Gambling laws vary from state to state in the United States. In general, gambling is illegal in states that have not legalized it. However, even in states where gambling is legal, there may be restrictions on certain types of gambling or on who can participate in gambling activities.
- States where gambling is legal:There are currently 25 states in the US where gambling is legal in some form or another. These states include:
- Nevada: Known for its casinos and gambling resorts, Nevada is the only state where most forms of gambling are legal.
- New Jersey: Online gambling and sports betting are legal in New Jersey, as well as in-person casinos and racetracks.
- Pennsylvania: The state legalized online gambling and sports betting in 2017 and now has a variety of casinos and gaming options available.
- Delaware: The state allows online gambling, sports betting, and in-person casinos.
- Michigan: The state legalized online gambling, sports betting, and in-person casinos in 2019.
- West Virginia: In-person casinos and online sports betting are legal in West Virginia.
- Indiana: The state legalized sports betting and in-person casinos in 2019.
- Iowa: The state allows in-person casinos and sports betting.
- Colorado: In 2020, the state legalized in-person and online sports betting.
- Illinois: In-person casinos and online sports betting are legal in Illinois.
- Montana: The state allows sports betting and in-person casinos.
- Oregon: In-person sports betting is legal in Oregon.
- New Hampshire: Online sports betting and the state lottery are legal in New Hampshire.
- Rhode Island: In-person casinos and sports betting are legal in Rhode Island.
- Tennessee: As mentioned earlier, Tennessee only allows online sports betting.
- Virginia: As mentioned earlier, Virginia only allows online sports betting and online lottery.
- Washington D.C.: In-person sports betting is legal in the nation’s capital.
- Arkansas: In-person casinos and sports betting are legal in Arkansas.
- Mississippi: The state has a number of casinos and allows sports betting.
- New York: In-person casinos and sports betting are legal in New York.
- Ohio: In-person casinos and sports betting are legal in Ohio.
- Arizona: In 2021, the state passed a law legalizing sports betting and in-person sportsbooks.
- Connecticut: In 2021, the state legalized online sports betting and in-person sportsbooks.
- South Dakota: In 2020, the state legalized in-person sports betting.
- States where gambling is illegal:As mentioned earlier, Utah and Hawaii are the only two states in the US where all forms of gambling are illegal.
- States where gambling is limited:Some states allow only limited forms of gambling. For example:
- Alaska: The state has a limited number of tribal casinos.
- Georgia: The state allows a state lottery and charitable gambling.
- Idaho: The state has a few tribal casinos.
- Kansas: The state allows a state lottery and some forms of charitable gambling.
- Kentucky: The state allows horse racing and a state lottery.
- Louisiana: The state has a few casinos and allows some forms of charitable gambling.
- Maine: The state allows a state lottery and charitable gambling.
- Maryland: The state has a few casinos and allows some forms of charitable gambling.
- Massachusetts: The state allows a state lottery and some forms of charitable gambling.
- Minnesota: The state has a few tribal casinos and allows some forms of charitable gambling.
- Missouri: The state has a few casinos and allows some forms of charitable gambling.
- Nebraska: The state allows some forms of charitable gambling.
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