Where you can gamble online in the US
Article

Where Can You Gamble Online in the US?

11 February 2021

With the rules for online gambling different across the country, it's essential you know where your state stands.

Can you gamble online in the US?

Whether or not you can gamble online depends on your location in the US.

Every state has the power to decide for itself if it wants to authorize online gambling and is at a different stage of the legalization process.

In some states, online gambling has been live and legal since 2018, while in others, it has been introduced only recently. And there are plenty of states working towards legalizing the industry too.

That begs the question, where can you gamble online in the US right now? Let's take a look.

Where Can I Gamble Online?

To date, legal online gambling exists in these states:

Arizona, Florida, Connecticut, Mississippi, Wyoming, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Oregon, Nevada, Delaware, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Montana, Colorado, Tennessee, Virginia, and Michigan. It’s also possible to gamble online in Washington D.C.

However, the rules around how you can gamble online vary between states.

For instance, in the vast majority of states, online sports betting is the extent of the online gambling allowed. But in some, the legal framework for online gambling has been expanded and also includes online casinos and online poker.

Let's take a closer look at where online gambling exists and the different online verticals available from state to state.

Online Gambling States

Arizona Online Gambling

Online sports betting is already a massive success in AZ since launching in September 2021.

Online sports betting: Legal ✅

Online casinos & poker: Not Legal ❌

Read our guide to Sports Betting Sites in Arizona

Colorado Online Gambling

Online sports betting went live on May 1, 2020. Favorable rules for operators mean Coloradans looking to gamble on sports have a super-competitive market to look forward to.

Online sports betting: Legal ✅

Online casinos & poker: Not Legal ❌

Read our guide to Sports Betting Sites in Colorado

Connecticut Online Gambling

Connecticut joined the list of elite gambling states with the legalization of both online casinos and online sports betting.

Online sports betting: Legal ✅

Online casinos & poker: Legal ✅

Deleware Online Gambling

“The First State” pipped NJ to the post with legal sports betting. However, online sports betting is not permitted. Online casinos and online poker are available though through three websites controlled by the DE Lottery.

Online sports betting: Not Legal ❌

Online casinos & poker: Legal ✅

Illinois Online Gambling

Sports bettors can sign-up and gamble online anywhere in the state via a mobile device. Initially, the Prairie State swung between in-person and remote registration with state regulators deciding to allow the latter permanently.

Online sports betting: Legal ✅

Online casinos & poker: Not Legal* ❌ (Social-Casinos are permitted)

Read our guide to Sports Betting Sites in Illinois

Indiana Online Gambling

Hoosiers looking to gamble online have a range of sports betting sites to choose from, while a proposed bill for online casinos and online poker means Indiana could soon have a full set of online gambling options.

Online sports betting: Legal ✅

Online casinos & poker: Not Legal ❌

Read our guide to Sports Betting Sites in Indiana

Iowa Online Gambling

The Hawkeye State became the first Midwestern state and the 11th state in total to roll out a regulated industry comprising mobile sports betting.

Online sports betting: Legal ✅

Online casinos & poker: Not Legal ❌

Read our guide to Sports Betting Sites in Iowa

Michigan Online Gambling

On Jan 22, 2021, MI rolled out online sports betting and online casino simultaneously. Online poker was soon to follow with the Wolverine State set on becoming a robust online gambling market.

Online sports betting: Legal ✅

Online casinos & poker: Legal ✅

Mississippi Online Gambling

Mississippi has (more or less) joined the party with legal online sports betting now permitted at authorized locations throughout the state.

Online sports betting: Legal* ✅ (Restricted to authorized locations)

Online casinos & poker: Not Legal ❌

Montana Online Gambling

The Treasure State has mobile sports betting but not as you know it. Its sole option, Sports Bet Montana, overseen by The Montana Lottery, can only be accessed in authorized brick and mortar sportsbooks which include bars and taverns.

Online sports betting: Legal* ✅ (Restricted to authorized locations)

Online casinos & poker: Not Legal ❌

Nevada Online Gambling

Online gambling options include sports betting and poker. But you need to sign-up and fund your account in person. Online casinos are not available in the Silver State.

Online sports betting: Legal ✅

Online casinos & poker: Partially Legal* ✅ (*Only Online Poker)

New Hampshire Online Gambling

If you want to gamble online in The Granite State, you have one sole option: DraftKings Sportsbook. After receiving the green light, DraftKings launched on December 30, 2019, in association with the NH Lottery.

