Tennessee is not a gambling state. Very limited forms of wagering are allowed throughout the Volunteer State, with casino games such as slots, table games, and video poker are certainly not being one of those forms of betting. Tennessee has no commercial casinos, tribal casinos, racinos, or online casinos. Nonetheless, Tennesseans can still get some exciting gambling action from the comfort of their own homes through legal and licensed sites for sports betting, daily fantasy sports, and horse/greyhound racing.
On this page, you’ll find the list of potential Tennessee online casino sites along with a brief description of TN gambling law & restrictions, available games, payment options, history of TN gambling, and gambling options.
TN Online Casinos
The state didn’t permit a single license for a native American or private casino. As of now, no casinos are licensed, registered, or permitted to operate inside the state lines of Tennessee. When it comes to online gambling sites, Tennessee finds itself in the same boat as the rest of gambling in Tennessee. Meaning, there is an online casino in Tennessee that is legal.
Among the obvious candidates would be some of the popular state’s online sportsbooks. Companies that have an experience in operating online casino and sportsbooks will be looking to launch in Tennessee as soon as the state law permits. These include Caesars Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, William Hill, FanDuel, and DraftKings.
BetMGM Online Casino
Born out of a partnership between MGM Resorts International and GVC Holdings, BetMGM is a market-leading iGaming and sports betting entertainment company, pioneering the online gaming industry. They already have a presence in Tennessee offering online sports betting. The operator would certainly bring its casino product to Tennessee players once the state legalizes online casino gambling. BetMGM casino is currently live in New Jersey, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. New BetMGM customers can take advantage of a welcome offer – a $25 just for signing up plus a first deposit match worth up to $1,000.
William Hill Online Casino
William Hill Casino has been offering world-class online casino entertainment since 1998. It is currently the #1 sportsbook brand in the US and also offers online casino gambling in some states. William Hill brand is familiar to Tennessee residents as they offer online sports betting in the state. Once the state legislature approves the online casino bill, William Hill will be one of the first operators to bring online casino products to Tennessee players.
Caesars Online Casino
Caesars online casino is run by one of the biggest American gaming giants – Caesars Entertainment. There are a number of Caesars’ casino properties all over the US. As Tennessee yet to legalize retail and online casino gambling, Caesars Entertainment would be interested in launching in the Volunteer State if the state approves. With easy-to-clear welcome bonuses and more than 400 top-notch games from renowned software developers, including IGT, WMS, and others, Caesars online casino is undoubtedly a top choice for gamblers.
FanDuel Online Casino
FanDuel is one of the most popular gambling operators in the US states offering DFS, sports betting, and casino gaming in several states. They offer legal online sports betting and DFS in Tennessee. It is one of the top contenders to bring online casinos to the Volunteer State. In the future, we could see its top-class mobile app integrated with sports betting and casino, just like in Pennsylvania and Michigan.
DraftKings Online Casino
DraftKings online casino is currently live in NJ, PA, WV, and MI. The operator is performing well across the board, so we could see DraftKings online casino appearing in Tennessee as legislation continues to change. Just like FanDuel, DraftKings offers online sports wagering and daily fantasy sports to Tennessee players.
TN Online Casino Games
Finding a casino game like blackjack, roulette, or slots is nearly impossible in Tennessee. That is because the state of Tennessee does not have any online and brick-and-mortar casinos. So, players in Tennessee currently don’t have any other option but to visit any of the nearest states to play online casino games. As in the future, if the online and retail casinos in TN become legal, they offer the same games found in other legal and licensed states. Casino games we’ll see at Tennessee casinos are:
Slots
When regulated casinos arrive in TN, they would provide a variety of slot site games such as three-reel and five-reel slots. New slots tend to have huge screens and multiple bonus games, so we’ll see a lot of new slot machines in Tennessee from top software developers like IGT and Microgaming. In fact, many new games in this game category are themed around bands, TV shows, or movies. One of the reasons US players are attracted to casino slots is the shot at a huge progressive jackpot. Expect expanding wilds, growing reels, and all sorts of crazy bonus features.
Table Games
No casino is complete without table games. The TN online casino in the future would offer different variants of card-based table games like blackjack, baccarat, and roulette. Moreover, a number of other table games also exist that inspire players in various ways that receive a fair amount of attention at online casinos, such as the dice games – Craps and Sic Bo.
Live Dealer Games
Live dealer games are versions of online casino games that allow the player to connect to a real human dealer via a live video feed. For the players who want a more authentic game experience, online casinos may provide live dealer games that you can play on your computer, tablet, or mobile phone. The live chat options bring a social element to the game. Certainly, you’ll have the most realistic casino experience outside of a land-based casino.
Video Poker
Video poker has long been a popular casino game because it combines stimulating strategy with a potentially low house edge. Most of the variants of real money video poker offer pretty good odds for bettors. Jacks or Better is still the most popular video poker game because it has consistently good odds. Deuces Wild, Texas Hold’em Poker, and Triple Play Draw is also famous among online casinos.
