Since 2018, the number of legal sports betting states in the U.S. has rapidly increased. The market isn’t slowing down, either, with new states and options constantly being introduced. Online and retail sports betting can be found in different formats, with each state presenting its own version of how it wants to allow the activity. But where is sports betting legal in 2022?
There are now more than 30 states in some stage of sports betting acceptance. Many have introduced their markets, some are getting ready to introduce or expand theirs, and others are still figuring out what to do. For the next couple of years, there will be a lot of movement in the U.S. sports betting ecosystem.
Where Is Sports Betting Legal – The List of States
Arizona
Arizona launched legal sports betting in September 2021. The state’s sportsbooks had the best September debut among all legal U.S. markets, taking in $291.2 million. The following month, the market took in $486.1 million.
As the Arizona Department of Gaming processes other license applications, there are currently 15 online sportsbooks in Arizona. All across the state, online sports betting is possible. Governor Doug Ducey had negotiated a new agreement with Arizona tribes that operate casinos in order to include sports betting into their contracts.
Revenue and Handle
The total handle for Arizona, since its initial launch, was $1.244 million as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $118.22 million, and the gross revenue win rate was 9.5 percent.
Arkansas
Arkansas legalized sports betting at its three casinos in July 2019. The Arkansas Racing Commission has adopted a set of rules to allow online gambling in Arkansas. After over an hour of discussion with various stakeholders, including the top online sportsbooks BetMGM and DraftKings, the vote was reached.
Arkansas has the potential to change the way the market looks, considering that online betting is often more than 90 percent of all activity in other states.
Revenue and Handle
The total handle for Arkansas, since its initial launch, was $111.89 million as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $14.16 million, and the gross revenue win rate was 12.66 percent.
Colorado
In May 2020, Colorado legalized online sports betting. Colorado has many online sportsbooks, but it also boasts local brands you won’t find elsewhere.
Colorado’s sports betting law gave each state’s 30+ casinos the right to offer online gambling within state lines through authorized sportsbooks. The majority have so far taken advantage of the opportunity.
Revenue and Handle
The total handle for Colorado, since its initial launch, was $5.03 billion as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $325.91 million, and the gross revenue win rate was 6.48 percent.
Connecticut
Sports betting in Connecticut is legal and accessible throughout the state. In October 2021, online sportsbooks began accepting bets in Connecticut. New users can get bonuses and special offers from DraftKings and SugarHouse, FanDuel, and SugarHouse betting apps.
DraftKings’ permanent sportsbook opened at Foxwoods Casino on Nov. 16. FanDuel at Mohegan Sun has a temporary sportsbook, while seven Winners off-track betting sites are also accepting bets. Bets are taken at Bobby V’s in Stamford Locks and Windsor Locks by the Connecticut Lottery and SugarHouse Sportsbook.
The state lottery has the potential to open additional retail outlets in the future.
Revenue and Handle
The total handle for Connecticut, since its initial launch, was $336.44 million as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $30.14 million, and the gross revenue win rate was 8.96 percent.
Delaware
Delaware was the first state outside of Nevada to offer sports betting. This included single-game and future bets.
Delaware made rapid progress after the court’s decision. It beat New Jersey, which was fighting the case that ended PASPA. Delaware also opened its sports betting operations. In June 2018, the state’s three casinos began accepting bets.
Delaware is one of the few states that had legalized sports betting before the PASPA era.
Revenue and Handle
The total handle for Delaware, since its initial launch, was $459.37 million as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $93.63 million, and the gross revenue win rate was 20.38 percent.
Florida
Florida’s sports betting market was short-lived. After a series of court rulings that disqualified sports betting in Florida, Hard Rock pulled its app from the sportsbook on Dec. 4. It was available for just over a month. The Seminole Tribe has appealed the court decision that vacated 2021 Florida’s gambling compact.
FanDuel and DraftKings are currently working on a ballot initiative to legalize online sports betting. This could be on the November 2022 ballot. If it is passed, Florida sports betting may be available in 2023.
Illinois
Online sports betting in Illinois was legalized in 2020. The in-person verification requirement is expected to end on Mar. 5. The state has a few online sportsbooks, while most of the retail casinos offer sports betting.
