Where Is Sports Betting Legal? Updated Projections for All 50 States

Mobile and online sports betting is now legal and available in 30 states, plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico.

States With Legal Sports Betting

It’s hard to believe it’s been more than seven years since the Supreme Court gave states the green light to legalize sports betting. Since then, the landscape has completely changed.

North Carolina finally made online betting available on March 11, 2024 (three years after launching in-person betting). Missouri is on deck, with sportsbooks slated to launch on December 1, 2025 after voters approved legalization in November 2024. As of November 2025, 39 states (plus D.C. and Puerto Rico) have legalized sports betting in some form. 38 of those are actually taking bets today, and Missouri has legalized and is scheduled to launch online and retail sports betting on December 1, 2025, which will make it the 39th active state.

DraftKings and FanDuel still dominate market share, combining for roughly 70-80% of handle or GGR in many states, while Caesars Sportsbook, BetMGM, ESPN BET, and Fanatics Sportsbook round out most competitive markets. Florida is the big exception: it’s tied up in a single-operator model. And if you’re in a state that hasn’t legalized yet, daily fantasy platforms like Underdog, Fliff, Sleeper or PrizePicks are still available in many places, but they are getting more scrutiny and restrictions on a state-by-state basis. Always check current rules before you assume a DFS app is allowed where you live.

If you’re in a legal state and thinking about trying a new sportsbook, it’s worth checking current sign-up deals. BetMGM and bet365, for example, routinely offer promos that give you some extra buffer on your first bets. And if you’re curious about where online casinos are legal, we touch on that a bit further down.

[Check out the best online sportsbooks in North Carolina, Kentucky, Ohio, Massachusetts, New York, Louisiana, Arizona, Illinois, Colorado, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Virginia, Iowa, and West Virginia.]

Legal, Taking Bets (38 operating states + D.C. and Puerto Rico; 39 including Missouri once it launches)

There are a few categories of “legal” in the U.S.:

• In-person betting only, which is a rounding error compared with full online.
• Full online betting with multiple sportsbooks (New Jersey is the classic: 20+ operators).
• Online betting with a single operator, like Oregon or Rhode Island.

Arizona

Status: Both In-person and online sportsbooks

Arizona passed its sports betting bill in April 2021, allowing for online wagering and some of the nation’s first in-stadium sportsbooks. It quickly became one of the most popular states to place a bet.

The first online sportsbooks went live on Sept. 9, 2021, the first day of the NFL season. Around a dozen online sportsbooks are active (roughly 13–14, depending on exits/entries), including DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, bet365 and Fanatics Sportsbook.

In March 2022, Arizona vaulted into the top 10 states in monthly handle for the first time.

Earlier that month, FanDuel opened a retail sportsbook at Footprint Center (Phoenix Suns and Mercury), Caesars did the same at Chase Field (Arizona Diamondbacks), BetMGM built out State Farm Stadium (Arizona Cardinals), and DraftKings launched a book at TPC Scottsdale, home of the Waste Management Open.

Note: FanDuel’s retail book at Footprint Center closed July 24, 2025.

When it comes to NFL betting, we have plenty of resources available to you: NFL Odds, NFL Futures, NFL Picks, and NFL ATS Standings. And if you're more into NFL Props, we also have NFL Props Picks and Touchdown Props!

You can learn more about the Best NFL Betting Apps and Best NFL Betting Promos by checking out our reviews!

Arkansas

Status: Both In-person and online sportsbooks

On Feb. 22, 2022, the Arkansas Joint Budget Committee finalized rules to bring sports betting online, expanding it beyond in-person activity at three casinos (legal since 2019).

The first online sportsbook went live on March 5, 2022 via Betly (Delaware North) in partnership with Southland Casino. There are three in-state online books: BetSaracen, Betly, and Oaklawn Sports.

Arkansas law allows up to eight online sportsbooks. National brands like DraftKings and FanDuel have been reluctant to join because they must partner with one of the state’s three casinos and give them 51% of revenue, which is a steep split relative to other states.

Colorado

Status: Both In-person and online sportsbooks

Colorado launched legal online and retail betting in May 2020, six months after voters approved it in November 2019. It has become one of the more competitive markets in the country, with more than a dozen online sportsbooks, including DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM and others. It was one of the first states to pass $200 million in monthly handle and remains a top-10 handle market.

