Online Gambling in the USA: Where is iGaming Legal?

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Legal Status of US Online Gambling  2025

The current legal status of online gambling in the US can look very different from one state to the next, depending on their regulations about iGaming, sports betting, and other types of online betting.

Sports Betting

Since the US Supreme Court's May 14, 2018 ruling, individual US states have the right to legalize sports betting. Land-based casinos now host sportsbooks if the local state allows it. Online sports betting is also legal (if a state approves), but only if handled in one state. Interstate online sports betting remains illegal. Over 20 US states now have legal sports betting.

Casinos

Commercial and tribal casinos operate throughout the United States. Eighteen US states have commercial casinos, six others have riverboat casinos, and 31 have tribal casinos. Six US states also have legal online casinos. In the other states, players must gamble online at offshore online casinos.

Poker

Poker is played at land-based casinos and local poker clubs throughout the USA. Most big casinos have a poker room. Only 7 US states allow legalized online poker. Card players in most other states must play at offshore online cardrooms. Private poker games are left to the individual US states.

Lottery

At present, 45 US states offer lottery betting. Each state has its own lottery and is a member of two multi-state lottery associations: Powerball and Mega Millions. Only Alabama, Nevada, Utah, Hawaii, and Alaska don't offer lottery games.

Horse Betting

39 of 50 US states have legalized pari-mutuel betting at horse tracks. Since the 1978 Interstate Horse Racing Act of 1978, race tracks can broadcast their races to other tracks and accept betting (called simulcasting). Since then, many states have added off-track betting venues -- called OTBs.

Charitable Gaming

46 states have charitable gambling, though the type of allowed gambling differs greatly between states. Charitable bingo is most common, but raffles, pull tabs, poker nights, millionaire clubs, and pickle games are also popular. Hawaii, Utah, Arkansas, and Tennessee are the only states without charitable gambling.

Sweepstakes Casinos

Online social casinos are generally legal in all 50 U.S. states because they do not involve real-money gambling. Social casinos operate under a “sweepstakes” or “free-to-play” model, where players use virtual currency to participate and can sometimes win cash prizes or additional virtual currency. Since no direct monetary wagering is involved, they are not classified as gambling under most US state laws.

USA Federal Gambling Laws

One reason US gambling laws are so complicated and confusing is that federal gambling laws are also confusing. Due to the Dual Sovereignty clause of the US Constitution, players must navigate state and federal gambling laws. Specifically, three federal laws have a major effect on US online gamblers: the Wire Act, PASPA, and UIGEA. One of those laws no longer applies.

• 1961 Wire Act: This act made it illegal to make interstate sports bets over the telephone lines. The FBI used it to pursue organized crime for decades. Later, it was used as a model for the UIGEA, which pursued illegal online sportsbooks.
• 1992 PASPA: The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act law made it a federal crime to make sports bets in 46 US states. Four states had existing sports betting laws grandfathered in: Nevada, Montana, Oregon, and Delaware. In 2018, the US Supreme Court ruled these exemptions were unconstitutional due to the Commerce Clause of the US Constitution. Since then, over 20 US states have legalized sports betting.
• 2006 UIGEA: The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was designed to make illegal gambling over the Internet the same forms that the Wire Act made illegal for phone lines. Since then, the debate has been on what was illegal under the Wire Act: just sports betting or also casino gaming and poker. The DOJ's Office of Legal Counsel says UIGEA affects interstate sports betting but not online casinos or poker sites.

No significant federal gambling laws have been passed in the United States since 2006. However, notable developments have occurred through judicial decisions and state-level actions:

• 2011 DOJ Opinion: The Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a formal opinion clarifying that the Wire Act of 1961 applies only to sports betting, not to other forms of online gambling. This interpretation opened the door for states to legalize online lotteries and other internet-based gambling activities.
• 2018 Supreme Court Decision: The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) of 1992, effectively banning commercial sports betting in most states. This landmark decision allowed individual states to legalize and regulate sports betting within their borders.

State-Specific Online Gambling Laws

Only a few US states have legalized online casinos. “Legal” means these states issue licenses to specific online casinos and oversee their operations through regulation, audits, and taxation. However, many unregulated gaming sites continue to operate, relying on oversight from offshore regulatory agencies rather than United States authorities.

For now, let's review the states with legal online casinos in the US.

