How Many States Have Legal Sports Betting In 2023

How Many States Have Legal Sports Betting In 2023

Sports betting continues to proliferate around the United States. Online or mobile sports betting on the best sports betting sites is now available in 25 American states or territories, with a few others on the verge of being added to that list. There are also numerous states that offer in-person sports betting. Here are the states that have legal sports betting in 2023 and the ones on track to go live soon with generous sportsbook promo codes.

Which States Have Legal Sports Betting In 2023

The following states have legalized online sports betting and have at least one of the best sports betting apps operating within its borders: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming, as well as Washington D.C. Many of these states offer in-person sports betting, also known as retail sports betting, in addition to the online variety. 

Retail sports betting is also available in Delaware, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington, and Wisconsin, but these states have yet to move forward with online sports betting. Some retail sports betting locations are run by tribal casinos, while others are owned by brands that also have an online sports betting presence, such as Caesars Sportsbook or BetMGM.

Who Can Legally Bet On Sports 

In order to sign up for or use online sportsbooks or PayPal betting sites, you must be at least 21 years old and physically present in a state where that sportsbook operates. You do not have to reside in a state with legal sports betting, but you must be located in such a state when you place a bet. For instance, a California resident can travel to Nevada to legally bet on any sportsbook operating in Nevada.

States with retail betting offer only in-person betting at physical locations. Just like online sports betting, you must be at least 21 years old to participate in retail sports betting.

Which States Will Legalize Sports Betting Next

Kentucky and Maine are on the verge of adding both online and retail sports betting. North Carolina already has retail sports betting but is getting ready to launch online sports betting with credit card betting sites as well, while Nebraska is getting ready to dip its toe into legal sports betting with retail-only options. Missouri has also started on the path towards legalizing sports betting.

Kentucky passed a law March 31 that will legalize sports betting in the state June 28, 2023. Mobile sportsbooks will be operating in Kentucky no later than December 28. Maine has also legalized sports betting, but online sportsbooks may not launch in Maine until 2024. A bill that will introduce online sportsbooks to North Carolina's sports betting scene is currently working its way up the legislature. There is less optimism regarding the sports betting bill up for debate in the Missouri senate, so Missouri's unlikely to legalize sports betting of any sort until 2024 at the earliest. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sasha Yodashkin
Sasha has been contributing NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB and Tennis content to RotoWire since 2015, with an emphasis on DFS. He is a huge New York sports fan who has been playing fantasy sports since middle school.