Since the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was abolished by the Supreme Court in 2018, it has been increasingly easy for people in the United States to place bets on sports. American citizens in numerous states now have access to legal sports betting and are helping to forge a potent new economic generator.
Betting on sports has always been hugely popular but in the United States lawmakers have spent a lot of time and dollars trying to make it illegal. 2018’s historic Supreme Court decision meant states around the country are now free to create legislation to allow sports betting within their lines.
Finding out which states currently allow sports betting is easy and can be done by looking in Legalbetting.com, with a live map of legal sportsbooks around the United States. 17 states currently allow land-based sports betting, while only 7 have adopted legal online sportsbooks. Those states are now capitalizing on the massive revenues sports betting brings and seeing a boost to local economies.
Europe has always been the home of sports betting, with most countries on the continent allowing wagering on sporting events. There have traditionally been fewer restrictions in Europe compared to the United States. However, it is predicted the United States could swiftly surpass the revenue of Europe’s sports betting market if legalization continues around states.
Land-Based Sports Betting
For many years, Nevada was the only state that allowed legal single bet sportsbooks, making Las Vegas the Mecca for sports betting. The state avoided the PASPA legislation because it already had legal sports betting before the bill was enacted. Since the Supreme Court overturned PASPA, 16 other states are now offering equal sports betting infrastructure to Las Vegas.
With the adoption likely to continue in other states, more sports betting operators are confident enough to enter the market. Bettors visiting these sportsbooks have access to sports odds history, betting lines covering all the world’s major sporting events and competitions, including the NBA and NFL.
The 17 states with legal land-based sportsbook betting are:
- Arkansas
- Delaware
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- West Virginia
Many other states have legislation in place that will move forward on the promise of introducing sports betting in 2020. Many within the betting industry and observers in government believe 80% of states will be offering land-based sportsbooks within the next five years. Some states, such as Utah, are unlikely to introduce legal sports betting but people within those states can still access out-of-state sportsbooks.
Online Sports Betting
Fewer states have been willing to allow online sports betting. Many bettors prefer online sports wagering because it provides more convenience. Online sportsbooks can be used anywhere and at any time, whether on the train to work or the sofa at home. People also value the simplicity of seeing all betting lines conveniently displayed online.
Only seven states have adopted legal online sports betting legislation:
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- West Virginia
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Oregon
- Nevada
Bettors who do not live in those states can still access sports betting websites within those legal states. State laws that ban sports betting (such as in Utah) are focused on preventing companies from opening online sportsbook operations within state lines. Those laws are not centered on stopping individuals from betting on out-of-state or offshore sportsbooks.
