Almost every state in the US has had legal gambling for years by way of scratch tickets and lottery. Utah is the one staunch exception, not allowing gambling in any form. Many states with Native American populations also have casinos on the tribal lands. However, the big buzz recently has been around online gambling. After a 2018 Supreme Court ruling, every state now has the option to legalize online casinos and sports betting apps at their own discretion. Here’s which states decided to pursue legal online gambling and which did not (yet).
Why Online Gambling Is Now Being Legalized
The United States used to have a federal prohibition on gambling. States couldn’t decide to legalize online gambling, and casinos were limited to tribal lands. In 2018 the Supreme Court repealed the prohibition, and now states have the right to put their own measures to vote. As one can imagine in a land so diverse as the US, every state handled it differently. Some voted yes on gambling right away and have been reaping the benefits, others are still locked in figuring out the specifics, and others (Utah again) are a solid no.
One of the more debated parts of the recent laws has been sports betting. Despite being included in gambling for legal purposes, it’s basically an industry unto itself. Legal online sports betting is giving new life to something Americans have done for years. Now, instead of putting cash down in a local pool, people can aim for bigger jackpots using apps that connect them to more fellow bettors. And with it all being done on the books, the states take a cut of the revenue. The potential money is a big motivator for why many states are so interested in sports betting and online gambling as a whole.
Where It Is Legal To Gamble In The US
At this current time, the majority of states already have legal sports betting, online gambling, or some form of them in the works. The states that don’t are Alaska, Idaho, California, Utah, Minnesota, Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Maine. And of those, quite a few have shown interest in sports betting but just need to work out the lettering of the law to satisfy enough lawmakers into voting yes.
The Appeal Of Legal Online Gambling
Revenue for the states that voted yes is impressive, to say the least. States like Michigan and Pennsylvania make millions per month in sports betting and online casino revenue. Over last summer, their takeaway was even enough to rival the revenue of Atlantic City. PA sports betting is a particular hit, as it builds on the extreme passion PA fans have for their teams.
The example set by PA shows that any state can profit as every state has its share of sports fans. The excitement has always been there and making gambling more convenient just taps into it. When gambling was restricted to lottery and casinos and sports betting wasn’t legal, it left people in smaller towns out of the picture. The legalization of online gambling introduced many of these spread-out populations to the convenience of gambling on their smartphone.
It’s the same effect seen by the success of app games like Angry Birds. By making the product available to pretty much everyone in the state, the potential user base skyrocketed. Whether these people wanted to gamble or not, the option is now there and as easy as clicking open an app. From there, enticing signup bonuses and the promise of hopefully hitting it big take over.
More states have legal gambling than don’t. The appeal is undeniable and is sure to become a big force in the coming years. It wouldn’t be surprising to see every state (except Utah) eventually adopt online gambling in some form.