Commission, hasn’t established a framework just yet or is in the process of collecting applications from license holders.
In other words, you can bet legally in half the country, and even if your state hasn’t legalized sports wagering just yet, most casinos are located strategically, allowing most people from neighboring states to drive in.
In states where you can wager online legally, you will notice that as long as you are within the state’s borders, you can still wager without being physically in a casino, sportsbook or a racebook.
What Are the Legal Requirements to Place a Wager in the US?
To be legally allowed to place a wager you must be of the statutory age, which is 21 in most states across the country.
States You Can Sports Bet In
All land-based sportsbooks ask of bettors to be at least 21 years of age before they can enter the premises and especially place a bet.
However, tribal casinos and sportsbooks allow individuals as young as 18 to place a bet as they have sovereignty and do not have to comply, in most cases, with state and federal mandates so long as they are not causing others harm.
To bet legally in the USA today, though, you will have to undergo a thorough identity verification check as well as verify the origin of your money and provide a home address.
Now, this may seem like a little too much, but casinos, sportsbooks, racebooks and all other authorized gambling venues must collect this information from you automatically. The good news is that all of this information is used internally and never released. Data protection is a big priority for all legal gambling venues in the United States.
What Are the Best Online Betting Websites in the USA?
Naturally, with so many states rushing to legalize sports wagering, there are quite a few companies that want to capture your attention. In this cacophony of worthwhile betting choices, it’s often easy to get side-tracked or confused. That is why you can find a selection of legal betting websites over at OffshoreSportsbooks.com.
The website has put together a comprehensive list of all worthwhile sportsbooks that you can bet on legally and enjoy some of the best promotions. If you are looking for a way to determine whether a sportsbook is worth your time and money, there are a few simple rules you may follow. They include:
- Checking the number of available markets
- Making sure odds are available for each event
- Comparing odds between sportsbooks for better value
- Reading online reviews for each wagering book
- Checking out what bonuses are available
All of these are quick and reliable ways to check what the better online sports betting websites in the United States are. The good news is that since the country began legalizing the industry, there are very few sportsbooks you would not be able to trust. In fact, it’s safe to say that any licensed operator in one of the states where sports betting is legal can be trusted completely.
The only difference would be to pick the sportsbook with the best odds. Even then, however, it’s good to remember that odds may vary between events.
Can You Legally Bet from a Mobile Device or a Smartphone?
To place a legal wager on sport event in the US, you will need to meet some simple conditions established by law. Usually, the sportsbooks will explain what your limitations and privileges as a sports bettor are, and whether you can bet remotely.
In the cases where you can bet with your smartphone or remotely, you may have two options. The first one is to bet from anywhere so long as you are in the state. The other one may require that you are actually in a casino or a sportsbook even if you are using their mobile app.
Bet On Sports Legally Online
Now, this may seem a little counter-intuitive, and it is. However, some state lawmakers are still not fully convinced that online wagering can be trusted. The United States has passed a lot of laws to suspend online gambling and fairly recently, too.
UIEGA, for example, was passed in 2006 and it killed online poker in the United States with U.S. Congress citing fears about funding terrorism at home by laundering money at the then established poker websites.
Well, none of this has proven, but lawmakers have remained vigilant of giving gambling too much leeway. Of course, some states, such as New Jersey and Pennsylvania allow you to bet from virtually anywhere so long as you are in the state. In other places, though, your ability to bet remotely could be restricted.
The good news is that things are moving towards a more liberal overall market.
Story by Ananya Moreau