Allow Sports Betting
Sports betting has been around for a long time, but it is only recently that states have started to allow it in the United States. While there are still many state-by-state debates and controversies about the legality of betting, the US has more than thirty states that offer some sort of sports gambling. Of those, some are more popular than others.
There are three primary categories of states allowing sports betting, including those that regulate and those that do not. The first group allows in-person betting only, while the second permits online betting, as well. In the third category, a handful of casinos are permitted to accept bets. However, some states have faced considerable delays in getting their industries up and running.
While many states have started to introduce legislation for legal sports betting, few have yet to launch a fully functional betting industry. This is due in part to the fact that most of the states have not been able to collect taxes on the industry. Some states have also faced significant legal challenges from local Native American tribes. A recent lawsuit against Florida may have put a damper on the legalization efforts in the Sunshine State.
What States Allow Sports Betting?
One of the most popular legal sports betting states is Illinois, which has allowed bets for more than two years. It is home to multiple high-profile college athletic teams and a large number of brick and mortar casinos. Although it hasn’t been approved by the state legislature, a commercial app has launched in Tennessee.
Other states that have legalized sports betting include Connecticut, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. But only six of these states have actually gone live with sports betting. Most have taken the simplest steps, such as permitting the sale of a mobile sports book or implementing an in-person wagering option at the state’s tribal casinos.
Pennsylvania is another state that has made a few sports betting moves of its own. A study has been conducted to determine what is the best way to legalize gambling in the state. It will take at least a year for a study to complete and for the final rules to be set in place. Eventually, a few dozen licenses will be available for residents to bet on sports.
Ohio has been in the sports betting business for several years, but it took a while for the state to actually approve a sports betting bill. In 2021, the legislature finally passed a bill that will allow the state to launch an online sportsbook. Interestingly, it will be a pilot program, which means that there will be no legal betting for the first few months.
Washington, D.C. is one of the few states in the nation that does not permit in-person sports betting. Instead, residents can gamble via a mobile app, but this is not the most exciting thing to do.
Another state that is not regulated by any type of gambling law is Hawaii. The state is home to no casinos, and has no gambling culture of any kind. Fortunately for sports bettors, they can gamble on the road.