In the United States, gambling legislation is decentralized: each state determines whether, and under what conditions, gambling is allowed. This results in a fragmented legal landscape where federal guidelines, state laws and grey areas overlap. Specific aspects such as money laundering and gaming on tribal lands (through the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act) are decided on a federal level, while each state can issue its own legislation in order to regulate other aspects. To get a complete overview of the states and where to play online at licensed and secure sites, you can consult this list with legal casinos, compiled by Oddschecker, one of the industry’s most authoritative comparators.
Federal and state roles
It would be inaccurate to say that the U.S. federal government plays no role in gambling legislation. The federal government has issued the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006, for example. This prohibits gambling businesses from knowingly accepting payments related to illegal internet bets. However, a grey area remains regarding this act: the law does not define what is legal or illegal in a particular way. Every state regulation has its own definition. Also at the federal level, the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act helped establish a robust framework for tribal casinos.
Online gambling in various states
After a landmark 2011 Department of Justice opinion clarified that the Wire Act only applied to sports betting, today legal online gambling is available in a growing number of states. Each of them has its own regulatory body, licensing requirements, and tax structure. However, not all forms of gambling are allowed everywhere. Some states may permit online sports betting but restrict online poker or casino games. Let’s see them in detail.
As of 2025, the following states have established legal online gambling markets:
- New Jersey. A pioneer in online gambling regulation, New Jersey offers a wide range of licensed online casinos and poker rooms. The state has become a model for successful online regulation across the US.
- Pennsylvania. Launched in 2019, Pennsylvania’s online gambling market has expanded rapidly. Online casinos, poker and sports betting platforms are available to citizens through licensed operators.
- Michigan. This state legalized online gambling in 2021 and now offers a comprehensive suite of gambling options, including online casinos, poker, and sportsbooks.
- West Virginia. Here online casino games and sports betting are legal, though poker offerings are still limited.
- Connecticut. Home to several major tribal casinos, the state launched online gambling in 2021 in partnership with tribal operators.
- Delaware. Delaware was one of the first states to offer state-regulated online casinos and poker.
- Nevada. Known worldwide for its land-based casinos, Nevada limits its online offerings to poker and sports betting.
- Rhode Island. Rhode Island made online table games and slots legal through the state’s lottery in 2024 and will probably continue to do so.
- Arkansas. Through a partnership with Delaware North, the state has recently expanded its offerings with legal online sports betting, along with limited online casino access.
In addition to these states, New York, Illinois, Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Tennessee, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Kansas and Kentucky all allow online betting limited to sports only.
Trends and possible progresses for online betting in the US
Legalization and regulation of online gambling across the country is expected to continue, with the growing popularity of mobile betting platforms and online gaming apps. More states are expected to revisit their legislation in the coming years in order to expand the industry. California and Texas, for instance, remain untapped markets with enormous potential due to their wide population. Political opposition and concerns about gambling addiction and fraudulent activity continue to slow progress in some areas, although progress is slow in some areas, a viable path to legalizing online casinos is likely to emerge.
