Get Something For Nothing! Gambling State by State

Which states allow online gambling?

Trying to get your head around the US gambling laws isn’t easy, and the picture is constantly changing, making it even more difficult to understand which states allow gambling. Many people will tell you that the majority of states simply don’t allow it at all, but that isn’t actually the case, as we’ll explain.

If we take a look at gambling by state, we find that only Utah and Hawaii don’t permit gambling in any form. The other 48 states all allow at least one form of gambling, although there’s no clear pattern. Some states permit sportsbook betting only, whilst others embrace the full land-based casino experience.

The number of states that allow online gambling is constantly changing. Until recently there were only a handful of states with online gambling, but the number is steadily increasing, as  statistics relating to casino payouts by state will confirm. And perhaps surprisingly, the laws apply to casino operators, rather than bettors, so offshore casinos have stepped in to offer the perfect solution to the problem!

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Top 10 sought after states and their individual online gambling regulations: Updated October 2024

Find the rest of the US states and their individual online gambling regulations: Updated October 2024

The legal history of online gambling in the USA

Gambling in the US has a long and chequered history, starting with the earliest settlers, who enjoyed playing games of chance to while away their leisure time. Lotteries soon became popular as a way of raising community funds, but this practice was condemned by the British, an attitude that’s believed to have contributed in part to the American Revolution.

For a time, New Orleans became the gambling capital of the USA, with Mississippi riverboats hosting gambling parties, and the Californian Gold Rush helping to bring gambling to the west coast. But by the early 20th-century prohibition was taking hold, and all forms of gambling were outlawed. But the Great Depression saw Nevada introducing legal gambling to generate wealth, with Las Vegas soon becoming the center of activities – a position it holds to this day.

New Jersey was the next state to legalize gambling, with Atlantic City becoming a popular destination for bettors by the late 1970s. Soon there were a couple more states that allow gambling as riverboat casinos opened up in Illinois and Michigan.

The rise of online gambling

Towards the end of the 20th-century online gambling started to take hold. But although there’s nothing in federal law to prohibit gambling, individual states can decide for themselves whether or not to allow it. However, online gambling is subject to extremely strict regulations, with a complex network of laws to muddy the waters.

Some states that allow gambling only permit certain types of wagers, so sports betting might be allowed but nothing else. And trying to sort out which states allow gambling, and which don’t, isn’t a static situation. Some states with casinos also allow online casinos to operate within state lines, whereas others don’t permit it at all.

To make things even more confusing, the UIEGA, or Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was introduced in 2006. Many US citizens believe this prohibits online gambling completely, but it isn’t that simple. The act doesn’t make online gambling illegal but prevents online casinos from making any financial transactions. Luckily for bettors, this is easily circumvented by offshore online casinos allowing US residents to sign up and play, no matter their state.

Editor’s recommendation – the best online gambling operator for users in the USA   

Our experts examine every single online casino available to US players, and we don’t cut any corners as we examine them in forensic detail. We read every little bit of the fine print to make sure we can keep you informed about everything you need to know. And when it comes to states with legal online gambling our editor found one operator offered something a little extra – BetMGM.

BetMGM is available in online gambling legal states, so if you’re lucky enough to live in Colorado, New Jersey, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Tennessee, Michigan, Virginia, Nevada or West Virginia you can sign up and start playing. You’ll find a huge variety of games to play – there’s a sportsbook as well as a casino, and you can even play on your mobile. And of course, there’s a fantastic bonus offer with low wagering requirements, so you can stretch your initial deposit even further!

Five tips for a secure and fair gambling experience in the USA

The number of states that allow online gambling is gradually increasing, so although some of our advice may not be relevant to you right now, it’s important to keep checking back as the situation changes. But for anyone considering playing in states where gambling is illegal at the moment, it’s important to make sure you stay safe.

What do we look for when evaluating online gambling operators for USA residents? 

We tackle our assessment of online gambling by state, to establish which players can access each site. But with more and more online gambling legal states going live, we often find ourselves playing catch-up, reviewing newer offerings on a regular basis. And if you’re wondering how many states allow gambling online, or which are the states that allow online poker, our answer is that it’s constantly changing, so it’s almost impossible to give a definitive answer.

What we can tell you is that we’re always looking out for changes in legislature that will affect US gambling fans. And when we identify a new operator we get straight down to our checks, so that we can provide our site visitors with honest and up-to-the-minute reviews.

Comprehensive reviews

We’ll let you know what each operator’s website looks like, and how easy it is to navigate. Then we drill down a little deeper to let you know the deposit and withdrawal methods on offer and a guide to timescales so you know how long it might take you to access any winnings.

Next, we dig down into the operator’s licenses and security features – we’re extremely hot on ensuring that player funds are kept in a separate account, and we check the full details of every single license, assessing whether it’s been issued by a valid industry regulator.

Then we explore the levels of customer support available, as well as taking a long, hard look at the bonus offers and reward programs you can expect to participate in. A breakdown of the games and sports on offer is all that’s needed to leave you with the complete picture, so you can make the most informed decisions about which operators to sign up to.

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Finding the right online gambling operator for you   

To source your perfect operator, we recommend starting with our in-depth reviews. We cover online gambling by state, so it’s easy to find the sites you can access, but you’ll need to narrow down your options before deciding. And if you’re not currently residing in any of the states that allow gambling, we recommend you keep checking back in case the situation changes.

Check out our articles about the top gambling states, and discover which states allow gambling and which don’t – at least at the moment. And don’t forget that even if you’re not currently living in one of the states that allow gambling, it’s still possible to sign up to an offshore casino or sportsbook site, although your deposit and withdrawal options will be much more limited. If you opt for this route, don’t forget that for your gambling winnings state taxes still apply. Failing to declare them can lead to prosecution for tax evasion.

Define your requirements

We all have different requirements from our gambling sites. Some people enjoy playing during the night, in which case it’s important to look for an operator with 24-hour customer support. Sporting fans who enjoy watching live streams should make sure they seek out a sportsbook operator that offers this facility. And it goes without saying that fans of a particular casino pastime, such as Baccarat or slots, should establish that their preferred operator offers plenty of opportunities to play these types of games.

And of course, as we’ve already pointed out, it’s a great idea to check through our comprehensive operator reviews. They’re packed with invaluable information that will help you narrow down your options, ensuring you find the perfect gambling operator to suit your needs.

Conclusion: discover the states with online gambling operators

We’ve established that federal laws allow gambling by state legislation, but right now there are only some states with online gambling operators. The top gambling states, such as New Jersey, Nevada and Pennsylvania all offer plenty of options, with more and more states joining the party every year.

As we’ve pointed out, in some states gambling is legal, and now we’re finding an increasing number of legal states for online gambling too, so the situation is changing all the time. We suggest bookmarking this site so you can keep checking back to discover what legislative changes have been made and to discover which online gambling operators you can legally access.

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