Virtual Racing and Novelty Games
When there isn’t a live game or race, you can now bet on software-generated games and races. Not only just horse racing or greyhound racing, but some of the virtual games also cross over into motorsports or soccer. Novelty Games such as bingo and keno are popular and playing these types of games helps the players to bet on the very low stake levels, and also have much longer playing sessions and a chance of hitting a big win.
Live Tennessee Online Casinos
There are no brick-and-mortar casinos inside the state borders of Tennessee. So, Tennesseans must look for an alternative to betting on casino games. In fact, the only places in Tennessee to gamble are the thousands of retail stores that sell lottery tickets. Casino players in Tennessee can visit neighboring states like Arkansas, North Carolina, or Mississippi to play their favorite casino games.
Top Tennessee Casino Apps
It is not possible to tell which are the best online casino sites because online casino gambling is not legal in Tennessee. As of now, Tennesseans can visit the nearest state with legal online gambling – West Virginia to play online casino games on top apps. Successful online casinos in Tennessee would include mobile apps; which enable bettors to place wagers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from anywhere inside the state.
Mobile casino apps like BetMGM and Caesars are generally available for both Android and Apple operating systems. They can be downloaded for free on the operator’s website or through the App Store.
Payment Methods Accepted by TN Online Casinos
As you enter the world of legal online gambling, the first thing you must do is pick a banking method to load money into your casino account. Casinos usually have at least a half-dozen options for their customers. Some methods are more popular than others, while others are more cost-effective or quicker. We recommend picking the payment method which is more convenient for you.
The following are some of the payment methods TN online casinos should accept:
Debit/Credit Cards
It is one of the fastest and easiest ways to deposit and withdraw money. The players can deposit money into their casino accounts via different Credit/Debit cards like Visa, MasterCard, or AmEx. Using this payment method, the transaction completes within a fraction of seconds. Different banks have different policies and fees, so it is important to take these into consideration when relying on this withdrawal and deposit method.
E-Wallets
Electronic wallets are becoming increasingly popular, allowing customers to safely and securely store their bank and credit card details. Firstly, an E-wallet needs to be linked with the individual’s bank account to make payments. There are several options for E-wallet such as Neteller, Skrill, and PayPal. One of the main conveniences that e-wallets offer is the ability to store information from multiple bank accounts altogether in one place.
Crypto-Currencies
Crypto-currency is digital money, which means there’s no physical coin or bill — it’s all online. Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ether are well-known crypto-currencies. People might use crypto-currencies for quick payments and to avoid transaction fees. It is stored in a digital wallet, either online, on your computer, or on other hardware.
Bank Wire Transfer
If you want to transform funds directly from your bank account to an online casino account with a low fee, then it is the best method to use. It is an easy and secure way to deposit money in your online casino account. Though transaction times are high, this payment option is useful if a player wishes to make an extremely large deposit into an account.
Prepaid Card
Prepaid cards are very different from credit cards. Generally, when you use a prepaid card, you are spending money you have already loaded onto the card in advance. Since you chose the amount of money on the prepaid card, your bank account is safe from hacking, theft, and even over-spending.
TN Gambling Laws & Restrictions
Tennessee gambling law is considered one of the toughest in the US. Legal gambling is currently limited to a few horse tracks, state-wide & regional lottery, daily fantasy sports, limited charitable gambling, and online sports betting. The Volunteer State has strict laws toward the gambling industry and legislation doesn’t allow any form of online gambling in Tennessee including online poker sites and online casinos. There is no land-based casino built and there isn’t any hope that they’ll be available soon. Gamblers will have to hope that future electees in Tennessee will have more progressive attitudes toward casino gaming.
Currently, the Tennessee Educational Lottery oversees the sports betting operations that take place online, but there is no group that is currently responsible for regulating the gambling industry in Tennessee.
Being a state with online-only sportsbooks, Tennessee has a chance of bringing online-only casinos without any land-based casino partner. However, there has to be a gambling expansion or new bill introduced with approval from the state legislature. You must be at least 21 years of age to play on Tennessee’s online sportsbooks. Whereas, the legal gambling age in Tennessee to play lottery games, charitable raffles, or bet on horse races online is 18.
History of Gambling in Tennessee
Though Tennessee state has a history of horse racing dated back to 1804, betting on horses or types of gambling are not popular. For almost 100 years, all forms of gambling were illegal in Tennessee. In fact, the 21st century has seen more gambling action than the entire history of the state up to that point.
- 1804 – The first racetrack opened in Tennessee. By the late 1830s, horse racing has become very popular with 10 tracks running successfully.
- 1906 – State Assembly banned all forms of gambling, including betting on horse races.
- 2002 – Voters approve state lottery by a wide margin.
- 2010 – Tennessee Nonprofit Gaming Law introduced that allowed charity gaming as part of efforts to help flood victims.
- 2016 – Gov. Bill Haslam signs a new bill into law legalizing Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS).
