Legality of online gambling varies significantly by state. While many states have legalized at least some form of gaming online, restrictions and prohibitions still exist in some instances; although in other instances states may move towards making all forms legal.
Nevada states such as New jersey and Delaware legalized casino gaming and sports betting in 2018, followed by Pennsylvania and West Virginia the following year. New Mexico and Colorado also introduced legal sportsbooks; New Hampshire will soon follow suit with legal sportsbooks offering services exclusively to residents; daily Fantasy Sports are also permitted within these states.
Other states are on the cusp of passing legislation that would expand online gambling options in their markets. California, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts and New york have all considered legalizing casino games to introduce more revenue streams while expanding convenience to their gambling offerings.
Utah and Hawaii remain strictly against any form of online gambling. Violating state laws could land you in serious legal trouble; to stay on the safe side it is always advisable to familiarise yourself with your local regulations before gambling online.
Hawaii stands in stark contrast to Utah when it comes to gambling laws, offering more liberal regulations and accommodating different forms of online gaming such as lottery. Hawaii allows all forms of online gaming with one exception being betting on college teams from other states – an event not allowed during state lottery sales.
Washington state legalized sports betting at tribal casinos in March 2020, yet has not launched an online casino. While a bill to legalize other forms of iGaming may be introduced this year, any availability may take several years due to Washington’s restrictive gambling laws which may thwart efforts at legalization of other forms.
Texas currently only permits sports betting at two retail locations; legislation to legalize other forms of iGaming was proposed in 2023 but could take several years before finally legalized; until this happens, Texas residents can access offshore sites offering sports and casino gambling.