Online books must partner with one of Colorado’s 30+ casinos. The state initially had very operator-friendly tax rules, but lawmakers have cracked down on some promotional-expense deductions to increase tax revenue.

Connecticut

Status: Both In-person and online sportsbooks

Gov. Ned Lamont struck a deal with the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes in 2021, authorizing the two tribes and the state lottery to run online sports betting. Those licenses are tied to DraftKings, FanDuel and Fanatics Sportsbook(Fanatics replaced PlaySugarHouse as the CT Lottery’s partner in late 2023). Each partner has in-person sportsbooks at at least one casino. The lottery and its operator run several additional retail locations (authorized for up to 15 under state law).

It’s a small market and fairly mature at this point, so there's not much in the way of expansion left unless new brands come in.

Delaware

Status: Both In-person and online sportsbooks

Delaware was technically the first state outside Nevada to accept a legal single-game bet, back on June 5, 2018. Online took longer. The state’s lottery-run market now includes online betting via BetRivers, which launched statewide in January 2024, alongside the three existing retail sportsbooks.

Given Delaware’s small population and the fact that all its neighbors offer full competitive online markets, Delaware gets relatively little attention.

Florida

Status: Online betting with a single operator

Hard Rock Bet relaunched statewide in December 2023, and the U.S. Supreme Court officially declined to take up the legal challenge in June 2024. That effectively locked in the Seminole Tribe’s exclusive control over sports betting through 2051 under the existing compact.

Good news if you just want to bet; bad news if you’re hoping for DraftKings, FanDuel, or anyone else. No additional commercial operators are expected unless there’s a future overhaul of the compact.

Illinois

Status: Both In-person and online sportsbooks

Illinois launched retail betting on March 9, 2020, and online betting in June 2020. It’s one of the biggest markets in the country by both handle and tax revenue, consistently top-5.

In 2021, lawmakers removed an in-person registration requirement for mobile accounts, which massively boosted the online market. BetMGM and Caesars joined existing operators in 2022. Originally, limited in-person betting on Illinois college teams was allowed starting in December 2021, with no player props and only pre-game wagers. That carve-out had a sunset clause and was not renewed.

As of July 1, 2024, betting on Illinois college teams is prohibited again, online and in person. In short, you can’t bet on Illinois colleges anywhere in the state.

Indiana

Status: Both In-person and online sportsbooks

Indiana went live with online betting on Oct. 3, 2019, one month after retail launched. It was the 13th state to approve sports betting and has been one of the steadier markets since Gov. Eric Holcomb signed the bill in May 2019. The state has taken more than $7 billion in bets and supports a mix of national brands and smaller operators.

Indiana law technically allows more than 40 online skins, but only around a dozen are active at any given time; the usual (FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, etc.) dominate share.

Iowa

Status: Both In-person and online sportsbooks

Iowa started taking bets on Aug. 15, 2019, and has quietly remained one of the more competitive per-capita markets.

There are 15+ online sportsbooks, and licensing fees are relatively low: $45,000 the first year and $10,000 annually after. bet365 is one of the more recent arrivals.

Even without major pro teams, Iowa draws handle from neighboring states that are slower to expand or only have limited retail betting.

Kansas

Status: Both In-person and online sportsbooks

Kansas legalized sports betting in 2022 and launched both online and retail betting on Sept. 1, 2022, just in time for NFL season. The state law allows up to 12 online sportsbooks and has licensed nine so far. Tribal casinos can also update compacts to join the online mix and casinos are allowed to contract with retail locations (including sports venues) to install and operate betting kiosks.

Kentucky

Status: Both In-person and online sportsbooks

Kentucky’s 2022 effort to legalize fell just short, but lawmakers came back in 2023 and passed HB 551 in April. Retail launched Sept. 7, 2023, and online went live Sept. 28, 2023, which was the fastest turnaround from legalization to launch of any state so far.

Kentucky’s nine racetracks can each host a retail book and up to three online partners, so you could eventually see up to 27 online sportsbooks in the state, though that ceiling is more theoretical than imminent.

Louisiana

Status: Both In-person and online sportsbooks

In November 2020, voters in 55 of 64 parishes approved sports betting, including New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Lafayette. Retail betting started in October 2021.

Multiple online sportsbooks are now live: FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, ESPN BET, Fanatics, BetRivers, and bet365 among them. WynnBET exited in 2023.

State law allows up to 41 mobile apps, and Louisiana remains one of the few fully online markets in the Southeast, which is a nice geographic advantage.

