In the U.S., there are currently only a handful of states where online casinos are legal. These are Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan, Connecticut, West Virginia, and Delaware. Many licensed casinos operate in these states. In some other states, legalization is under discussion. Throughout 2023, various states took tentative steps towards legalization. The U.S. as a whole is generally moving towards more acceptance of online gambling.
States where online casinos are legal
The states can decide how to regulate betting as long as it doesn’t contradict federal law. In the states that allow online gambling, there may be specific regulations or age restrictions. It’s important to be aware of these when playing at real-money online casinos. The rules may dictate what types of casino games operators can offer and impose certain restrictions.
New Jersey and Delaware made online casinos legal as early as 2013. Pennsylvania followed suit in 2017. West Virginia, Connecticut, and Michigan came to the party a little later. Michigan went through years of legislative battles before Michigan online casinos were up and running. Now, casino operators in the state, including federally recognized tribes, offer both online casino games and poker.
States where online casinos could become legal in 2024
Online sports betting is now legal in upwards of 30 states, but the legalization of online casino games has seen much slower progression.
Maine
Maine is one of the states that legalized sports betting in 2022. Residents can place wagers on many sports like professional, college, and Olympic games. Maine is likely to want to see how sports betting progresses before legalizing online casinos.
There have been some moves toward legalizing online casinos. Proposed legislation at present is limited to exclusive licenses for tribes. It will be interesting to see whether any big online operators will be interested in operating in Maine if this legislation passes.
New York
New York appeared to be moving swiftly towards legislation in 2023, but two bills to legalize casino games and online poker didn’t succeed. New York residents are still optimistic that 2024 could be the year when it happens. Potential budget deficits could play a role in getting legislation passed.
Both Pennsylvania and New Jersey, its neighboring states, benefit from the tax revenue online gambling brings in. These states offer safe payment options, and some online casinos even permit payment via QR code.
California
California is one of the most populous U.S. states, so many are keeping an eye on its progress toward legalizing online gambling. It hasn’t given sports betting the green light yet, and this will happen before it thinks about legalizing online gambling. The state has some concerns about underage gambling and safety.
California is home to more land-based tribal casinos than any other state, but its stance is affected by the Native American tribes that operate them, as they are opposed to online gambling. The only legally recognized form of online betting in California at present is pari-mutuel horse race betting.
Maryland
Maryland is looking at potentially legalizing online casino gambling. This is no surprise as its close neighbor, Delaware, has had some form of legal online gambling for more than 10 years already. It could feel the pressure to make a move so players can do more than visit the retail casinos currently available in the state.
State senator Ron Watson’s 2023 bill proposing legalization didn’t get any traction, but he is the driving force behind a new bill. The signs look good, but even if the bill passes, it’s not likely to come into effect until at least 2025 at the earliest.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire may be one of the smallest states, but it is probably the state most likely to move into the legal online US casino market in 2024. It currently allows online sports betting, daily fantasy sports, pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing, and online lottery games. However, it hasn’t yet authorized online casinos.
There are some concerns about cannibalizing the revenue of retail casinos. Senate Bill 104 regarding the legalization of online gambling was indefinitely postponed in May after being introduced in January 2023. Five committee members supported the bill, and six voted against it.
