The legal sports betting craze in the United States is showing no signs of slowing down. Whether it is online sports betting or retail sports betting, there are 34 states with some form of sports betting – some states have both. Which means there are only 16 states without it in 2023.
The most recent state to launch sports betting was Massachusetts. Legal retail wagering went live on January 31, 2023, while mobile sports betting in the Bay State launched on March 10. Sign up with the best Massachusetts sportsbooks today with Massachusetts betting promos to get your hands on generous welcome offers for new users.
Read on to find out if your state could be next when it comes to the legalization of sports betting.
What States Do Not Have Legal Sports Betting?
The United States federally legalized sports betting in May of 2018 when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act better known as the PAPSA.
The PAPSA prohibited individual states from regulating and taxing the practice of betting on sports with the expectation of stats that include Nevada, Oregon, Delaware, and Montana.
With the Supreme Court ultimately ruling to strike down PAPSA, each individual state can now govern its own sports betting laws and regulations.
Here is a list of the states without legal sports betting:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- California
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Kentucky
- Missouri
- Minnesota
- Nebraska
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
If you are located in one of the other 34 states, you can bet on sports in person at retail locations or while on the go from your mobile device using the best sportsbook promo codes. Some states are lucky enough to have both forms of wagering.
What Is The Next Legal Sports Betting State To Launch?
Some states are inching closer to the legalization of sports betting in 2023. Take Georgia, for example. The Peach State's new LT. Governor Burt Jones supports sports betting and hopes to take impactful steps toward its legalization in 2023 for a 2024 launch.
Vermont can also be in the mix when it comes to the next states to launch sports betting, whether through retail or through the best sports betting sites. Although no bills have been filed as of yet, Vermont lawmakers are educating themselves on the impact of sports betting if it were to launch with information accrued from a study group organized in 2022. Vermont remains the only state of the New England territory without sports wagering.
Another state to look out for in Minnesota. The Gopher State has 11 gaming tribes, which means there is a path toward legalized sports betting. It appears that tribes and lawmakers would have to come to an agreement for a law to pass. Expect Minnesota sports betting to run solely through Indian tribes when it goes live.
States That May Never Launch Legal Sports Betting
Some states may never launch legal sports betting. That is a harsh reality. Despite potential financial gains some states are adamantly against it.
When it comes to a state like Alaska, its governor Mike Dunleavy is a supporter of legal sports betting. But since Alaska's population is minuscule compared to the rest of the United States, the best sportsbooks are unlikely to prioritize Alaska as a state to launch in anytime soon.
Hawaii is another state that is far away from legalizing sports betting. Though it had shown an interest, Hawaii proposed a sports betting bill with a 55% tax rate. That tax rate would be the highest in the United States. That high tax rate turns away top betting operators from considering a Hawaii launch.
Finally, the state of Utah is one that is unlikely to ever launch legal sports betting. It is written within Utah's criminal code that any niche of gambling, including retail and online sports betting, is outlawed.
