What U.S. states allow online sports betting in 2021?

The United States is slowly but surely opening up to sports betting and other forms of gambling. For those who love this type of thrills, the process can appear to be rather slow. The good news is that things are finally moving into the right direction and the number of states willing to jump on the bandwagon is constantly growing. As the list is expanding every year, it is worth taking a closer look at the states where you can already legally bet on sports.

The US Supreme Court lends a helping hand

Interest for legal gambling in general and sports betting in particular was already growing across the United States. The recent decision of the US Supreme Court pushed this into overdrive and opened up new avenues towards legalizing sports betting. Delaware was the first state to legalize sports betting back in 2018, but today there are plenty of places where you can legally bet on sports across the US.

Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia are the states where sports betting is legal. With more than a dozen states lifting any restrictions for sports betting fans, the future definitely looks promising. Some states decided to make a distinction and only allow sports betting in retail. This list includes Arkansas, Delaware, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon and Rhode Island.

Legal sports betting just around the corner

In addition to the aforementioned states which already have some legal provisions in place, others are ready to jump on the bandwagon. Eight states are on the fence and currently discuss whether it is a good idea to legalize sports betting. Progress is being made and in a matter of months it is likely that these states will also jump on the bandwagon. Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Ohio, South Dakota, Washington DC and Washington are the ones that could join the fray soon enough.

Progress is also made in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri and Oklahoma. It will take a while until a decision will be made here, but the fact that legalizing sports betting is being discussed means a great deal to punters. In anticipation of these meaningful laws, players can try their hand at fantasy sports. This will give them the opportunity of getting familiar with sports betting, so when it becomes legal, they can embrace it wholeheartedly.

There are, of course, states that continue to resist change and have no intention to legalize sports betting anytime soon. Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Wisconsin and Wyoming are against legalizing. Perhaps the best example is Utah, a state that is adamant in keeping every form of gambling illegal. If there is one state to hold on to these rigid decisions when everybody else jumps ship, this will certainly be Utah.