Where is sports betting legal? U.S. betting landscape heading into 2025
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Editor’s note: Birches Health is a leading national provider of Responsible Gaming resources and Problem Gambling treatment, offering specialized care from the comfort of home, covered by insurance and state government funding.
Ever since the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was repealed by the Supreme Court in 2018, the legalization of sports betting has been a state-by-state decision. The legal landscape is therefore constantly changing and varies significantly across jurisdictions. It’s important to know which states offer legal sports betting to ensure that you are using only regulated, legitimate sportsbooks if you decide to bet while living in or visiting a particular place.
Missouri is set to become the 39th state with legal sports betting in 2025 after voters narrowly passed an amendment in favor of legalizing it in November. But the specifics of sports betting availability often vary from state to state, with different jurisdictions offering different types, so let’s dive into the specifics.
Which states have regulated sports betting?
Calendar year 2024 will end with 38 states, along with Washington, D.C., offering some form of legalized sports betting. The majority have both in-person and online betting options, but some states limit it to in-person wagering only at physical locations like casinos or sportsbooks.
Online sports betting
The following currently offer legal online, or mobile, sports betting:
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New Hampshire
- New York
- New Jersey
- Nevada
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Tennessee
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington, D.C.
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
Missouri will also offer online sports betting when it goes live next year. The initial target launch date is summer 2025.
It’s worth noting that Mississippi also offers sports betting from mobile devices, but you must be located in a specific regulated location like a casino or sportsbook for that to work, so it is listed in the in-person section below.
In-person, retail sports betting
The following states allow only in-person sports betting, meaning golf fans must visit a licensed sportsbook or casino to place a bet.
- Mississippi
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Mexico
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Washington
- Wisconsin
Which states have not legalized sports betting?
Sports betting is still prohibited in the following 11 states:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- California
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Minnesota
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Utah
Be wary of “bookies” and offshore sportsbooks
Without the availability of legal sports betting in their state, some may consider turning to offshore sportsbooks or bookies to place bets. However, these unregulated platforms can pose serious risks to bettors, including non-payments, data breaches, fraud and a lack of player protections like the responsible gaming tools available in regulated sportsbooks.
Therefore, it is strongly recommended that you use only legal, regulated sportsbooks when wanting to place a bet. Examples of regulated platforms include BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, bet365 and Fanatics Sportsbook.
If you or someone you know is displaying worrisome gambling behaviors, there are specialized support resources available. PGA TOUR partner Birches Health has a national team of counselors who are specially trained and certified to treat gambling addiction.
Birches clinicians create a personalized care plan tailored to fit every individual’s needs. Virtual treatment is confidential, available from the comfort home and covered by insurance for most patients.
To connect with Birches Health right away, you can click here, call (833) 483-3838 or email help@bircheshealth.com.