Maine

Status: Both In-person and online sportsbooks

Maine legalized in 2022 and went live in November 2023. Online is currently limited to DraftKings and Caesars, operating through partnerships with the state’s four federally recognized tribes, which control online access under the 2022 law.

The Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway and Oxford Casino Hotel can offer in-person betting only.

Maryland

Status: Both In-person and online sportsbooks

Voters approved sports betting in 2020. After a long rulemaking slog, full online launch finally happened on Nov. 23, 2022.

Maryland law allows up to 60 online sportsbooks and 30 retail locations. Around a dozen online books are active today, with occasional churn as brands come and go.

Massachusetts

Status: Both In-person and online sportsbooks

Massachusetts passed its bill in early August 2022. Retail launch was Jan. 31, 2023; online followed on March 10, 2023. Seven mobile operators are currently live: DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, ESPN BET (rebranded from Barstool in 2023), Fanatics Sportsbook, and Bally Bet.

Key rules:

• 15% tax on retail, 20% on online.
• No betting on in-state colleges except in multi-team tournaments (e.g., March Madness).
• Casinos can host two online partners each; racetracks get one.

Michigan

Status: Both In-person and online sportsbooks

Retail betting began at MGM Grand Detroit on March 11, 2020. Online books (including BetMGM and DraftKings) launched in early 2021. The state now has 15 online operators, the cap under state law.

Michigan is a top-10 handle state and one of the few that also offers full online casinos (iGaming), which dramatically boosts overall gaming revenue.

Mississippi

Status: Both in-person and on-premise online sportsbooks

Mississippi technically allows online sports betting, but only while you’re physically on the property of a licensed casino. There's no statewide mobile betting from your couch. Therefore, retail books at coastal and river casinos still handle the vast majority of the action.

Montana

Status: Lottery-run retail and on-premise mobile (no statewide online)

Montana legalized lottery-run sports betting in 2019 and launched Sports Bet Montana in March 2020. Wagering is offered via kiosks and an app, but you have to be physically at a licensed retailer to place bets in the app. It’s not a "true" statewide mobile market.

Missouri

Status: Legal but not yet live (online and in-person sportsbooks scheduled)

Missouri is finally getting in the game. Voters narrowly approved Amendment 2 in November 2024, amending the state constitution to allow regulated retail and online sports betting under the Missouri Gaming Commission.

Legal online and retail sportsbooks are scheduled to launch on December 1, 2025, with pre-registration opening November 17, 2025. Major brands like FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, bet365, Fanatics, and Underdog have already been approved for licenses.

As of November 2025, no legal bets have been taken yet. Missouri is expected to become the 39th U.S. state with active sports betting once the market opens.

Nebraska

Status: In-person sportsbooks only

Voters approved three constitutional amendments in November 2020 to allow “games of chance” at Nebraska’s licensed horse tracks, paving the way for casino gaming and retail sportsbooks. A regulatory bill authorizing retail sportsbooks followed, and in-person sports betting began in June 2023 at WarHorse Lincoln. Retail wagering has since expanded to additional racetrack casinos, including WarHorse Omaha and Grand Island Casino Resort.

All betting must still be done in person at authorized racetrack casinos; online and mobile wagering remain illegal. Lawmakers have floated online-expansion ideas (including an LB13 proposal and a special-session push in 2024), but none have gained enough traction to pass, and any online expansion now likely needs voter approval on a future ballot, potentially in 2026.

Nevada

Status: Both In-person and online sportsbooks

Nevada, the long-time gold standard for in-person betting, still hasn’t fully modernized its online rules. The state offers a wide range of retail and mobile sportsbooks, but you must register your mobile betting account in person at a casino. Nevada is now the only legal betting state that still has this requirement, which put the state at a disadvantage during COVID-19 and has made it harder to keep up with fully online markets. By handle and tax revenue, New York and New Jersey now routinely outpace Nevada in monthly volume, even though Las Vegas remains the most recognizable gambling hub in the country.

Nevada will always matter, but unless regulators relax in-person registration and expand what you can do online, the state’s share of the national betting pie will keep shrinking relative to the newer, mobile-first markets.

New Hampshire

Status: Both In-person and online sportsbooks

New Hampshire went live with online wagering on Dec. 30, 2019 under a single-operator model: DraftKings is the exclusive online sportsbook and runs most retail books via a revenue-sharing deal with the state lottery. You cannot bet on in-state college teams (or college games played in New Hampshire), but you can bet on out-of-state college events.

