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The United States is home to one of the biggest gambling markets globally. However, unlike many other countries, it has still not fully regulated online gambling due to several reasons. Some states have tribal-only regulations, others have a strong retail casino industry, and legalizing online gambling has been stagnant. Let’s explore what online gambling is legal in the United States, specifically in different parts of it. Before we dig in, let’s examine the global picture.

The Global Stage

The global market is very different from the United States because the size of the countries is smaller. Plus, online gambling has pioneered in these territories, so it’s heavily regulated and fully legal. Take Ireland, for example. It’s among the territories where online gambling is legal. You can easily find casinos online Ireland has to offer and enjoy thousands of games, knowing that the sites are fair. This country is not alone. Many other European countries heavily regulate online casinos.

The situation is the same in the United Kingdom, which has one of the most respected gambling authorities, the UKGC. It too heavily regulates online gambling and ensures that players from the UK are playing at safe and fair gambling sites. This trend will likely follow the rest of the world, as all countries want their players to play casino games at sites with valid licenses from respectable regulators.

States with Fully Legal Gambling

So far, 5 states have fully regulated online casino gambling in the United States. These are:

• New Jersey
• Michigan
• Pennsylvania
• West Virginia
• Delaware

All these states permit playing casino games, sports betting, and poker.

Out of the listed territories, Delaware is the only unique one. It has only three online casinos, which are run by the three local racinos. Their software is powered by RSI, which operates the BetRivers brand.

Connecticut is the only other state with a unique status that wasn’t listed here, and we’ll explain why in the limited access section.

Sports Betting–Only States

There are 34 states that have fully legalized online sports betting in the United States. Missouri will join them by the end of 2025, totaling 35 states. Big states such as New York, Arizona, Ohio, and Illinois are on the long list. Judging from how quickly online sports betting spread through the US, it’s likely that at some point, all of the states will regulate it sooner or later.

When it comes to poker, it’s also illegal, but there has been some activity in many states about regulating online poker, too. However, passing all the legislation will take plenty of time.

Limited or Localised Access

Several states have unique statuses, where online gambling is permitted with some caveats.

• Connecticut – Connecticut is fully regulated by two tribes: The Mohegan Tribe and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe. Both of them have established gaming councils to oversee all types of gambling in the state. They are the only ones operating retail and online casinos and sportsbooks in the state, and the trend will likely remain the same in the future.
• Washington – The State of Washington heavily restricts all forms of gambling by all operators outside of tribe-run casinos. Tribes are permitted to offer both casino games and sports betting, but online betting is only possible while players are inside the tribal casino.
• Rhode Island – Rhode Island has regulated online gambling in the state in 2023. However, only one licensed operator can offer casino games in the state.

States in Transition

Even though some states have not yet regulated iGaming or sports betting, they are considering doing it. It’s lucrative from a tax perspective, as gambling can give a significant boost to the local government’s budget. Some states that might introduce iGaming in the future are:

• Maryland
• Indiana
• New York
• Georgia
• Ohio
• Alaska

As new bills to regulate sports betting and iGaming are introduced, we’ll likely see more states join the transition period.

Until they do, players in most unregulated states can enjoy many sweepstakes casinos. They offer a similar experience with the potential to win real cash prizes.

Looking Ahead

Now that you know in what states is online gambling legal in, it’s safe to assume that more states will continue regulating online casinos. The regulations will always be different, but we’ll most likely see mass adoption of online gambling. Otherwise, local governments will lose a lot of revenue because people will find a way to gamble online at offshore casinos.

To prevent this from happening and to reap the benefits of increased revenue, we’ll see more states regulate mobile gambling in the coming years. The trend is already pointing in that direction, as more and more states are introducing new bills to regulate it. The whole process will take plenty of time, as each state has its own hurdles to overcome, but more of them will eventually become regulated.