Ohio Governor Mike DeWine capped off a busy year for the US sports betting industry by approving a new gambling bill last month. Ten states made sports wagers legal, and 11 went live in 2021.
New York legal sports betting was recently announced, with four gambling companies in New York having begun offering online betting apps since Saturday the 8th of January.
Many expect California, Georgia, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Missouri to follow suit in 2022.
Since the Supreme Court overturned the PASPA (Professional and Amateur Sports Protection) in 2018, 33 US jurisdictions have legalized sports betting. Currently, nineteen states are still yet to decide whether to legalize this form of gambling. Some of which could hold discussions this year.
However, as North Dakota and Texas legislatures are not set to meet in 2022, they look unlikely to push things forward. Another non-starter is Utah: its large Mormon population (62%) makes embracing gambling a tough challenge.
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Five US States Likely to Legalize online gambling in the USA in 2022:
California
With four ballot initiatives possible on the November ballot, California could legalize sportsbooks before the end of next year. However, if all four make the ballot, it could delay the process. The only initiative to have cleared so far is a tribal one that would permit retail-only wagering at casinos owned by Native American tribes and horse race tracks.
The previous attempts by California governors to pass sports betting bills all fell at the final hurdle. Nevertheless, this has done little to deter governors. Now, with this third bill on the table, many expect retail and online California sportsbooks to be allowed to operate in the Golden State within the next two years.
Georgia
Although HB93 was eventually rejected, the latest sports betting bill will be discussed when the legislative session convenes in January. Many expect this one to pass, as Rep. Ron Stephens and Rep. Alan Powell have both expressed favorable views of legalizing sports betting in Georgia. If this new bill gets through the House of Representatives, online and retail sportsbooks will quickly go live in the Peach State.
Massachusetts
Even though Massachusetts is home to industry giant DraftKings, lawmakers have been unable to agree on the legalization of sports wagers. Yet the recent changes to sports betting laws in neighboring states might make lawmakers get their act together. The State of New York authorized the expansion to digital markets, and sports betting has been legal in Connecticut since 2019. As more and more residents of Massachusetts cross the border to make bets, the state is under increasing pressure to hurry up proceedings.
North Carolina
A legal sports betting bill that would allow for statewide mobile and retail wagering in the Tar Heel state has already been approved by the Senate. SB 688 is now under review from House committees. It looks like it should pass, as lawmakers legalized retail wagering at two tribal casinos in July 2020. The only thing that could delay proceedings is if legislators fail to find a consensus.
Missouri
Lawmakers in Missouri filed five sports betting bills in 2021. However, the lack of consensus on the proposed tax rate could prove a stumbling block. But even if they fail to get a bill over the line, voters could decide on one of the nine proposals the state’s pro sports teams filed to legalize betting. All of the proposals have been approved to collect signatures by the secretary of state.