New Hampshire has held its own despite strong competition from neighboring states, but its handle is capped by population and the monopoly structure.

New Jersey

Status: Both In-person and online sportsbooks

New Jersey, the state that took the PASPA fight to the Supreme Court, remains one of the top U.S. sports betting markets. Retail betting began in 2018, with online sportsbooks following shortly after.

The state now hosts 20+ online brands under an operator-friendly model tied to Atlantic City casinos and racetracks. New Jersey still prohibits betting on in-state college teams or college games played in New Jersey, with limited exceptions for certain multi-team tournaments.

Even after New York’s online launch, New Jersey continues to post massive annual handle figures and remains a core market for virtually every big U.S. sportsbook.

New Mexico

Status: In-person sportsbooks only

New Mexico has never passed a specific sports betting law, but a few Native American tribes began offering in-person sports betting at their casinos in 2018 by interpreting their Class III gaming compacts to include sports wagering. Federal regulators haven’t intervened, and that framework is still in place.

The result: retail tribal sportsbooks only, with no statewide online or mobile betting. There’s been little meaningful legislative movement toward a regulated online market.

New York

Status: Both In-person and online sportsbooks

New York launched online sports betting on Jan. 8, 2022, and quickly became the largest sports betting market in the country by handle and tax revenue, helped by a 51% tax rate on online GGR.

Retail betting exists at upstate commercial and tribal casinos but accounts for a tiny share of overall volume; almost everything runs through mobile apps. A roster of major brands (including FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars, BetMGM, BetRivers and others) is live under a tightly controlled licensing scheme.

New York’s success has come with policy debates about advertising, college props, and tax levels, but nothing has fundamentally changed the basic setup: heavy tax, limited operators, huge volume.

North Carolina

Status: Both In-person and online sportsbooks

North Carolina legalized in-person sports betting at two tribal casinos in 2019 and took its first bets in March 2021. The big shift came in 2023 when lawmakers approved statewide online betting, and Gov. Roy Cooper signed it into law on June 14, 2023. Online sports betting launched March 11, 2024, with eight operators: bet365, BetMGM, DraftKings, ESPN BET, Fanatics Sportsbook, FanDuel, Caesars Sportsbook (via the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians), and Underdog Sports.

The North Carolina State Lottery Commission can license up to 12 operators, and as of late 2025, that full number is either approved or close to being filled, making NC one of the most competitive new markets.

North Dakota

Status: In-person tribal sportsbooks only (no statewide mobile)

North Dakota has no statewide sports betting statute, but tribes operate retail sportsbooks at their casinos under their gaming compacts, similar to New Mexico’s model. Those compacts also allow on-reservation mobile betting, but only while you’re physically on tribal lands. Statewide online betting remains illegal. Efforts like HCR 3002 and related task-force proposals to open a broader online market have not passed, and the legislature rejected expansion ideas again in 2025.

Ohio

Status: Both In-person and online sportsbooks

Ohio launched its sports betting market on Jan. 1, 2023, with retail and mobile sportsbooks going live at the same time, which was one of the cleaner “big-bang” launches we’ve seen.

Dozens of operators have cycled in or out of the state, but the core names (FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, bet365, etc.) anchor the market. Ohio quickly climbed into the top tier by monthly handle, helped by big pro teams in Cleveland and Cincinnati plus strong college sports interest.

Oklahoma

Status: Still illegal

Oklahoma has not legalized sports betting, retail or online. Despite heavy casino presence, repeated pushes have stalled over disagreements between the governor, tribes, and legislative leaders. In 2025, House Bills 1047 and 1101 advanced but died without a full Senate vote, and a separate effort (SB 585) to authorize tribal and Thunder-linked betting also fizzled.

Recent interim studies have focused on lost revenue and illegal betting, but as of late 2025 there's no legal sports betting framework in place.

Oregon

Status: Both In-person and online sportsbooks

Oregon leveraged a pre-PASPA parlay carveout to restart sports betting under the state lottery without new legislation. The lottery launched the Scoreboard app in 2019, then switched to DraftKings as its exclusive online operator in January 2022. A handful of tribal casinos operate their own retail sportsbooks, but for statewide mobile betting DraftKings via the Oregon Lottery is the only option.

Oregon also bans all college betting on the lottery-run platform, not just in-state teams, though some tribal books may offer broader NCAA menus under separate compacts.

