Online Sports Betting Legality by State \ stacker news ~Stacker

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228 sats \ 7 comments \ @0xbitcoiner 10 Mar Stacker_Sports

I thought online gambling was legal all over the country, live and learn!

Online sports betting has exploded into a massive industry in the U.S. in recent years.

In 2024, Americans wagered $147.9 billion on sports, with over 95% of bets placed online, generating $13.1 billion in annual revenue.

This map visualizes online sports betting legality by U.S. state, as of Feb. 27, 2025.

Data comes from the American Gaming Association. Missouri has legalized online sports betting to take effect by the end of 2025.

🔗 visualcapitalist.com

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25 sats \ 6 replies \ @Undisciplined 10 Mar

I've heard that Texas is coming soon.

29 sats \ 5 replies \ @0xbitcoiner OP 10 Mar

I'm wondering, in states where gambling is illegal, is it only online, or is all gambling forbidden?

46 sats \ 4 replies \ @Undisciplined 10 Mar

That's a great question and the answer is super weird.

For the most part, it means all gambling is forbidden, but there are weird exceptions. For instance, some states allow games like Bingo where gambling is otherwise illegal, sometimes gambling is only legal for charity fundraisers, many states have enormous lotteries run by private companies that pay a large share of the revenue to the state.

In general, gambling is legal on Indian Reservations (provided the tribe has approved it), so there are big casinos out in the middle of nowhere that service residents of states where gambling is illegal.

There are also a bunch of states along the Mississippi River system that have exemptions for "river boat casinos". The laws have been so tweaked over the years though, that these no longer have to be boats and they don't have to be on a river.

Here's an excerpt from Brave's search AI

US Riverboat Casinos Riverboat casinos in the United States are primarily found along the Mississippi River and its tributaries, as well as along the Gulf Coast. These casinos were initially required to be located on ships that could sail away from the dock, but over time, regulations have changed, allowing many to remain dockside or even be built on land near navigable waterways.

And here's a picture of a "river boat casino" that my friend told me about:

24 sats \ 3 replies \ @0xbitcoiner OP 10 Mar

Definitely super weird. Custom-made laws, huh? I'm familiar with the casino boats, thanks to Ozark! ahahah.

29 sats \ 2 replies \ @Undisciplined 10 Mar

You always have to remember that the US is highly federalized, so most laws vary by state, if not locality.

Then, you have the legal oddity that is how Native Americans are treated.

33 sats \ 1 reply \ @0xbitcoiner OP 10 Mar

Yep! I forget that a lot. Something I still don't quite get, it's not about betting but about smoking weed. A friend of mine got banned from entering the US for two years because he admitted to smoking weed in a state where it's legal. They applied federal law in his case, and it was at the airport. Isn't that weird?

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