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Just half a decade ago, Nevada was the sole state offering legal sports betting in the US. However, the 2018 Supreme Court ruling altered the landscape, empowering individual states to legalize and regulate sports betting. Fast-forward to June 2023, the list includes 33 states and Washington D.C. that now allow some form of sports betting. The scenario continues to evolve as states continually join this list.
Given the state-by-state regulation policy, betting rules vary widely. While some states restrict betting to in-person wagers, others have stringent regulations on which sports can be wagered upon. This makes it challenging to keep abreast of the different rules in each state. Here’s a succinct breakdown, as of May 2023.
Arizona celebrated the legalization of sports betting in April 2021, allowing a total of 20 operators. Arkansas launched its first official sportsbook in July 2021, followed by the first online sportsbook in February 2022. Betting on local professional and college teams is allowed.
On the other hand, Alabama and Alaska have not been successful in their attempts to legalize sports betting. Alabama’s multiple bills were rejected, including one proposed in 2021. Meanwhile, Alaska put legalizing sports betting on the table in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic put an end to its consideration.
Florida’s status remains complicated, where sports betting was temporarily legal, but the agreement between the state and the Seminole Tribe was later deemed illegal, causing legal hiccups.
New Mexico’s situation is slightly unique; although state laws do not explicitly allow sports betting, neither do they classify it as a prohibited Class III game in the gaming compacts between tribes and the state. This loophole has allowed the Pueblo of Santa Ana tribe to open a sportsbook at its in-state casino.
North Carolina, which runs gambling exclusively through the Cherokee Tribe, passed a bill in July 2019 to permit sports betting. With sports betting launched on March 18, 2021, North Carolina legislators are working towards legalizing online sports betting by June 2023 with the recent advancement of the sports betting bill.
While the fight continues for sports betting legality in states like Texas, Georgia, and South Carolina, the vast majority of states have now established some form of regulated sports wagering. The future of sports betting in the US, as it seems, holds promise and growth.