Pennsylvania

Status: Both In-person and online sportsbooks

Pennsylvania approved sports betting pre-PASPA and launched retail betting in 2018, followed by online sportsbooks in 2019. It has since become one of the top five markets by handle and tax revenue.

The tradeoff is price: Pennsylvania operators pay a 36% tax on online sports betting GGR, plus high licensing fees, which caps the number of entrants and keeps margins tight.

Pennsylvania is also one of a small group of states that offer regulated online casinos, which generate even more revenue than sports betting.

Rhode Island

Status: Both In-person and online sportsbooks (single-operator model)

Rhode Island runs sports betting through the state lottery, using IGT technology with Caesars (formerly William Hill) as risk manager. All legal wagering ((both retail and mobile) runs through the Sportsbook Rhode Island platform.

Lawmakers removed an in-person registration requirement, but the state’s small population and single-operator structure limit handle and product depth, even though it sits between Massachusetts and Connecticut.

South Carolina

Status: Still iIlegal

South Carolina has not legalized sports betting in any form. Lawmakers have floated various bills and constitutional amendments in recent sessions, but nothing has cleared the legislature, and there’s no active launch timeline.

South Dakota

Status: In-person sportsbooks only

Voters approved a 2020 constitutional amendment to allow sports betting only in Deadwood (and subsequently on certain tribal lands). Retail sportsbooks in Deadwood casinos began taking bets in September 2021, and some tribal casinos have also launched retail sportsbooks under their own compacts.

Statewide online betting has gone nowhere politically; the constitution’s “Deadwood + tribal lands only” language makes broader mobile expansion a heavy lift unless lawmakers and voters are willing to revisit the amendment.

Tennessee

Status: Online-only (no retail sportsbooks)

Tennessee is one of a small group of online-only markets (along with Wyoming and Vermont), meaning there are no retail sportsbooks. All legal bets must be placed online through licensed operators like BetMGM, FanDuel, and DraftKings. This framework has been in place since launch on Nov. 1, 2020.

In 2023, Tennessee changed from a controversial mandatory 10% hold requirement to a 1.85% tax on betting handle, aligning more with other states’ tax models and easing some operator complaints.

Vermont

Status: Online-only (no retail sportsbooks)

Vermont launched legal online sports betting on January 11, 2024 with three licensed operators: DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fanatics Sportsbook. There are no retail sportsbooks as everything runs digitally under a state-controlled model.

Bettors must be 21+ and physically located in Vermont. With its small population and monopoly-like licensing, Vermont is a modest but important addition to the online-only group.

Virginia

Status: Both in-person and online sportsbooks

Online betting launched in January 2021 under Virginia Lottery oversight, and retail sportsbooks now operate at the state’s new casinos, including:

• Rivers Casino Portsmouth (opened January 2023)
• Hard Rock Bristol (temporary casino opened 2022)
• Caesars Virginia in Danville (opened 2024)

Virginia is a busy online market with a long list of licensed operators. One important thing to note though is you generally can’t bet on Virginia college teams, except in certain multi-team tournaments, which slightly dulls local college-action volume.

Washington

Status: In-person sportsbooks only

Sports betting is legal in Washington State only at tribal casinos, and some tribes also offer on-premise mobile apps that are geofenced to their properties. There's no statewide online betting open to the general public. That tribal-only model is likely to remain in place unless lawmakers and tribes agree to a broader statewide system, which hasn’t gained big traction yet.

Washington D.C.

Status: Both in-person and statewide online sportsbooks

Washington, D.C. allows both retail sportsbooks and citywide mobile betting. After years of complaints about the GambetDC lottery app, FanDuel took over as the district-wide lottery app in April 2024. In July 2024, BetMGM and Caesars expanded to district-wide mobile from their arenas/venues, DraftKings launched later that month, and Fanatics Sportsbook went live on Sept. 12, 2024.

Retail books operate under various license classes at venues like Capital One Arena, Nationals Park, and Audi Field, making D.C. one of the more complex (but now much more functional) micro-markets.

West Virginia

Status: Both In-person and online sportsbooks

West Virginia legalized sports betting in 2018 and quickly added online sportsbooks in 2019. Today, major brands like DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, and BetRivers are live, alongside retail books at the state’s casinos.

West Virginia also offers online casinos, so the state punches above its weight in total gaming revenue relative to its population.

