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Online casinos have been around for years. Even when the Internet was going through the famous “dot-com” boom. But surprisingly enough, there have been few states in the US that have actually legalized online gambling. We’ll be taking a look at what states have legalized online gambling as of 2020 (along with some states that are currently considering it). Believe it or not, even after online gambling has grown in popularity over the span of 20 years it is not legal in almost every state. That’s mind boggling for a lot of us.
Where exactly can you play on online platforms like USA Online Casino? You might not play it in your state (unless you reside in one of the eight states listed below). With that said, let’s dive into the list:
1. New Jersey
Home of the world famous “Atlantic City”, the Garden State has the largest market in terms of regulated online gambling. As of right now, people can play various online casino games such as slots, poker, blackjack, and more. More than a dozen online casinos operate in the state of New Jersey. As mentioned before, they hold a lion’s share of the market (with an estimated value of over $250 million). Also covered under the online gambling laws here: sports betting.
2. Colorado
Colorado is one of three states that have recently jumped on the online gambling bandwagon. The state became the 18th in the nation to legalize sports betting with the help of a voter referendum. Also legal are the retail and online wagers that users can make. Will we see people open and operate online casinos based in the heart of the Rockies? Only time will certainly tell.
3. Pennsylvania
The Keystone State is one of the other states that have outright legalized online gambling. Sports betting and online casinos are legal to play here. In fact, PokerStars played a role in hosting a poker tournament for online gamblers in the state. How many players have joined up since then is anyone’s guess. You can bet on the Steelers or Eagles during football season and perhaps win a few hands of blackjack all in the same day. If that’s something you want to do, go for it!
4. Michigan
Just before Christmas of 2019, Michigan legalized online gambling including sports betting. In March 2020, Michiganders began betting online for sporting events legally (with the rest of it in the process of unrolling at some point towards the end of the year or into 2021). It’s slowly but surely coming along for residents of the Wolverine State. It won’t be long until most online casinos will be seeking licensing from the gaming commission.
5. West Virginia
The state of West Virginia legalized online gambling in the summer of 2019. This also covers mobile sports betting. Now, residents of the state can use popular sports betting sites like DraftKings and FanDuel for a chance to win big on their favorite sporting events. More online casinos may be joining the mix at some point over the next year or so.
6. Indiana
Retail sports betting is now legal here in the Hoosier State. Sports betting apps are also legal to use in the state. What makes this even easier for users is that they don’t need to do any in-person registrations in order to do any kind of online gambling. This was a smart move on the state’s part considering the recent events in 2020.
7. Illinois
Right next door in the “Land of Lincoln”, Illinois is another of the three states that took the necessary steps to legalize online gambling in 2020. Like Indiana, Illinois decided that the best thing for sports betting enthusiasts to do was to apply remotely in order to bet on sporting events. Before that, they had to apply in-person at their local casino.
8. Tennessee
As of November 2020, the Volunteer State is the most recent state in the US to legalize some form of online gambling. At this point in time, they have only legalized online sports betting. You can expect 2021 to be the year where many Tennessee residents will finally take the plunge to choose their favorite players and jump on the chance to win some money on Fantasy Football-like platforms such as DraftKings.
States That Are Considering Online Gambling
To note, these states have yet to legalize online gambling. But the consideration to do so is still ongoing. If you live in the following three states before, we highly encourage you to watch this space and stay tuned. In the meantime, let’s take a look at the states:
California
The Golden State has long been debating on whether or not to legalize online gambling. It’s been well over a decade and the needle has barely moved (if not at all). Sports betting has mostly been the focal point of the conversation.
Online casinos? Not so much. But could they be thrown into the mix at some point?
With nothing new in terms of developments, it’s anyone’s guess as to when the state will make a move. But in the meantime, the tribes based in the state continue to have the advantage in running land-based casinos with exclusivity.
New York
Retail sports betting is legal in New York. Online wagering has yet to be discussed. In recent months, many people have been leaving the state. And that alone has been hurting the state in terms of how they want to generate revenue.
Two of its neighboring states, Pennsylvania and New Jersey are each taking their share of the online gambling market. But the problem is, New York is blinking at an opportunity that is literally staring right at them. If this isn’t the solution to recoup the lost revenue from the population decline, what will it be?
Massachusetts
The Bay State has two land-based casinos. And at this point, it’s anyone’s guess as to why online gambling has yet to be legalized. The state’s gaming commission, even the Mass Lottery is lobbying and pushing legislators to do something. And those calls are growing louder with each passing day.
Final Thoughts
If you live in one of the eight states listed above where online casinos are legal, consider yourself lucky. To clear any confusion or prevent misleading information, while online casinos are legal in about half of these states, they have yet to get clearance for legal operation. But in the meantime, the closest thing to online casino games that are legal are sports betting sites. Don’t count out online casinos in the states that are not yet “legalized”. This is only the beginning of something better.