• New Jersey: Since 2013, New Jersey has had legal online casinos through world-famous Atlantic City casinos like Borgata, Golden Nugget, and Sportsbook. They partner with top online casino operators.
• Pennsylvania: In 2019, Pennsylvania began launching licensed online casino sites through its land-based casinos. Parx Casino, SugarHouse Casino, and Hollywood Casino operate legally.
• Michigan: Michigan launched legal online casinos in 2021 and 2022. Top MI casinos include MGM Detroit, Greektown Casino, and MotorCity Casino.
• West Virginia: Starting in July 2020, West Virginia land-based casinos began launching legal online casino sites. Hollywood Casino Charles Town is a top operator.
• Delaware: Since 2013, Delaware has had legal online casinos. Three racetracks—Delaware Park, Dover Downs, and Harrington Racecourse—each have their own gaming portals.
• Connecticut: In 2021, Connecticut legalized online casinos. Currently, Mohegan Sun operates a site under its own name, while Foxwoods is owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation on their reservation located in Ledyard, Connecticut.
• Rhode Island: In June 2023, Rhode Island legalized online casino gaming with the passage of Senate Bill 948 (S0948B), signed into law by Governor Daniel McKee. The legislation, set to launch in mid-2024, allows live dealer table games and slots through Bally’s Corporation, with a tax rate of 50% on slots and 18% on table games.

Where Is Online Gambling Legal In The US? State-By-State Gambling Guide

• Arkansas: In March 2022, Arkansas legalized online sports betting. Despite the expansion of land-based gambling in recent years, online casino regulation is far off.
• Arizona: Online casino betting remains unregulated, so you must play at offshore online casinos. Gov. Doug Ducey signed into law HB 2772 in early 2021, which legalized sports betting in the state's land-based casinos. This allowed 20 sports betting licenses in all.
• California: California lawmakers tried 11 times in a 10-year period to pass an online poker bill, but two groups of tribal casino authorities could not agree on the "Bad Actor" clause that affected PokerStars. Thus, California online gamblers must play at offshore online casinos, poker sites, and sportsbooks.
• Colorado: Colorado has unregulated online casino betting. Colorado legalized sports betting in May 2020 to prop up its land-based casino industry.
• Connecticut: In May 2021, Connecticut passed land-based sports betting, online casinos, and online poker. In October 2021, online gambling became available through the Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods websites.
• Illinois: Illinois doesn't regulate online casinos, so residents still play at offshore casino sites. The state did legalize intrastate online and mobile sportsbooks in 2020. Ten riverboat casinos continue to operate, as well.
• Indiana: Indiana launched online sports betting in 2020 for single-state bettors, but online casinos are not regulated by the state. Indiana casino gamblers must play at offshore casino sites.
• Iowa: Iowa has dabbled with online gambling legislation in the past few years, but lawmakers have never come close to passing it. Instead, the state passed an online sports betting law with remote registration in January 2020. Since then, land-based casinos have been able to host online sportsbooks.
• Louisiana: Like many other states on this list, Louisiana does not have regulated online casinos. It did license five online sportsbooks connected to land-based casinos. On January 28, 2022, those Sportsbooks went live.
• Maryland: Maryland doesn't have licensed online casinos, but Gov. Larry Hogan signed a sports betting law into effect after a 2020 referendum passed. Maryland will have 60 online sports betting licenses, though no sportsbooks have gone live yet. One is set aside for the FedEx Field, the home stadium of the Washington Commanders.
• Michigan: Michigan legalized online casinos, online poker, and land-based sports betting in December 2019. Sportsbooks launched on March 11, 2020, while online gambling launched on January 22, 2021. Michigan also joined the Multi-State Internet Gambling Association (MSIGA) -- known as the Interstate Poker Compact -- on April 12, 2022.
• Mississippi: Mississippi was one of the first states to pass legal sports betting, but it's administered much differently than most states. One sportsbook operates, but players must visit a brick-and-mortar casino to make a sports wager. Online casinos and online poker remain unregulated.
• Montana: Online casinos and poker sites remain unregulated in Big Sky Country at the present. Sports betting is allowed, but it must be done at a physical location through a licensed sales agent.
• Nevada: The Silver State has a weird mix of laws. It has legalized online poker but doesn't regulate online casinos. Nevada is part of the Interstate Poker Compact, but only one poker website operates. Online casino players must play at offshore casino sites.
• New Hampshire: New Hampshire features online lottery ticket sales and online sports betting. Otherwise, online gambling is unregulated. New Hampshire residents play at offshore online casinos for real money.
• New Jersey: The Garden State currently has the largest online gambling industry in the USA. Atlantic City casinos and New Jersey horse tracks can launch online gambling portals, including online casinos, poker sites, and sportsbooks. New Jersey is also part of the MSIGA.
• New York: The Empire State has flirted with regulating online poker sites in the past, but licensed online casinos are not on the horizon. On January 8, 2022, New York legalized retail sports betting tied to online and mobile sportsbooks.
• Ohio: Gov. Mike DeWine continues to talk about legalizing online gambling, but nothing has happened as of yet. Ohio did legalize retail sports betting and online sportsbooks in 2021. The law stipulates up to 25 online Sportsbook sites and 40 brick-and-mortar sportsbooks. Liquor license holders can have two sports betting kiosks, though the law has a legal deadline of January 1, 2023, so stay tuned.
• Pennsylvania: In October 2018, Pennsylvania passed an omnibus gambling bill for licensed online casinos and poker sites, land-based sports betting and DFS, video lottery terminals (VLTs), and airport tablet betting. Many believe Pennsylvania will join the Interstate Poker Compact, but it has not happened yet.
• Rhode Island: Online gambling remains unregulated, so residents play at offshore online casinos. Rhode Island added retail sports betting in 2019, so bettors can make wagers at the Twin Rivers Casino complex.
• Tennessee: Tennessee doesn't have regulated online casinos and poker sites, so players gamble at offshore gaming sites. As of November 2020, Tennessee has online-only sports betting.
• Virginia: In January 2021, Virginia passed online sports betting. Real money online casino and poker betting takes place at offshore gambling sites.
• Washington, DC: District Columbia players must play casino games and poker events at offshore online casinos and cardrooms. Bettors can make sports bets in two different ways. One is to use the mobile sports betting app Gambet from the DC Lottery, and the other is to enter licensed sportsbooks.
• Washington State: Unlike most other US states, the State of Washington strictly bans online gambling, perhaps because it is a global center of the online gaming industry (Steam/Valve, Twitch, Popcap, etc). Residents should be careful when playing online casino games for real money.
• West Virginia: Since the late summer of 2019, bettors in the Mountaineer State can make mobile sports bets. Five land-based casinos also launched online casino games in July 2020.
• Wyoming: Players in the Equality State must play casino games online at offshore gaming sites. Since late 2021, sports bettors could make online wagers at the state's licensed online sportsbooks.