For a while, in-person registration was required to participate in online sports betting. This has since been removed, and the results are reflected in the state’s rapidly growing market.
Revenue and Handle
The total handle for Illinois, since its initial launch, was $8.9 billion as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $650.56 million, and the gross revenue win rate was 7.31 percent.
Indiana
Indiana became one of the legal sports betting states when retail shops were opened in September 2019. A month later, online sportsbooks were launched in Indiana.
Since then, Indiana has been a strong location for sports betting. Only two of the 13 Indiana casinos have a sports betting presence at this time. It’s unlikely that anyone noticed their absence with 11 retail locations and nearly as many active sportsbook apps.
The journey of Indiana from legalization to launch took just four months. It was only four months between the passage of the law and the first bet. The usual suspect for many states’ launches was the NFL betting season, which was the driving force behind this quick turnaround.
Revenue and Handle
The total handle for Indiana, since its initial launch, was $6.03 billion as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $486.02 million, and the gross revenue win rate was 8.05 percent.
Iowa
Iowa legalized sports betting in May 2019, and the first online sportsbooks went live in August the same year. Iowa is home to no major pro-teams, but it does have several online sportsbooks.
Iowa residents have access to more than 12 legal online sportsbooks, which offer bonuses for new customers.
Revenue and Handle
The total handle for Iowa, since its initial launch, was $2.82 billion as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $174.8 million, and the gross revenue win rate was 6.18 percent.
Louisiana
Retail sports betting was launched in Louisiana in October 2021. With its sports betting product, the Louisiana Lottery anticipates being ready by early 2022.
Louisiana legal sports betting has been made available online since Jan. 28, 2022, with the launch of online betting. BetMGM, Caesars, and DraftKings were among the six apps to take their first online bets in Louisiana. The state now has seven mobile live sportsbooks.
Revenue and Handle
The total handle for Louisiana, since its initial launch, was $67.13 million as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $10.06 million, and the gross revenue win rate was 14.99 percent.
Maryland
Maryland voters voted yes to legalizing sports betting in the Nov. 2020 election. This brings legal wagering to the Mid-Atlantic state that has no licensed sportsbook. Legislators approved legislation allowing 60 online and 30 retail options in April 2021.
Online betting was approved in December 2021. However, it is possible that online betting will be available in the future. The most likely time for this to happen is the Fall of 2022.
Revenue and Handle
The total handle for Maryland, since its initial launch, was $16.5 million as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $3.17 million, and the gross revenue win rate was 19.15 percent.
Michigan
Michigan introduced in-person betting at the MGM Grand Detroit starting Mar. 11, 2020. BetMGM was launched in early 2021.
Michigan is rapidly becoming a major online gambling and sports betting market. The state’s legislation permits for a highly competitive market that includes multiple operators.
Revenue and Handle
The total handle for Michigan, since its initial launch, was $4.1 billion as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $358.02 million, and the gross revenue win rate was 8.74 percent.
Mississippi
Mississippi is one of the few states that legalized sports betting in 2018. It repealed the section of its law that prohibited the activity in 2017.
Gaming officials stated they were prepared to develop regulations. The federal law that was blocking the activity was a barrier, but in May 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court lifted that obstacle.
In August 2018, the state opened retail sports betting. The state’s online betting market only allows for bets placed at a casino. Users can register anywhere they want but must only place bets at licensed casinos.
BetMGM was the first online sportsbook in Mississippi to open in September 2021. To place a bet, users must visit a Mississippi casino.
Revenue and Handle
The total handle for Mississippi, since its initial launch, was $1.47 billion as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $169.23 million, and the gross revenue win rate was 11.46 percent.
Montana
Montana has legalized sports betting. Mobile betting is also available in this state. However, there are some caveats:
Officially, sports betting was launched by the Montana Lottery in March 2020. This occurred shortly before major US sports were shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Intralot’s platform and lottery are the only legal options for betting on sports in Montana. Intralot won the contract without any public bidding, as the Greek company is currently the Montana Lottery’s provider.
Maximum bets for sports bettors are $250 at the kiosk and $1,000 online.