- 2019 – HB0001 passes both chambers of the Tennessee General Assembly without the sign of Gov. Bill Lee making sports betting legal in the state. In fact, Tennessee becomes the first state to offer the online-only sports betting format and betting sites went live in Tennessee on November 1, 2020.
Other Gambling Options in Tennessee
The legal gambling industry has always been limited and there were concerns about responsible gambling in the state of Tennessee. Indeed, that’s why there are still no online casino and poker sites. However, Tennesseans have access to other legal gambling options like:
Sports Betting
Tennessee is the first to introduce the online-only model in the U.S. with legalized sports betting sites and no retail betting. In May 2019, online sports betting became legal and regulated in Tennessee. At Tennessee betting sites, players can bet on sports and leagues along with some niche sports. The only restriction is that TN betting sites cannot take live prop bets on college sporting events. The state has the potential to be a big U.S. market with most of the big national brands available, including BetMGM, William Hill, FanDuel, and DraftKings.
Daily Fantasy Sports
Tennessee is the 3rd state in the US to explicitly legalize Daily Fantasy Sports in 2016 after Indiana and Virginia. Tennessee DFS includes both cash games and tournaments. With some huge guaranteed prize pools, the DFS sites will pay off very well if you pick the right roster. Some of the popular DFS tournament variations that TN residents can access include 50/50 DFS Tournaments, Private Leagues/Contests, Qualifier Tournaments, and GPP DFS Tournaments. Top DFS operators like FanDuel, DraftKings, Yahoo, and Fantasy Draft are available for Tennesseans.
Pari-Mutuel Betting
Though Tennessee laws don’t permit the building of any land-based establishments in the state, they didn’t stop residents from betting on horse and greyhound racing events. Tennessee law allows you to place online pari-mutuel betting on licensed and regulated racebooks. Meaning, you can legally bet on horse races online with dedicated horse racing betting sites and licensed Tennessee online and mobile sportsbooks. Tennesseans can opt to place bets on horse racing at top online operators like BetAmerica and TVG.
Lottery
In 2002, Tennessee voters approved the state lottery and in 2004 the Tennessee Education Lottery came to life. The TN lottery is also part of the Multi-state Lottery Association. Meaning, you can play national games like Mega Millions and Powerball legally. Players must purchase the tickets only at a brick-and-mortar lottery retailer. On the TN lottery app and website, you can log in and prepare your play slip for certain games, but you must visit a retail location to finish the transaction.
Tennessee Casino Sites FAQs
Is online gambling legal in Tennessee?
Online casino and poker sites are not legal in Tennessee. However, the state allows its residents to make cash wagers on 5 types of gambling. The following gambling options are legal in Tennessee:
- Online Sports Betting
- Daily Fantasy Sports
- Online Pari-Mutuel Betting on Horse Races and Greyhound Races
- Land-Based State Lottery
- Charitable Gaming
Are there any casinos in Tennessee?
Tennessee does not have any online casinos, land-based casinos, or racetracks. The state hasn’t legalized casino gambling yet. However, all the neighboring states have at least legal retail casinos, so when you want to gamble, just take a drive over the border and play your favorite casino game.
Who can play at online casinos in TN?
Once the state legalizes online casinos, Tennesseans and players who travel through TN borders can play at Tennessee online casinos. Similar to other legal casino states, the legal age to play at TN casino sites must be 21 years.
Can I play for free at TN online casinos?
Casino sites in NJ, PA, WV, and MI offer no-deposit free play or free spins to their players. Similarly, we can expect Tennessee gambling casinos to allow their customers to play for free. Players will be able to play demo versions of the online slots and table games to understand the game rules before risking real money. Moreover, some online casinos in TN offer free cash just for creating an account.
Which games can I play at TN online casinos?
Online casino games are yet to launch in Tennessee. If you prefer to wait for Tennessee-regulated options, a lot of choices are available when it comes to casino games. Along with hundreds of slots, there are also a variety of table games like blackjack, roulette, baccarat, video poker, and others. You’ll be able to play live dealer games and hundreds of software-based titles.
What are the most profitable TN casino games?
Generally speaking, blackjack is arguably one of the most profitable casino games. This game earned popularity because it is easy to understand and has a very good winning percentage compared to other casino games. However, to maximize the profit from the blackjack game, it is essential to know strategies, tips, and tricks. This casino game is available in different variants and offers you about 99.8% of revenue. Along with blackjack, the most profitable TN casino games include progressive jackpots, roulette, and video poker games.
What other promotions do Tennessee online casinos offer?
Along with a welcome bonus that might include free play and deposit bonus, online casinos offer a wide range of promotions to attract new players and to award loyal customers. The most popular promotions include Free Spins, Game of the Week, Progressive Jackpots, Slots Tournaments, VIP/Rewards Program, and Refer-a-Friend.
These promotions are available to claim based on certain criteria, such as a minimum deposit amount, fulfillment of wagering requirements, and play on certain games.