The collapse of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018 initiated the dawn of a new era in the American sports betting industry. Also known as the “Bradley Act”, PASPA was instituted in 1992 and it placed a ban on sports betting on all states in the country aside from Nevada. The law was overturned by the Supreme Court of the United States in 2018, and it effectively gave state governments the power to legalize sports betting in the online and retail space within their borders.
All legal sports betting states in the country have to institute a regulatory body before legalization. The regulator sets the rules, grants licenses to operators and ensures the smooth functioning of sport betting activities in a specific state. We take a look at the bodies tasked with overseeing the sports betting activities in states across the country.
Arizona: Arizona kick-started sports betting within its boundaries in September 2021 after it had been legalized earlier in April of the same year. There are 18 online sportsbooks available to bettors in the state. Sports betting activities are regulated in the state by the Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG).
Arkansas: Sport betting became legal in the state of Arkansas in November 2018. Activities started at the retail sportsbook locations and expanded to the online space in March 2022. The Arkansas Gaming Commission (AGC) is in charge of overseeing all sports betting operations within the state.
Colorado: Colorado is a huge sports betting market in the United States handling a very large number of bets monthly. Sports betting became available in Colorado in both the online and retail space in May 2020. The state's sports betting industry is overseen by the Colorado Limited Gaming Control and the Colorado division of Gaming.
Connecticut: Connecticut launched sports betting in the retail and online space a month apart. The retail sportsbooks launched in September 2021 while online betting started in October. The state currently has three sportsbooks in the online space. Sports betting activities in the state are regulated by the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) - Gambling Division.
District of Columbia: Following a series of discussions with the federal authorities in early 2019, sports betting was legalized in the District of Columbia in the month of May, after receiving the approval of the United States Congress. The district’s sports betting activities are overseen by the Office of Lottery and Gaming.
Illinois: Illinois legalized sports betting in June 2019 after the bill was successfully passed by both chambers of the state's legislature. Retail sportsbooks launched in the state in March 2020 while online betting started in June. The sports betting industry in the state is regulated by the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB).
Indiana: Indiana introduced sports betting in the retail space in September 2019. The state expanded to the online space a month after. There are currently 14 sportsbooks maintaining operations in Indiana. The Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC) is charged with the responsibility of regulating sports betting in the state.
Iowa: The process of legalizing sports betting in Iowa reached completion in May 2019. This gave the opportunity for sportsbooks to kick-start operations in the state in August. Bettors in the state of Iowa currently have 18 sportsbook options available to them. The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC) holds the regulatory responsibility in the state.
Kansas: The state legalized sports betting in May 2022 after it was signed into law by the state Governor. The law only became effective in the state in July for both retail and online. The state did a soft launch of sports betting on September 1, and made it official on September 8. Sports betting is overseen in Kansas by the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission (KRGC).
Louisiana: Sports betting was legalized in the state of Louisiana in June 2021. Betting would later make its debut in the state in January 2022. Online and retail sports betting are currently allowed in 55 of the state's 64 parishes that voted for legalization. Regulatory activities on sports betting is conducted by the Louisiana's Gaming Control Board (LGCB).
Michigan: Sports betting was legalized in Michigan in December 2019. The retail sportsbooks first launched operations in the state in 2020. There was later an expansion into the online space in January 2021. The state currently has 14 online sportsbooks in operation. The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) governs getting activities in the state.
Maryland: Sports betting was legalized in the state of Maryland in April 2021 after the bill was passed in the state Legislature. The state opened to retail sportsbooks in December 2021 while sports betting in the online space started in November 2022. The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control (MLGC) perform sports betting regulatory roles in the state.
Nevada: Sports betting has been legal in the state of Nevada for Decades. It was not affected by the federal ban placed on every other state. Nevada is a leader and trailblazer in the American sports betting industry, boasting a big market in retail and online space. The state sports betting regulators are the Nevada Gaming Commission and the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
New Hampshire: Sports betting became legal in New Hampshire in 2019. Three retail sportsbooks currently maintain operations in the state. In the online space, DraftKings maintains a monopoly, having struck a deal with the state's regulator in November 2019. The regulatory body in charge is the New Hampshire Lottery Commission (NHLC).
New Jersey: Sports betting was legalized in New Jersey in 2012 after the state fought against the federal ban. However, the state was countered with court cases by American major sports leagues until the federal ban was upended in 2018. Sports betting is regulated in the state by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission and the Division of Gaming Enforcement.
New York: Retail sportsbooks have been in operation in the state of New York since 2019, but online sports betting had to wait until January 2022 to see the green light. New York has become the country's biggest sports betting state by monthly handle. The New York Gaming Commission (NYGC) is tasked with regulatory oversight in the state.
Ohio: Sports betting in the retail and online space only went live in Ohio on January 1, 2023. The sports betting bill was signed into law by the state Governor after passage in both chambers of the Ohio Legislature in December 2021. The Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) holds the state's sport betting regulatory responsibility.
Oregon: Sports betting became legal within its boundaries of Oregon in August 2019. Retail sports betting in the state can only be offered by the tribal casinos. Scoreboard app, which is powered by SBTech, is the only available online sportsbook option in Oregon. The state sports betting industry is regulated by the Oregon State Lottery Commission.
Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania legalized sports betting before the federal ban was overturned by the Supreme Court. It is one of the few states in the country to have done that. The sports betting bill was signed into law in Pennsylvania in 2017, and became active in 2018. Sport betting in the state is overseen by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB).
Rhode Island: Rhode Island was one of the first states to legalize sports betting in the country after the federal ban was overturned by the Supreme Court. There are two retail sportsbook locations in the state as well as a single option of "Sportsbook RI" online. The Rhode Island Lottery (RIL) regulates the state's sports betting industry.
Tennessee: Sports betting is available only in the online space in the state of Tennessee with that not expected to change anytime soon. It is currently one of the two legal sports betting states in the country without a physical sportsbook. The Sports Wagering Advisory Council (SWAC) is tasked with regulatory duty in the state.
Virginia: Virginia has proven to be a big market for online gaming. Sports betting officially launched on the online space in the Commonwealth of Virginia in January 2021. Expansion to retail sports betting occurred in July 2022 when Hard Rock sportsbook opened a location in Bristol. Sports betting activities in the state are overseen by the Virginia Lottery.
West Virginia: Sport betting was already legal in the state of West Virginia before the collapse of the federal ban. Sports betting in the state is legal in both the retail and online space. The state was also one of the first to allow online sports betting in the country. The West Virginia Lottery Commission (WVLC) regulates sports betting activities in the state.
Wyoming: Sports betting went live in the state of Wyoming in September 2021. Wyoming is one of the two legal sports betting states left without a retail sportsbook location. There are currently four online sportsbooks maintaining operations in the state. Sport betting activities in the state are regulated by the Wyoming Gaming Commission (WGC).
