Legal gambling in the United States is currently a mixed bag. While several states have legalized sports betting online, others are still considering their options and many state legislatures are blocking legalized casino gaming from becoming reality despite numerous attempts at passing legislation to do so. Meanwhile, other states are introducing new forms of legal gambling which may soon include online casino or poker room operations.
Nevada and Delaware were among the first states to legalize online casino and poker gambling sites in 2013, expanding their offerings and welcoming players from various countries to participate. Soon thereafter, other states followed suit, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts as well as legalizing daily fantasy sports and horse racing betting; yet federal authorities remain inconsistent when dealing with such new forms of gambling.
Online casinos and poker are legal in most states, though individual laws may differ between states. Some places place restrictions on what types of games can be offered or the maximum number of casinos or sites allowed within their borders; players should take note that engaging in illegal online gambling could result in prosecution; this should always be taken into consideration when considering online gambling as a possibility.
Georgia law restricts online gambling to sports betting and daily fantasy sports; both practices can involve wagers that involve predicting sports events to win real cash prizes, which may prove particularly controversial. As always, it’s wise to familiarise yourself with local regulations before engaging in gambling, and should you need assistance due to gambling habits it is always advisable to seek professional assistance.
Wyoming is another state with stringent gambling laws, but does permit certain forms of online gambling. Wyoming authorized the launch of its first sportsbook six months following U.S Supreme Court reversal – its legal offering features bets on pro and collegiate sports with some limitations and restrictions.
Illinois allows a limited form of legal online gambling, including lottery sales and social casinos. Although a full sports betting platform has not been implemented as yet, Illinois expects it to launch sometime before 2023 and also participates in a player pooling agreement for online poker players.
Montana allows the sale of lottery tickets and other forms of online gambling, such as social casinos. Horse racing betting and fantasy sports have also been legalized. Montana does not belong to any iGaming consortium and prohibits VGT use.
Nebraska is known for its restrictive gambling laws and does not provide legal online casino gaming or sports betting services, though tribal casinos do host sportsbooks able to accept online bets. Furthermore, two racetracks in-state offer sports betting as well as providing opportunities to bet on college sporting events or player props.