Gambling regulation varies across states. This could involve anything from local casinos and charitable gambling operations, to state law. When it comes to online gambling, some states have outright banned it while others are gradually adopting regulated platforms; we will go over all 50 states in this article so you know which forms are legal in your area.
New Jersey was the first state to launch legal online sports betting in February 2013, prompting Nevada, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Mississippi to also legalize this form of gambling. New Jersey’s decision was inspired by their casino industry suffering as more gamblers moved online for wagers instead of visiting physical locations to place bets.
Delaware was another state that quickly made moves toward opening up its iGaming market, with Gov. Jack Markell authorizing sports wagering in 2012 and subsequent expansion of iGaming offerings since. Delaware stands out among other iGaming markets by only offering limited online options via casinos or state lotteries in its state.
West Virginia legalized online casino gaming in March 2019, although it didn’t generate quite the same buzz as in Pennsylvania or Nevada. West Virginia Governor Jim Justice spearheaded legislation for passage, and soon afterwards DraftKings Casino and BetMGM began serving players from West Virginia on their platforms.
Kentucky takes an unusual stance towards iGaming: while they permit pari-mutuel horse racing and charitable bingo, they have an zero tolerance policy when it comes to other forms of gambling such as iGaming.
Louisiana stands out as an anomaly when it comes to gambling laws, with each parish having different gambling restrictions. Some counties in Louisiana have passed legislation authorizing online sports betting while other parishes prohibit it; it remains to be seen how Louisiana will approach this industry as time goes on.
Georgia currently prohibits online casino gambling, yet lawmakers have attempted to change this stance with no luck – leading them to struggle getting legislation passed that would legalize these forms of betting before legislators.
Alaska, like Iowa, does not permit online gambling; however residents of Alaska can at least take advantage of three tribal casinos within its boundaries. Iowa does not prohibit such activity but instead permits social and no-rake casino gaming within private residences.