Future Legalization Prospects

As of December 2024, several US states are actively considering legalizing online gambling, including online casinos and poker. While these states are currently the most likely candidates, the timeline for legalization can vary based on political, economic, and social factors.

Here are some states that are most likely to legalize online casinos next:

How To Gamble Online In The USA

Gambling online in the United States is easy. Players accept huge welcome bonuses, then pick from hundreds of casino games for their real money play. If you've never played at a casino site, here is a quick guide to playing casino games online.

How We Rate The Top American Online Casinos

If you're new to US online casinos, you might not know where to start when choosing a provider. Use the following checklist to decide which online casinos are safe and which sites are the best for your needs. Each player has slightly different wants and needs, but the following list should be important to all players. You can also visit our online casino reviews for more information about specific operators.

• Safety and Security: Choose a site known for keeping transactions and online betting safe and secure. That means 128-bit or 256-bit encryption. The site also must have a reputation for reliably and on-timely paying withdrawals. Avoid sites with a reputation for slow or no payment. Avoid casinos that aren't licensed in the United States.
• Welcome Bonus: Welcome bonuses are promotional cash that sites offer players to test-drive their casino. If a player enjoys the casino's games, they keep playing. From a player's perspective, they get free cash to play select games for entertainment and ease of use. The welcome bonus effectively lowers the house edge, allowing you to win real payouts without risking your hard-earned money.
• Convenient Deposits: Players want to use their favorite payment method, whether it's a credit card, debit card, web wallet, bank transfer, or cryptocurrency. Credit card users want to stack cashback and rewards with the casino bonus. Thus, US players want casinos that support many banking options, especially their favorite one. Our reviews list all banking methods, along with deposit and withdrawal limits for each.
• Game Selection: Once technical factors are out of the way, it's all about the games. Many casino sites use multiple software providers to give a maximum variety of slots and table games. We review the game selection, describing the number and type of games available. You'll want to build a checklist of your favorite games to compare against a site's game selection.
• Mobile Casino Apps: At least 50% of online players are now mobile players. Legitimate online casinos now feature Android and iPhone apps or can play mobile casino games in a browser without a download. Either way, mobile players will look for sites that support play on Android and iOS devices on 100% of their game selection.
• Fast Withdrawals: When it's time to cash out, players want fast and reliable payouts. Crypto users receive fast, secure payouts within a matter of hours, while those who use credit cards, PayPal, or bank wire transfers take several days. Fast, therefore, is a relative term, but the key factor is knowing that you'll be paid within a reliable time frame.
• Customer Service: The best casinos strive to avoid compatibility concerns and tech issues but play long enough, and issues arise. When they do, you want customer representatives who are knowledgeable, helpful, fluent, polite, and available 24 hours a day. Casinos' support staff should have a toll-free phone number, email address, and live chat feature.