Wisconsin

Status: Retail tribal sportsbooks only; no statewide online

Sports betting in Wisconsin is available only in-person at tribal casinos under updated tribal-state compacts. The Oneida Nation opened the first retail sportsbook in November 2021, followed by other tribes such as the Potawatomi and St. Croix.

There's no statewide online betting and no active legislation close to passing that would change that. Any future expansion would almost certainly run through tribal negotiations.

Wyoming

Status: Online-only (no retail sportsbooks)

Wyoming legalized online sports betting in 2021 under HB 133 and launched its online-only market on September 1, 2021. There are no brick-and-mortar sportsbooks; all regulated betting is done via mobile/online.

As of late 2025, five online sportsbooks are operating: BetMGM, FanDuel, Caesars, Fanatics, and DraftKings. Wyoming’s model is unusual in that bettors can be as young as 18 (not 21) for sports betting.

Puerto Rico

Status: Both in-person and online sportsbooks

Puerto Rico allows both retail and online sports betting.

• BetMGM launched the island’s first online sportsbook on June 8, 2023
• Caesars followed with its online sportsbook on July 6, 2023
• FanDuel launched online and retail in partnership with CAGE Sports on Jan. 16, 2025

DraftKings has market access via a deal with Foxwoods El San Juan Casino, but its online sportsbook had not yet launched as of November 2025. Players must register in person at a partner casino or retail location before using the apps, and the minimum age is typically 18+.

2025-26 Possible (Alabama, Georgia, Hawaii, Minnesota)

Alabama

Status: 202-25 efforts failed; still illegal

HB 151 and HB 152 in 2024 would have created a state lottery, casinos, and sports betting under a comprehensive package, but the Senate stripped sports betting language and the package ultimately died.

In 2025, another major gambling proposal (including lottery and sports betting ) surfaced but the Senate President Pro Tem openly said there were “too few votes”, and the bill stalled again.

Bottom line: no legal sports betting in Alabama, and the politics are still messy.

Georgia

Status: Still illegal statewide

Yet again, sports betting failed to clear the finish line. In 2025, lawmakers advanced a package including a constitutional amendment and implementing bill, but the House did not take a final vote before crossover day, effectively killing the effort for the year.

Sports betting remains illegal in Georgia, and the earliest realistic shot is now a future legislative session (with some talk of 2026–2027, but nothing concrete).

Hawaii

Status: 2025 bill failed; still no gambling

Hawaii remains one of the most gambling-averse states in the country. A 2025 sports betting bill made more progress than usual (it actually got a real hearing and some momentum) but ultimately failed to pass, keeping Hawaii in the “no legal gambling beyond lottery-style games” camp.

No active framework for retail or online sports betting exists today.

Minnesota

Status: 2024 bill failed; still no passage in 2025

House File 2000 in 2024 would have given Minnesota’s tribes control over online sports betting, but it died amid disagreements over tax levels, charitable gaming, and horse racing provisions.

As of late 2025, no sports betting bill has made it through both chambers, so sports betting remains illegal. Minnesota is still considered a “next wave” candidate, but it has not crossed the finish line yet.

2026+ or “Probably Not Soon” (Alaska, California, Idaho, Texas, Utah)

Alaska

Status: No significant progress

A 2022 proposal (HB 385) from the governor would have legalized online sports betting, but it went nowhere. There’s been no real legislative movement since, and sports betting remains illegal in Alaska with no active rollout timeline.

California

Status: Still not legal

California is still the white whale. Two competing 2022 ballot measures (one tribal retail-only, one operator-led online) both failed badly, and tribal leaders have since signaled they will not support a 2026 ballot push.

Realistically, the next serious attempt is now 2028 or later, and even that will require broad tribal alignment. For now, no legal sports betting, despite enormous market potential.

Idaho

Status: No movement

Idaho has introduced no significant sports betting legislation since PASPA was overturned in 2018. There's no regulatory framework, and lawmakers have shown very little appetite for changing that.

Texas

Status: Next realistic shot is the 2027 session

Texas lawmakers flirted with sports betting in 2023 (including HJR 102), but proposals stalled in the Senate, and nothing meaningful passed in 2025 either. Because the Texas Legislature meets biennially, the next real opportunity is the 2027 session. Until then, Texas remains one of the biggest “have nots” in legal sports betting.

Utah

Status: No movement

Utah still bans all forms of commercial gambling, and there are no bills on the table to change that. Given the state’s constitutional and cultural stance, Utah is widely expected to be last or never for legal sports betting.