Legal US Online Gambling Guide

Gambler Saloon
May 5, 2021
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Online gambling is not fully licensed and regulated throughout the entire US. There is no federal law in the United States that prohibits gambling in general. Indeed, the individual states are left to their own decisions when it comes to implementing laws about legal US online gambling. So, the vast majority of the states in the USA make online gambling fully legal.

Legal US Online Gambling

Altogether, iGaming has been fully legalized in more than two dozen states, including Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Indiana, with a further six to follow in 2020. At present, sports betting is legal in more states than activities like online poker and online casino, and even though licenses have been granted to individual states, they are yet to launch online platforms. 

In May 2018, the Supreme Court overturned a law that prohibited sports betting in all states but Nevada.  This allows individual states to legalize sports betting should they choose to do so. 

Take advantage of many other promotions that frequently change to reflect sports leagues NHL, NFL, NBA, and other major events such as Tennis, Soccer, and Esports. 

Legal Online Sports Betting websites are available in the following states:

while California and Nebraska have bills pending approval.

Legal Online Casino gambling is currently available in the following states:

At the present time, online poker is available in 5 states as follows:

We have a lot of experience in reviewing state-wise real money gambling sites on the web. Indeed, we care about ensuring that our recommended online gambling sites are enough to keep customers happy. Below, you can find the abstract view of legal online gambling in the entire US.

NJ – New Jersey –
Legal US Online Gambling

Online gambling has been legal in New Jersey for quite some time. The authorization for online casinos occurred in February 2013, and the first online casino launches happened shortly afterward. Since then, online casinos in NJ have generated over 1.5b in revenue. NJ is currently the largest online gambling market in the US.

NJ Online Sports Betting

New Jersey online sportsbooks often have numerous offers for new players to use. With such fierce competition, players can find free bets, deposit matches, and even free money as a perk for joining some of these sites. 

Daily fantasy sports play is completely legal and acceptable in New Jersey. Indeed, all major operators are present and available in New Jersey. Some of the top DFS choices for New Jersey players are DraftKings, FanDuel, Fantasy Draft, and Yahoo. In addition, online sports betting, casino, poker, and lottery are also legal in the Garden State.

There are several online sportsbooks in New Jersey. Players in the Garden State will also find action with the following companies:

and many more.

NJ Online Casino

New Jersey has always been a gambling center for the US, thanks to Atlantic City and its famous land-based casinos. Certainly, the NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement NJ DGE, approves and provides a license to casinos for launching an online gambling site. The Casinos in NJ offer opportunities for players to win big on slots, table games, and live dealer features. Moreover, the slot games available are many of the same titles that players can find in Atlantic City, like Wheel of Fortune, Monopoly, and Cleopatra.

Along with new online casinos like Bet365 or BetMGM, New Jersey also includes some online casinos that are operating since 2013. Some of the popular online casinos include:

NJ Online Casino (May 2021)

NJ Online Casino (May 2021)

NJ Online Poker

New Jersey is one of the loyal states to offer online poker for several years. Even though its revenues are pretty less in comparison to online casinos and sportsbooks, the online poker scene in the Garden State is much more popular among other states. 

As it is, there are numerous poker apps available for New Jersey residents at present:

  • 888
  • Borgata Poker
  • BetMGM
  • Pala Poker
  • Party Poker
  • PokerStars
  • WSOP
NJ Online Poker - Freeroll, Bonus, Rakeback (May 2021)

NJ Online Poker – Freeroll, Bonus, Rakeback (May 2021)

NJ Online Lottery

New Jersey lottery has developed significantly over the years and now gives away millions of dollars each week. The Garden State has a lottery app. Unfortunately, the app only serves as an informational and factional tool. In fact, users can use the app to check their retail-purchased lottery updates and about the latest games and winnings. Furthermore, users can purchase tickets online; however, one should visit a retailer to complete the transaction.

Fancy being in with a chance of a nice jackpot every day? Then New Jersey’s Pick 3 lottery game is certainly for you. New Jersey Pick 3 is one of the easiest lottery markets to understand and is a twice-daily game with $250 up for grabs in each draw. 

