The US online gambling industry has grown by leaps and bounds over the last decade, with an increasing number of states passing legislation to legalize and regulate remote wagering in its various forms. Remote gambling activities are generally grouped into three main categories, namely online sports wagering, online poker, and online casino games.
Each state has a unique stance on what is legal and what is not since gambling is regulated both on federal and state levels. Some states allow for legal sports betting only, while others have expanded their range of legal gambling products to include online casinos and online poker. In essence, what is legal in one state, may be illegal in another.
The focus of today’s article falls specifically on online casino games and where you can play them legally in the US. Also included in the publication is a complete breakdown of the legal forms of remote gambling in each state, along with information about several major pieces of gambling legislation that have helped shape the current landscape in the country.
What Forms of Gambling Are Legal and Where?
Most states have already started to regulate remote gambling in one form or another in an attempt to raise additional revenue and prevent the leakage of taxable money. Retail and online sports betting are now legal in many parts of the country. Unfortunately, we cannot say the same for online casino games and poker which remain unregulated in most states for the time being.
The table below gives you a state-by-state breakdown of the legal online gambling activities on US soil. Keep in mind the regulatory climate in the US is constantly undergoing changes, however. Certain states may expand their range of legal betting options in the future.
State* | Online Casinos | Online Sportsbooks | Online Poker |
---|---|---|---|
Arizona | N/A | Regulated | N/A |
Arkansas | N/A | Regulated | N/A |
Colorado | N/A | Regulated | N/A |
Connecticut | Regulated | Regulated | N/A |
Delaware | Regulated | Legal | Regulated |
Illinois | N/A | Regulated | N/A |
Iowa | N/A | Regulated | N/A |
Indiana | N/A | Regulated | N/A |
Louisiana | N/A | Regulated | N/A |
Michigan | Regulated | Regulated | Regulated |
Massachusetts | N/A | Pending Launch in 2023 | N/A |
Maryland | N/A | Regulated | N/A |
Nevada | N/A | Regulated | Regulated |
New Jersey | Regulated | Regulated | Regulated |
New Hampshire | N/A | Regulated | N/A |
New York | N/A | Regulated | N/A |
Oregon | N/A | Regulated | N/A |
Ohio | N/A | Regulated | N/A |
Pennsylvania | Regulated | Regulated | Regulated |
Rhode Island | N/A | Regulated | N/A |
Tennessee | N/A | Regulated | N/A |
Virginia | N/A | Regulated | N/A |
Washington | N/A | Allowed on Tribal Reservations Only | N/A |
West Virginia | Regulated | Regulated | Regulated |
Wyoming | N/A | Regulated | N/A |
Wisconsin | N/A | Allowed on the Oneida Nation Reservation | N/A |
*Only states that regulate at least one form of remote gambling have made the list.
States with Legal Online Casinos
In 2011, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) revisited the Federal Wire Act of 1961 and issued an official opinion stating that this outdated piece of legislation only applied to interstate sports wagering. The DOJ experienced a sudden change of heart and reversed its stance eight years later.
The legislation applies to all forms of gambling under the current interpretation. Nonetheless, the 2011 memorandum opened the door for several states to legalize online poker and other forms of remote gambling that are unrelated to sports.
Further Online Gaming Expansion Is Possible
The availability of legal online gaming options remains limited in the country at the present moment, with Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Delaware, Michigan, and Connecticut being the only states to regulate remote casinos.
While not as prevalent as online sportsbooks, the iGaming segment is slowly but surely growing its footprint on US soil. More states are expected to follow suit in the near future, as Nevada, New York, Indiana, and Illinois are all making a push for the legalization of online gaming.