Revenue and Handle
The total handle for Montana, since its initial launch, was $73.14 million as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $10.46 million, and the gross revenue win rate was 14.32 percent.
Nevada
In 1949, Nevada legalized sports betting. It was the first state that allowed sports betting to be regulated. In 1992, Congress passed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. This law prohibited any state from expanding sports betting.
Nevada was granted a legal monopoly by the U.S. on single-game wagering.
Revenue and Handle
The total handle for Nevada, since its initial launch, was $20.76 billion as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $1.22 billion, and the gross revenue win rate was 5.91 percent.
New Hampshire
After lawmakers passed the enabling bill earlier this year, sports betting in New Hampshire became legalized in July 2019.
In early 2020, the state began mobile sports betting through DraftKings Sportsbook. Within a few months, retail locations will be available.
Revenue and Handle
The total handle for New Hampshire, since its initial launch, was $996.81 million as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $66.86 million, and the gross revenue win rate was 6.71 percent.
New Jersey
Online sports betting in New Jersey is legal and considered the best in the country. Since its launch in June 2018, the market has seen exponential growth. Nearly two dozen apps for sports betting are available in the state.
N.J. sports betting is one of the oldest and most competitive new markets in the U.S.
Revenue and Handle
The total handle for New Jersey, since its initial launch, was $22.78 billion as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $1.6 billion, and the gross revenue win rate was 7.06 percent.
New York
NY sports betting was launched online on Jan. 8, 2019. This joins in-person betting that began in 2019.
FanDuel Sportsbook, DraftKings Sportsbook, Caesars Sportsbook, BetRivers were among the first to go live, with BetMGM going live on Jan. 17. Wynn and PointsBet joined in the fun on Jan. 24, while Wynn launched on Feb. 3. There were only two other sportsbooks that had to go live.
New York may already be the largest legal state for sports betting. According to GeoComply reports, New York witnessed unprecedented online activity in its first weekend.
Revenue and Handle
The total handle for New York, since its initial launch, was $2 billion as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $154.63 million, and the gross revenue win rate was 7.7 percent.
Oregon
In August 2019, Oregon joined the growing number of states that allow legal online betting. The Scoreboard sports betting app was launched in October 2019.
It allows Oregonians to place wagers on any sport from anywhere via their mobile phones. The only app that allows you to wager on sports in Oregon is Scoreboard.
Chinook Winds was the first tribal gaming facility to launch a sportsbook in September 2019. While Oregon has a solid sports betting market, it does not allow betting on college sports.
Revenue and Handle
The total handle for Oregon, since its initial launch, was $595.11 million as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $53.39 million, and the gross revenue win rate was 8.97 percent.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania online sports betting is legal as of 2019 and includes some of the largest names in U.S. sportsbooks, such as FanDuel, BetMGM, and DraftKings.
Pennsylvania has been recognized as one of the most popular markets for legalized sports betting in the nation, with over a dozen different sports betting apps to choose from. This market continues to grow and add new options on a regular basis.
Revenue and Handle
The total handle for Pennsylvania, since its initial launch, was $11.64 million as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $889.66 million, and the gross revenue win rate was 7.64 percent.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island has added fully mobile betting to its sports betting operations during the 2020 legislative session and seems ready for the future.
After the Supreme Court decided to strike down PASPA, the state became the eighth state to offer sports betting. The existing provisions were expanded to include mobile and online betting in early 2019. In late 2019, Rhode Island opened mobile betting on sports with in-person registration.
Revenue and Handle
The total handle for Rhode Island, since its initial launch, was $935.95 million as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $81.65 million, and the gross revenue win rate was 8.72 percent.
South Dakota
South Dakota legalized sports betting in November 2020. However, it was only limitedly approved by voters. In September 2021, four Deadwood casinos began accepting retail sports bets.
Legislators fulfilled voter wishes in 2021 and passed legislation legalizing sports betting within the city of Deadwood. Governor Kristi Noem signed the bill into law in March. Despite some gray areas in the legislative language, sports bettors must place wagers on-premise at Deadwood casino.