PA – Pennsylvania –
Legal US Online Gambling

On October 26, 2017, the House passed a bill that will legalize online gambling. Governor Tom Wolf signed that bill into law on October 30, 2017. Here, you can find the brief information about online sports betting, casinos, poker, and lottery in Pennsylvania by the PA Gaming Control Board.

PA Online Sports Betting

The PA online sports betting scene is alive and rapidly growing. Betting on phones is already more popular than retail sportsbooks just a couple of months after launching. With several apps to choose from, be sure to take advantage of the best promo offers as sites battle to grab market share.

The fantasy sports industry is also allowed to offer online and mobile fantasy events.

As of November 2019, online sports betting is up and running for PA customers with six online sportsbooks. They are:

In addition to the above live sports betting sites, here are some other brands we expect to see in PA by the end of 2020: 

  • Betfred sportsbook
  • Caesars sportsbook
  • Hollywood sportsbook
  • William Hill sportsbook
PA Sports Betting Sites (February 2021)

PA Sports Betting Sites (February 2021)

PA Online Casino

Certainly, 9 of the 13 PA casinos will offer some form of online casino gaming. The week of July 15, the first three sites launched. There are three types of PA online casino licenses, including slot games, table games, and peer-to-peer games.

At the present time, there are 8 online casino sites to choose from, with more on the way.

Furthermore, DraftKings, Fox Bet, Harrah’s Philadelphia, and some others are very likely to unroll online sites with-in 2020.
PA Online Casino List (May 2021)

PA Online Casino List (May 2021)

PA Online Poker

There are currently eight PA casinos intent on launching online poker sites in the state, but only one is up and running. In November, online poker also launched in Pennsylvania when PokerStars PA started accepting customers on Nov. 4. The opening month was huge, and December will prove to be even bigger with the PACOOP boosting online poker participation.

BetMGM and Borgata online poker sites have launched in the Keystone state on 29 April 2021. 

PA Online Lottery

The Pennsylvania Online Lottery has changed a lot. In fact, there are dozens of games, very similar to slot machines, available to play in Pennsylvania today. If you’re looking for something away from the usual sports betting and online casino, lottery games are certainly worth a try. 

In PA, lottery games can be played at PAiLottery.com where you’ll find all those available and regulated in the state. Click here to know how to win the PA lottery. 

WV – West Virginia –
Legal US Online Gambling

WV Online Sports Betting

In March 2018, the state passed the WV Sports Lottery Wagering Act, legalizing sports betting. SCOTUS rendered its decision on PASPA on May 14, 2018. With PASPA officially unconstitutional, West Virginia may begin offering sports wagering.

Therefore, West Virginia’s casinos and racetracks can run physical and online sports gambling sites at all five of the state’s physical casinos. In addition, the West Virginia Lottery approved licenses for five additional companies to participate in sports betting on April 24, 2019. Here are the 3 online sportsbooks that operate in the state:

WV Online Casino

The state passed the West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act on March 27, 2019. This law gives the right to five casinos in the state to develop and operate casinos and poker apps. However, officials are yet to create regulations. Therefore, we can expect the first online gambling site in the Mountain State within 2020.

WV Online Poker

West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act made online poker legal in the state along with online casinos. This means that online poker platforms will be viable alongside West Virginia online casino brands. As such, expect many of West Virginia online casinos to team up with top online poker brands such as PokerStars. 

IA – Iowa –
Legal US Online Gambling

For years the online gambling options have been limited for Iowa residents until governor Kim Reynolds signed bill SF 617 into law. This set up licensing for online sports betting – and lifted the restrictions on Daily Fantasy Sports. William Hill beat their rival sports betting brands to the post – becoming the first Iowa online sportsbook.

IA Online Sports Betting

Retail sportsbooks and mobile betting sites are legal in Iowa thanks to a law signed by Governor Kim Reynolds in May 2019. At this instant, sports betting is set to explode, with the potential for 38 sites in the Hawkeye state. This is bound to offer you a great chance to take advantage of the fierce competition between them. Furthermore, DFS contests will also begin.

At the present time, there are five legal online sport betting sites in Iowa. Here is the list of online sportsbooks that are operating now:

In addition to the above list, many other online sportsbooks are ready to launch soon including FanDuel, Betfred, and BetRivers.

