The landscape of online gambling is constantly shifting. Different states in the US have passed different laws regarding what forms of gaming can take place within their borders; while some ban all forms of online gaming entirely, others legalized both casino games and poker for use online.
Some states have limited sports betting to retail locations only, while others allow bettors to place bets on any sporting event they choose. Ultimately, it’s up to lawmakers in each state whether or not to legalize online gambling; those that take that step can open up access to regulated markets from across the nation.
Though online gambling isn’t legal in all states yet, New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware were early adopters. Thanks to their success and PASPA’s repeal, more states are now legalizing casino gaming and sports betting; Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia among them now provide real money casino gaming and sports betting opportunities.
Other states are taking more cautious approaches to legalizing online gaming, yet still making strides forward. California, Illinois and Indiana have all shown interest in legalizing some form of iGaming; California may introduce land-based casinos while Illinois will require players to partner with one or more land-based casinos before accessing casino services online; other states may prohibit online gambling altogether while some impose age requirements or restrict certain kinds of games altogether.
Federal law remains an obstacle when it comes to online gambling. While the Wire Act of 1961 still prohibits sports betting across state lines, a 2011 interpretation has opened the field up to most other forms of online gambling – however any player from any state who uses an unregulated site risks breaking federal law and could face serious repercussions for violating such an unlawful act.
Though some groups may strive to change this position of the federal government, most of the movement to expand online gambling will likely occur on the state level instead. Therefore, this page primarily discusses legislation regarding iGaming and iLottery at each individual state, while there may also be local initiatives.
At the start of 2023, most pundits predicted New York would become one of the next states to legalize online casino gaming – however when legislative session concluded it had fallen far behind Indiana and Rhode Island (though Rhode Island may prove an unexpected bright spot).