Online sports betting: Legal ✅

Online casinos & poker: Not Legal ❌

New Jersey Online Gambling

With online sports betting, online casinos, and online poker available how you gamble online in NJ is entirely up to you!

Online sports betting: Legal ✅

Online casinos & poker: Legal ✅

Read our guide to Sports Betting Sites in New Jersey

Oregon Online Gambling

On-board with online sports betting, Oregonians can bet on the Blazers at the state’s sole sportsbook app, Scoreboard, controlled by the Oregon Lottery.

Online sports betting: Legal ✅

Online casinos & poker: Not Legal ❌

Pennsylvania Online Gambling

The Keystone State also has a complete set of online gambling options available including online sports betting, online casinos, and, following the launch of PokerStars in 2019, online poker too.

Online sports betting: Legal ✅

Online casinos & poker: Legal ✅

Rhode Island Online Gambling

Twin River Casino launched the state’s only online sportsbook, ‘Sportsbook Rhode Island in September 2019. The book is available as an app for iOS and Android devices.

Online sports betting: Legal ✅

Online casinos & poker: Not Legal ❌

Tennessee Online Gambling

The Volunteer State launched the first online sports betting market of its kind on November 1, 2020. With no physical gambling locations in TN, sports betting is only available online.

Online sports betting: Legal ✅

Online casinos & poker: Not Legal ❌

Read our guide to Sports Betting Sites in Tennessee

Virginia Online Gambling

The Old Dominion launched online sports betting as recently as January 2021 with FanDuel the first operator to go live, one of five online sportsbooks available to date.

Online sports betting: Legal ✅

Online casinos & poker: Not Legal ❌

West Virginia Online Gambling

WV launched online sports betting in 2019 and followed that by launching an online casino market in 2020.

Online sports betting: Legal ✅

Online casinos & poker: Legal ✅

Wyoming Online Gambling

Wyoming passed the necessary legislation for online sports betting in April 2021, and officially launched the statewide industry a few months later in September 2021, just in time for the NFL season.

Online sports betting: Legal ✅

Online casinos & poker: Not Legal ❌

Related reading

Which Online Gambling Sites are Safe?

5 February 2021

With more states opening up their doors to regulated online gambling, more Americans are using online gambling sites. But which ones can you trust and, ultimately, which gambling ... Read more

Where you can gamble online in the future

The list of states where you can gamble online is always being updated so be sure to check back for an updated version. In the meantime, here’s the lowdown on the potential of seeing online gambling in New York and California, two of the 'big four' states still without a regulated market for online gambling.

When can you gamble online in New York?

For New York, it has never been a question of if but when mobile sports betting will launch in The Empire State. And the ‘when’ part is certainly drawing closer now Governor Andrew Cuomo, who had initially been against the idea of legalizing mobile sports betting, is on board with the idea.

In fact, the Empire State is set to have mobile sports betting sometime in early 2022, just in time for Super Bowl LVI. The licenses are currently in the process of being distributed and finalized. Based on recent reports, some of the first operators in New York will include:

  • BetMGM
  • Bally Bet
  • Caesars Sportsbook
  • DraftKings Sportsbook
  • FanDuel Sportsbook
  • PointsBet
  • WynnBET

When can you gamble online in California?

Being able to gamble online in CA still remains some way off with no timeframe in place.

Like New York, online gambling in California is inevitable given the size of the state and the number of major league sports teams. The Golden State is set to become one of the biggest online gambling markets in the world, estimated to be worth at least $2 billion once live.

Kindred Group, live currently in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Indiana through its flagship sportsbook, Unibet, has recently signed a ten-year partnership with the Quechan Tribe of the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation to gain access to California once the state approves online gambling.

Where you can gamble online FAQs

Can you gamble online in California ?

No, unfortunately not. A legal online gambling market does not yet exist in California.

Can you gamble online in Illinois?

Yes. The Prairie State has online sports betting available.

Can I gamble online in NY?

No, you cannot gamble online in New York, though the state is currently considering proposals to legalize mobile wagering in the Empire State. For now, sports betting is limited to commercial and tribal casinos in NY.

Can you gamble online in PA?

Yes. There are plenty of opportunities to gamble online in Pennsylvania where online sports betting, online casino, and online poker are available.

Can you gamble online in Indiana?

Yes. The Hoosier State has online sports betting and may soon have online casinos and online poker.