DE – Delaware –
Legal US Online Gambling

Delaware was the first US state to legalize both online poker and casino games and the second to see poker go legally live online. Delaware’s internet gambling is integrated into one single platform. Each of the three land-based casinos is licensed to offer their own branded paths to online gambling, but ultimately, it’s a unified system managed by 888 Holdings.

DE Online Casino

Delaware has legal online casinos that are regulated by the state. In order for an online casino to operate lawfully within the State of Delaware, they must have some ties to a physical casino property within the state. 

In fact, Dover Downs Casino, Delaware Park Casino, Harrington Casino, and DoubleDown Casino are the state’s existing casinos that offer online gambling as well. Free games offered on the site are available to users all over the world, but real-money games will only be legal for those residing in Delaware.

DE Online Poker

At the present time, there are three online poker sites operating in Delaware. Each one is affiliated with one of the state’s three casinos and racetrack properties. The sites include:

  • Delaware Park
  • Dover Downs
  • Harrington Raceway

All three sites run the same 888 Poker software and share player pools with not only each other but also with the WSOP poker sites in Nevada and New Jersey.

IN – Indiana –
Legal US Online Gambling

Indiana gambling laws are both robust and reasonable. The state legalized most forms of brick-and-mortar gambling over the years. There are 12 casinos and 15 retail sportsbooks in the state. Therefore, as many as 30 mobile offerings, or skins, could launch in Indiana during the coming years.

 After Virginia, Indiana was the second state to craft a fantasy sports law. Indeed, most major operators are active in the state. Unfortunately, online casino gambling is not legal in Indiana. Widespread support for mobile and internet-based sports betting might hopefully bring online casino gaming to the state very soon.

IN Online Sports Betting

The Supreme Court made a decision of dismissing the federal ban on sports betting in April 2018. However, the 6-3 decision threw out the PASPA and brought sports betting back into the states. Once it got the green light, Indiana didn’t waste any time to launch sports betting. 

Retail operators begin to accept the state’s first regulated wagers on Sept. 1 at a variety of casino sportsbooks. Whereas, Indiana online sports betting followed shortly on Oct. 3. This is welcome news for Illinois residents and visitors, who can travel a short distance to place legal wagers.

The Indiana mobile sports betting apps currently live are:

Recently, PointsBet, BetMGM, and BetIndiana sports betting license are also approved. Eventually, there will be many more Indiana betting apps in the near future, as well.

IL – Illinois – Legal US Online Gambling

The Illinois Gambling Act of 2019 legalized online sports betting in Illinois, but not online casino games or online poker. Illinois is the second-most populated state with legalized online sports betting. Hence, there will be multiple online sports betting operators trying to launch in the state.

There are a total of 19 casinos in Illinois. Among them, 10 are riverboat casinos. As of now, seven of riverboat casinos have obtained licenses to operate sportsbooks. In addition, three racetracks are awaiting approval from the Illinois Gaming Board.

IL Online Sports Betting

Governor J.B. Pritzker signed IL SB 690 into law making sports betting legal in Illinois on June 28, 2019. The Illinois Gaming Board regulates all gambling activities including sports betting.

Online sports betting began in Illinois on June 18, 2020, when Rivers Casino went live through BetRivers. Being the sixth largest state in terms of population, Illinois attracts a lot of sports betting operators.  

Top sports betting apps like FanDuel, BetRivers, PointsBet, and DraftKings are live. While William Hill is waiting for approval to launch online. 

RI – Rhode Island

Unfortunately, Rhode Island online casino and poker are not legal. There are no regulated real-money online casino sites in Rhode Island. However, online sports betting is legal. In fact, the Ocean State was one of the first in the country to legalize sports betting.

In addition, Daily Fantasy Sports is also legal in the state. Top DFS sites such as DraftKings and FanDuel operate in the state legally. Thus, players can enjoy these offerings from other daily fantasy purveyors.

RI Online Sports Betting

In 2018, after Supreme Court struck down PASPA, Rhode Island became the 8th state to offer sports betting. Therefore, sports betting in Rhode Island began last year at the state’s two casinos. Both the Twin River Casino Hotel in Lincoln, as well as the Tiverton Casino Hotel operate sportsbooks in their facilities. By expanding the existing provisions, lawmakers included online and mobile betting in early 2019.