US Online Casino Payment Methods

US online casino players have a wide variety of banking methods. Here is a quick rundown of the broad categories. We recommend choosing Bitcoin or another crypto if you use crypto payments in other online transactions. They are safe and fast, while casinos offer the biggest bonuses for crypto deposits.

• Credit Card Deposits: Most online casinos support Visa and MasterCard deposits. American Express and Discover Card are not universal, but you'll find them at many US online casinos. Credit cards, prepaid cards, and gift cards with the Visa, MasterCard, and Amex brands also work.
• Bitcoin Deposits: Because of blockchain technology, Bitcoin is the fastest, safest, most private, and yet most transparent way to fund your casino account. Cryptocurrencies like Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, and Dash provide similar security.
• Ethereum Deposits: Ethereum is a late cryptocurrency that's become popular for deposits at US online casinos. It works faster than Bitcoin and can execute smart contracts.
• Web Wallets: Neteller and Skrill are prominent e-wallets that many US online casinos support. Web wallets cost a fee but provide an additional layer of security and privacy for real money players.
• PayPal: eBay's official electronic payment method is also a deposit option for players at top gambling sites.
• Bank Wire Transfers: If you wish to move money from a casino to a bank account, use bank wire transfers. These cost a fee and take a bit longer, but are a secure method for depositing and withdrawing casino funds.
• Eco Card Deposits: EcoPayz partners with MasterCard to give MasterCard and Maestro users their own e-wallet service. Eco Card deposits give credit card and debit card users an additional layer of protection.
• Peer-to-Peer Services: At some casino sites, players can use peer-to-peer payment services like MatchPay and Person2Person to fund their accounts. MatchPay is important because it helps players transfer funds from Zelle, Venmo, PayPal, and CashApp.

Online Casino Games: US Players' Favorites

Play long enough, and Americans will encounter many exotic online casino games. Most of the sites we recommend feature a core of traditional casino games. They also feature lottery and raffle-type games in their specialty games sections. Here is a rundown of the casino games you'll encounter.

• Online Slots: Many online players focus on the number and quality of slot games. Most US online casinos have two or more slot providers, offering between 150 and 400 different slot titles. These include 5-reel slots, 3-reel slots, licensed games, progressive slots, and slots with hot drop jackpots.
• Online Blackjack: Blackjack is on the other end of the spectrum. Many US casino sites have European Blackjack, Perfect Pairs, Vegas Strip Blackjack, and Pontoon. Some have newer versions, like Zappit Blackjack and Pirate Blackjack.
• Online Roulette: Most casinos offer European Roulette and American Roulette. Many also have French Roulette, the game with the French-language wagers.
• Online Baccarat: The most popular Asian casino game is a staple in US online casinos. Baccarat has a low house edge and no strategy requirements. The online version plays like Mini-Baccarat since the software deals with the cards.
• Online Craps: The world's most popular dice game also has good odds if you choose the right bets. If you can't find craps in your favorite casino, try Online Sic Bo - a Chinese dice game with slightly worse odds.
• Online Keno: The specialty games section often features Keno online. This is the Chinese 80-ball lottery game with jackpots between $100,000 and $1 million.
• Online Bingo: Bingo is the most popular charitable gambling game, but it’s also featured in many US online casinos.
• Online Scratch Cards: The specialty games section also features online scratch card games. These are like the scratch-off lottery games you'd buy in a convenience store. Online casinos play much like online slots.
• Live Dealer Games: Most US casino sites now feature live casino games. A real dealer rolls the dice, deals the cards, or spins the wheel. The game is recorded and live-streamed on your computer. Live Blackjack, Live Roulette, and Live Baccarat are the most common games.

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