Ines | September 14, 2020 | Updated on: January 29th, 2021
Gambling is an activity that a lot of people take part in. Hence, there have to be US gambling laws that will govern the activity. As gambling has been around for a long time, laws regulating gambling have seen numerous changes.
There are three gaming regulations in the United States. The gaming regulations will be for the state, local, and federal entities. Gambling laws in the US are liberal, with most states offering some form of gambling. Examples include:
44 states have lotteries
About 25 states have tribal casinos
However, when it comes to US online gambling laws, there has been a little progression. If you want to find out more about US gambling laws, whether online or locally, keep reading our guide. We have a look at federal online gambling laws, states where gambling is illegal, and the US gambling industry.
Federal laws permit gambling in the United States. However, some restrictions related to online or interstate gambling. But mostly, each state is allowed to regulate or ban gambling within their state borders. Here is a list of the acts that govern gambling in the USA:
Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 – overturned in 2018, allowing each state to decide on sports betting in their states.
Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act – the law relates to operators that accept financial methods to fund accounts.
Federal Anti-Lottery Laws
Illegal Gambling Business Act of 1970
Gambling Ship Act
Interstate Transportation of Wagering Paraphernalia Act of 1961
Wire Act of 1961
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act of 1970
Travel Act of 1961
Interstate Wagering Amendment of 1994
Illegal Money Transmitting Business Act of 1992
Amendment of Interstate Horseracing Act
US Gambling Laws by State
Below we have the types of gambling that are available in the United States by state:
State
Commercial
Tribal
Lotteries
Charity
Pari-mutuel
Racetrack
Sports Betting
online
Alabama
No
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Alaska
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
American Samoa
No
N/A
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
Arizona
No
Yes
yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Arkansas
Yes
N/A
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
California
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Colorado
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Connecticut
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
Delaware
Yes
N/A
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Washington D.C.
No
N/A
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
Florida
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Georgia
No
N/A
yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
Guam
No
N/A
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
Hawaii
No
N/A
No
No
No
No
No
No
Idaho
No
Yes
yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Illinois
Yes
N/A
Yes
Yes
yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Indiana
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Iowa
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Kansas
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Kentucky
No
N/A
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Louisiana
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
yes
No
No
Maine
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Maryland
Yes
N/A
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Massachusetts
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Michigan
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Minnesota
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Mississippi
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
Missouri
Yes
N/A
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
Montana
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Nebraska
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Nevada
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
New Hampshire
No
N/A
Yes
Yes
Yes
no
Yes
Yes
New Jersey
Yes
N/A
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
New Mexico
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
New York
Yes
Yes
Yes
YEs
Yes
Yes
YEs
No
North Carolina
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
North Dakota
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
Northern Mariana Island
Yes
N/A
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
Ohio
Yes
N/A
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Oklahoma
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
NO
Oregon
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
Pennsylvania
Yes
N/A
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Puerto Rico
Yes
N/A
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
South Carolina
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
South Dakota
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Tennessee
No
N/A
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
Texas
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Bo
No
No
Utah
No
No
No
No
No
No
NO
No
Vermont
No
N/A
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Virginia
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
NO
United States Virgin Island
Yes
N/A
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Washington
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
West Virginia
Yes
N/A
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Wisconsin
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Wyoming
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Federal Online Gambling Laws
There is no federal law banning online gambling. Thus, each state determines whether it is banned or not in its borders. Most states’ online gambling laws are very vague, allowing you to gamble online at offshore casinos but not at local sites. But some states have made it explicitly legal.
The federal laws which affect online gambling in the US are:
the PASPA Act,
the Interstate Wire Act,
and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.
The PASPA Act was meant to prevent anyone from placing sports bets at land-based or online casinos. However, the Act was revoked in 2018 when the Supreme Court ruled in favor of New Jersey. The result of the judgment was that all states could decide on their sports betting laws.
The Wire Act has many interpretations; however, none of them say clearly whether placing wagers online is legal. Hence, the grey area of gambling online in the country.
The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act prevents financial operators from allowing players to fund their online casino account. However, it does not mention whether the act is legal or illegal.
States Where Gambling is Illegal
There are only two states that do not allow any gambling at all: Hawaii and Utah. Other states allow some gambling, whether it be one specific kind or more. Mississippi, Alabama, Nevada, and Alaska don’t offer lottery games. 22 states don’t have any land-based casinos but offer pari-mutuel and lottery betting.
Internet gambling is only legal at offshore casino sites. You are not allowed to gamble at websites that are based in the country. However, this also depends on which state you are in.