The Senate recently approved a new bill in a narrow vote. This would allow voters to approve South Dakota mobile sports betting. The legislation is still being discussed but could appear on the ballot in 2022.
Revenue and Handle
The total handle for South Dakota, since its initial launch, was $2.65 million as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $254,582, and the gross revenue win rate was 9.6 percent.
Tennessee
As of November 2020, online betting on sports was legal and available in Tennessee. There are nine apps competing for attention.
Online wagering and mobile apps are the only ways to place bets on Tennessee sports. The state bans retail betting. However, sports betting apps offer many sign-up incentives to new users. More apps will likely be launched pending approval by the Sports Wagering Advisory Council.
Revenue and Handle
The total handle for Tennessee, since its initial launch, was $3.04 billion as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $265.89 million, and the gross revenue win rate was 8.74 percent.
Virginia
Online sports betting in Virginia is legal and available. Virginia now has 11 sportsbook apps, less than one year after the initial books were launched in January 2021. In 2022, additional sportsbooks will be available.
People living in Virginia have seen a complete transformation since Virginia became a gambling-friendly state. Due to the lack of gambling venues or casinos in Virginia, Virginia is the only state that offers online sports betting.
The law that allowed sports betting also required the construction of several casinos in the state. These casinos could be used later to host new sportsbook websites.
Revenue and Handle
The total handle for Virginia, since its initial launch, was $3.22 billion as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $285.9 million, and the gross revenue win rate was 8.87 percent.
Washington, DC
D.C. sports betting is now live. There are currently four ways to book your action while in Washington, DC, including at Grand Central Restaurant, Bar & Sportsbook.
GambetDC is the D.C. Lottery’s sportsbook wing. It is available in every district. GambetDC was launched in 2009 but has faced many difficulties since then. There are other options available with Caesars Sportsbook or BetMGM in certain areas of the city.
D.C.’s involvement in sports betting is both rare and imperfect. For this reason, a sportsbook that is only available in a two-block radius and is not open to online betting is still more popular than an online sportsbook.
Revenue and Handle
Since its initial launch, the total handle for Washington, DC, was $282.4 million as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $40.55 million, and the gross revenue win rate was 14.36 percent.
Washington
Washington legalized sports betting in March 2020. The first bet was placed on Sept. 9, 2021. Only tribal casinos are allowed to take bets.
Mobile betting on sports, as in Mississippi, is only allowed if it’s placed at a casino. This will be a major deterrent to the state’s revenue potential. Mobile betting is not likely to become a statewide reality anytime soon, but legal efforts are currently underway.
Revenue and Handle
Because tribes operate the sportsbooks, they are not obligated to share their revenue information.
West Virginia
Online and retail betting in West Virginia is legal and live. Since August 2018, West Virginia’s sportsbooks have accepted wagers, just two months after Delaware became a non-Nevada state with a sports betting platform.
There are six online sportsbooks and five casinos in West Virginia.
It is simple. There were few states more vocal in supporting New Jersey’s ongoing legal case against it regarding its federal sports ban. Since its launch, the state has had its ups and downs, including BetLucky’s disastrous closing, which was a Delaware North brand, now known as Betly Sportsbook.
Revenue and Handle
The total handle for West Virginia, since its initial launch, was $1.28 billion as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $102.73 million, and the gross revenue win rate was 7.99 percent.
Wyoming
Wyoming launched sports betting on September 1st, 2021. DraftKings Sportsbook and BetMGM were the first Wyoming online sportsbooks to launch their apps the very first day. FanDuel was approved to operate on Nov. 19, but has yet not launched. PointsBet was approved on Feb. 3.
According to a spokesperson for the Wyoming Pari-Mutuel Commission, Barstool Sportsbook also expressed interest in the state.
Mobile betting is available through multiple operators because there are no casinos within the state. Two Native American tribes operate four tribal casinos. These tribes can offer Class III gaming and would also be allowed to offer sports betting at the casinos.
Wyoming is the only state to legally accept cryptocurrency for sports betting.
Revenue and Handle
The total handle for Wyoming, since its initial launch, was $40.34 million as of the beginning of February 2022. The gross sportsbook revenue was $4 million, and the gross revenue win rate was 9.94 percent.