Author:
Ashley
Last Updated:
27/10/2025
Topic:
US States
Experiences:
CA born, casino expert
Topic:
US States
Experiences:
CA born, casino expert
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When it comes to online gambling, Tennessee offers fairly limited choices compared to some other states. But we’re here to help you make sense of the regulations, so you can make the most informed decision about your betting activities.
Stay on this page to find out everything you could possibly need to know about online gambling in TN. We’ll explain what your options are, the types of betting permitted within state lines, and we’ll even give you some helpful pointers so that you can give yourself a clear advantage too!
This is where you need to be if you have an interest in online gambling in Tennessee. Whether you’re looking for online casinos in Tennessee, or you love nothing better than placing a wager on your favourite sporting fixtures, if you live in Tennessee, we’ve got all the information you need.
It makes no difference whether you’re a seasoned high roller, who loves nothing more than some high-risk, high-stakes betting, or you’re a complete newbie who’s about to dip your toes into the online gambling waters for the very first time. We can help your online gambling in TN get off to a flying start – and we’ll even point out the introductory offers that you can benefit from when you sign up to an online gambling operator!
Tennessee is reckoned to have some of the most restrictive gambling laws across the entire US, so finding opportunities to wager within the state isn’t the easiest. However, that certainly doesn’t mean it can’t be done, as we’ll explain.
But first, let’s take a look at the Volunteer State’s approach to gambling over the years – and it’s clear to see that nothing much has changed until very recent times. The state came into being on 1st June 1796, since when gambling has been pretty much outlawed. The Racing Control Act of 1987 muddied the waters a little, since it wasn’t fully authorised, thereby creating something of a grey area when it came to betting on horse races.
Late in 2002 the Tennessee Education Lottery, now better known as the TEL, came into being, with the first state lottery tickets going on sale just 14 months later. The Racing Control Act was repealed in 2015, with Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) going live in the state the following year. By May of 2019 the Governor of Tennessee, Bill Lee, declined to put his signature to a forthcoming bill concerning online sports betting in the state, and by November 2020 the first TN online sports betting site was launched.
Currently Tennessee residents are permitted to take part in the state lottery, which also gives access to a few other games, including Powerball and Mega Millions. But even if you prepare your ticket online you still have to finalise the process at a land-based lottery retailer.
Poker games played for money aren’t allowed anywhere in Tennessee, and bingo games are only permitted to be run by not-for-profit organisations.
There are no casinos in Tennessee, not even tribal ones, and no retail sports betting is allowed. However, online sports betting has been permitted since 2020, indicating that the state is softening its attitude. We can’t predict the future, but we certainly hope that Tennessee will soon be opening up to more online gambling activities to bring it in line with neighbouring states, such as Mississippi – which provides a safe haven for Tennessee bettors living near the Magnolia State.
There may only be a few opportunities to engage in online gambling in Tennessee, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy an exciting – and potentially lucrative – betting session on your favourite sports. There are no retail sports betting opportunities, but a few sportsbook sites have already opened their virtual doors to Volunteer State residents, including the powerhouse that is BetMGM.
We highly recommend BetMGM, thanks to its strong reputation in the online gambling industry. Tennessee bettors can take advantage of wagering opportunities across a variety of sports, including baseball, football, basketball, hockey, MMA, soccer, tennis and golf. The site is easy and intuitive to use, and with every bet placed on the site you’ll earn rewards, helping your bankroll stretch that bit further.
Our expert reviewers have consistently praised BetMGM for its ease of use, excellent selection of deposit methods and fast withdrawal times. The site also has one of the most comprehensive support databases we’ve come across, making it easy to find the answer to just about any question you might have. In the unlikely event that you can’t find a solution to your problem there’s an active customer support team, who are happy to give you a callback if you’d like to chat in person.
Now that online sports gambling has become legal in the state of Tennessee, there’s a strong likelihood that more forms of betting will gradually open up within the state. We want our readers to have the safest and most entertaining gambling session with every wager, so we recommend you read through these five tips, which will help to give you a genuine advantage.
When we review each operator, we aim to put all the important info front and center, so you can make well-informed decisions about who to sign up with. We spend a great deal of time compiling each review, covering every aspect of a site to bring you the complete picture. We cover these very same aspects for operators in other states too, so it doesn’t matter whether you live in Tennessee or or you’re gambling in Rhode Island, these are the topics we include:
We make sure that every operator holds a license issued by a reputable industry regulator, rather than one who distributes them to anyone who can pay the fee. We also dig deep into each site’s safety and security protocols, ensuring that client data is kept private, and that client funds are kept in a completely separate account.
It doesn’t matter how good a sportsbook offering is, if the site isn’t easy and intuitive to navigate. We’re looking out for designs that are easy on the eye, with all the important information made easily accessible so you don’t have to go hunting for it. We still recommend you check the site out in person before signing up though, as site design is highly subjective, and you need to make sure you’re going to enjoy every visit.
Once you’ve made your decision and signed up to your preferred operator, you’ll be keen to get started on your wagering, so we check that every Tennessee sportsbook offers a good selection of payment and withdrawal options. You won’t want to wait around interminably to withdraw your funds either, so we take a long, hard look at withdrawal times and report back on our findings.
Everyone needs a little extra help from time to time, and when you’re wagering real dollars, you’re bound to have some questions that need answering. We scope out an operator’s customer service team to find out how you get in touch, and how quick they are to respond. We’ll tell you if there’s a comprehensive FAQ section too, as well as letting you know your contact options, so you know how to access help when you need it.
Most operators offer an introductory bonus, regardless of whether you’re looking at Tennessee sportsbooks or sites that offer online gambling in Wyoming. For a sportsbook, it’s usually in the form of a risk-free first bet or bonus funds to match your initial deposit. We drill down into the promotional offers, telling you what’s involved and how to claim and use your bonus. And we also tell you about VIP and reward programs, so you know what to expect when you sign up.





Take a look at the available Tennessee online gambling sites and you’ll see that you have a number of options. But not all of them will be suitable for your needs, so you need to establish exactly what you’re looking for in terms of an online betting partner.
There’s not currently a Tennessee online casino list, although we hope that situation might change over the coming months. But you certainly have a few sportsbook options, so make sure you pick the right one for you. That means you need to start out by defining the type of online betting experience you’re hoping for.
Check out our list of TN online gambling sites, then read our reviews to narrow down your options. Now you should take the time to define your preferred experience, which starts by examining your playing style.
If you’re a night owl, you should look for an operator with a 24/7 support service, to make sure someone is available if you run into problems during unsociable hours.
Not all sportsbook operators offer the same selection of sporting events, so double-check that your favourites are listed before signing up.
Some sportsbook operators offer the facility to live-stream fixtures, so keep a lookout for this option if it’s something you enjoy.
Most people like to receive bonuses, and some operators are more generous in that regard than others, so check out your options before committing to an operator.
As we’ve seen in this article, when it comes to online gambling Tennessee bettors don’t have a huge amount of choice as yet. There are a handful of sportsbook operators, but casino fans will have to wait for a while before we see any further changes to the State legislature.
In the meantime, check out the current TN online gambling sites on this page to find your new favourite sportsbook partner. We suggest you bookmark this page so you can come back to check whether anything’s changed in the Volunteer State – we update our information regularly, so we’ll always keep you filled in about the latest developments.