Senate President Dominick Ruggerio introduced mobile sports betting legislation in January 2019 with bill S 0037. The RI mobile betting law is still somewhat limited in certain ways. For instance, the two Twin River casinos have a monopoly over mobile betting and already have agreements in place with IGT and William Hill.

The Rhode Island Lottery in partnership with IGT and William Hill, offers online betting through the SportsBetRi.com website. This is the only online sportsbook that is legal and regulated in Rhode Island. Players can begin the registration process by visiting the website or downloading the app for iOS or Android. However, in-person registration is mandatory. 

NV – Nevada

Nevada lawmakers signed AB 114 into law. Thus, making online poker legal in the state of Nevada on Feb. 25. 2013. This bill essentially authorizes the issuance of online poker operator licenses in Nevada. In fact, Nevada is the second state in history to legalize online poker. 

Unfortunately, only sites that offer online poker have been licensed to operate in Nevada. Ultimate Poker became the first site to offer real-money licensed-and-regulated online poker games in the US in May 2013.

NV Online Sports Betting

In Nevada, sportsbooks offer online wagering only through the use of sports betting apps. Whereas the users must be within the state lines. Some of the sports betting apps currently operating in Nevada include:

  • MGM Resorts
  • NV Sports
  • Station Casinos
  • Treasure Island
  • William Hill and many more.

NV Online Poker

At the present time, there are two online poker sites operating in Nevada. This includes WSOP.com, the online home of the World Series of Poker and Real Gaming Online Poker, an online poker operator owned and run by the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa.

The Nevada government allows the state to enter into agreements with other states offering legal and regulated online gambling to share player pools. In fact, one such agreement was signed with the state of Delaware, with WSOP.com allowing players from both states to play against each other since March 2015. Furthermore, Nevada also agreed to pool players with New Jersey online poker sites in 2018.

NH – New Hampshire

Sen. Lou D’Alessandro made many attempts to pass online gambling bills. Each time, the measure has narrowly failed in the State Senate. Unfortunately, House Bill 562 in 2017 lost by a single vote. Hence, we can say that online gambling is closer to legalization than most outside New Hampshire know.

NH Online Sports Betting

Unfortunately, New Hampshire doesn’t have legal sports betting. In May 2018, the US Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. Therefore, we can assume that New Hampshire seems more interested in building more land-based casinos, passing online poker, or legalizing online lottery sales. Recently, NH Lottery had a sports betting deal with Intralot. Furthermore, the New Hampshire Lottery is ready to launch DraftKings online sportsbook in the state. 

OR – Oregon

Oregon was one of just four states to offer some form of sports betting after the passage of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992. Recently, it joined the list of states with legal, regulated Online Sports Betting on 27 August 2019. Oregon is the 12th state with legal, regulated sports betting. The Oregon Lottery mobile app went live on 11 September 2018. In fact, the app is available for purchase for both Android and iOS users.

OR Online Sports Betting

Last year, the Super Court of the U.S. overturned a federal ban on sports betting. SBTech, in partnership with the Oregon State Lottery, launched the first legal Oregon Sports Betting App. With this new launch, Oregon will join the other seven states to offer legal live sports betting app. Therefore, sports fans may place bets via the Scoreboard app and Oregon Lottery Sports website, with in-person sports betting kiosks set to launch in 2020.

Players will not only have an option to wager with a variety of bet types including prop bets and futures but also in-game betting. However, players can gamble on the Scoreboard app only if located within the state of Oregon. Not to mention, a player has to be 21 years or more to use the app.

MI – Michigan

Michigan has a dedicated horse racing app – BetAmerica. In fact, it already has legal online Daily Fantasy Sports apps such as Yahoo, FanDuel, and DraftKings. Recently, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the state’s online gambling Bill 4311 into law. Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) would grant licenses to tribes. According to the bill, they would be exempt from the 1.25% tax and the extra payment.

MI Online Sports Betting

Sports betting is now legal in the fifth US state – Michigan. According to the bill, the state’s 23 tribal and three commercial casinos are eligible to apply for a sports betting license. The next NFL season starting in Sept. 2020 should be the first for legal Michigan sports betting sites.

