Are Sportsbooks Legal In The United States?

Our research has led us to an answer over whether or not there is online sports betting legal in the United States. There are multiple layers to this answer, but we do have an answer none the less. Simply put you will never have to worry about getting in trouble for betting on sports over the Internet. Online sportsbooks are direct emulations of a live, Vegas-style sportsbook. They have betting lines covering every major sport, odds drafted off of the Vegas standard, and even advantages beyond the standard bonuses. If you have been wondering whether or not there is legal online sports betting in the United States, then know that you are not going to face any trouble by gambling on sports over the Internet.

In fact, there are states outside of Nevada that have legalized land-based and online sportsbooks. If you are unfamiliar with PASPA, we can give you a quick summary. PASPA, short for the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, is the reason the question on legality was even raised. The federal law banned most of the United States from offering sports gambling, though Nevada was excluded due to their preexisting sportsbooks. For decades, single-game wagering was limited to NV, hence why Vegas has set the standard for sports betting. However, on May 14th, 2018 PASPA was overturned by the Supreme Court after being ruled unconstitutional in Murphy vs. NCAA.

This means that sportsbooks are legal in the United States, but there is still more to the story. While there is no longer a national ban on sports betting, it does not necessarily mean that you will find a local sportsbook to visit and bet on the game. The Supreme Court ruling opened the door for states to legalize sports gambling, but it is up to each individual government body to walk through. So far, some of the states to legalize land-based sports betting after include West Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Montana, Iowa, Indiana, New Mexico, Arkansas, Washington D.C., Indiana, Tennessee, and New York. Regulated online sports betting in the U.S. has not proliferated quite as quickly, which is why bettors should continue to use the offshore sports betting sites that are legal for US play.