Indeed, PointsBet Holdings Ltd. and The Stars Group Inc. (TSG) promptly struck sports betting deal with Michigan tribal gaming operators. Therefore, PokerStars, FoxBet, and PointsBet might be the first set of operators to bring online sports betting into the state. 

Furthermore, the three Detroit casinos along with their sports betting partners are as follows:

Greektown Casino-Hotel

Penn National owns the Greektown casino hotel. Whereas technology provider Kambi runs the company’s own branded sportsbooks, both live and online. Penn’s primary partner is William Hill. In addition, DraftKings, PointsBet, and FoxBet is also partners of Penn National. Indeed, Greektown might be the first casino to offer both live and online sports betting in Michigan.

MGM Grand Detroit

It has a partnership with the UK’s GVC for its online gambling in the US. The joint venture is called Roar Digital and uses the playMGM and betMGM brands. In fact, MGM will be competing with Penn National to be first to market.

MotorCity Casino Hotel

Little Caesars Pizza billionaire Marian Ilitch owns the MotorCity Casino. She bought out MGM’s stake in the casino after regulators insisted on the sale. As she is interested in sports, we can expect another sports betting competitor in the future.

MI Online Casino

The bill, H 4926, legalizes online poker and online casino games, including slots and table games. According to the law, players of age 21 years or above and located within the state can gamble online.

The three Detroit casinos, including Greektown Casino Hotel, MGM Grand Detroit, and Motor City Casino Hotel, might launch online casinos in the future. However, the partnerships are not yet confirmed.

MI Online Poker

In the future, Michigan could also join the Multi-State Internet Gaming Association along with Delaware, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and New Jersey. Therefore, allowing the pooling of online poker players to create bigger networks of players across state lines. In the best-case scenario, online poker could go live in 2020.

NE – Nebraska

Sen. Justin Wayne presented the Bill L990 – the game of skill act. Nebraska online poker bill was introduced into the Nebraska legislature that would legalize sports betting, daily fantasy sports, and online poker.
Senator Wayne presented a package of bills related to gambling expansion in Nebraska:

  • The first bill allows votes to amend the state constitution to allow casinos and sports betting in Nebraska.
  • The second bill would expand the definition of the lottery to include sports betting.

NE Online Poker

The new bill categorizes sports betting, daily fantasy sports, and online poker, as skill-based games. In fact, if the bill becomes officially legalized, then Nebraska would become the seventh state to legalize online poker. Furthermore, the bill would also expand the definition of the lottery to include sports betting.

NE Sports Betting

Currently, in Nebraska, lottery, bingo, and a handful of tribal casinos are available. However, the new bill allows votes to amend the state constitution to allow casinos and sports betting in Nebraska. Therefore, very soon we can expect to see online sports betting sites to go live in the state. 

CO – Colorado

The Colorado legislature got approval for bill HB19-1327 to authorize legal sports betting subject to the referendum result. In addition, there are certain other conditions. In November 2019, Colorado legislative council passed Proposition DD, which legalized sports betting as of May 1, 2020. 

CO Sports Betting

Legal sports betting went live in Colorado on May 1, 2020. Since November, the Centennial State has received more than 50 sports betting license applications. Central City, Black Hawk, and Cripple Creek are the three casinos in the state that have a license to offer mobile and retail sports betting. 

DraftKings and FanDuel made a new market access partnership with Twin River Worldwide Holdings. Similarly, other operators also made deals with local casinos. At present, BetMGM, PointsBet, FanDuel, Fox Bet, BetRivers, DraftKings, Caesars Sportsbook, and others are already live. Furthermore, BetAmerica, and 4 more operators are ready to launch. 

CA – California

An alliance of 18 Native American tribes was given state approval to begin circulating petitions for a statewide ballot initiative to allow California sports betting. This would allow sports betting at tribal casinos and horse racing tracks in the CA. Golden State voters might consider a ballot measure legalizing sports betting in November 2020.

CA Sports Betting

Once sports betting laws are changed, online sports betting legalization will follow soon. Considering the state’s population, California could become the USA’s sports betting capital. The top contenders to secure online sports betting approval in CA are as follows:

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