Are online casinos fair or are they rigged, is online gambling rigged.

Is online gambling rigged

When a casino applies for a gambling license, it undergoes several tests and scrutiny by licensing bodies.

All casino to play real money online

They are in fact, constantly being monitored and audited to make sure that players are not treated unfairly in any way, manner, or form. However, the one major complaint that we hear all the time is that players can never win. While there is the house edge (aka house advantage) in place, it is impossible that players never win as otherwise casinos would go bust.

Are online casinos fair or are they rigged?

One of the biggest concerns that many online casino players experience when playing at online casinos or else visiting a brick and mortar casino, is whether the casino or the casino games like slots and blackjack they are playing function in a fair manner.

If players suss that a casino is being disadvantageous by reducing any chances of winning, then many casinos would have closed by now. That being said, we know too well that over a lengthy period of time, the house edge comes to play. The longer you play, the more likely the casino will make a profit.

Let’s delve deeper into the subject.

Are online casinos rigged?

While you might be in it with the aim of winning some money, online casinos’ main goal is to make a neat profit from customers who love to gamble online. Laws and regulations are in place with the aim of making sure that online casinos operate in a fair and legal manner.

Every now and again, a gambler suspects that casino games or the casino itself is rigged. There are other theories being raised by gamblers. Such as if you play for longer periods of time you will strike it lucky or perhaps, that casinos are constantly trying to lure new players with enticing jackpots but without dropping.

However, the one major complaint that we hear all the time is that players can never win. While there is the house edge (aka house advantage) in place, it is impossible that players never win as otherwise casinos would go bust.

Since casino games apply random number generators to their casino games, every spin or bet is random and has the same odds as your previous or future bets. You need to keep in mind that luck plays an important role in casinos games and that you also need to take account of your own bad decisions especially when you are playing table games.

Your bad decisions can cause you loss after loss.

How are online casinos fair and trustworthy?

We are definitely not implying that all online casinos out there are safe and trustworthy. On the contrary, you should always look out for signs that a casino is indeed secure and trustworthy.

When a casino applies for a gambling license, it undergoes several tests and scrutiny by licensing bodies. They are in fact, constantly being monitored and audited to make sure that players are not treated unfairly in any way, manner, or form.

Since they are constantly dealing with gambling authorities and the government, there are rules and regulations in place to ensure fairness.

Independent testing: the good news for you as a player is that each online casino undergoes rigorous testing to ensure that it is just. All casino games use the service of a random number generator that ensures that each bet is independent from the other and that they essentially carry the same odds as the next one.

Trust value: if an online casino is listed on gamblingmetropolis, you can rest assured that it is trustworthy. We try and test each online casino we promote to ensure that they are of the highest standards. If it is here, it means it is dependable and reliable.

How to know if an online casino is safe?

Don’t just sign up to any old online casino. If you are going to part from your personal and financial information, you want to make sure that it is trustworthy and secure.

For starters, look for casinos that are licensed by leading jurisdictions, such as malta, gibraltar and the united kingdom. There is a reason for this. Such gaming jurisdictions enforce upon casinos specific gaming requirements to make sure that each player has the same chance.

One of these gaming requirements is the RNG amongst many other security features. These are all in place before the casino ever goes live or adds its first slot game. Look towards the bottom of your online casino’s page to see if one of the aforementioned reputable organisations is listed, or if it has received any e-gaming awards from renowned organisations.

Another way to know if an online casino is safe, is to read casino reviews online and to see what other players have said about their experience. Remember, that if you don’t research the casino properly, you will be gambling away your personal and financial information, so it’s best to run your research beforehand.

Additionally, go over the casino’s security policies and read the terms and conditions of casinos, to see what would happen to your personal information once you have signed up. Are they passing information to any third parties?

After you have done all your research and feel safe in the knowledge that the online casino of your choice is secure, it might be worth looking into their game selection as well as bonus structure. Do you want to sit down to play at a casino with a very limited selection of games? Are the games of low or high variance?

Sign up for a casino bonus offer

You don’t have to look far to find a great selection of new casinos or a selection of casino welcome packages, as we have done all the research for you.

Is online roulette rigged?

Today we have a reader’s question from graham in ireland. He’s got some questions about online roulette, and specifically wants to know “is online roulette rigged?”

Graham, we’re happy to answer your question. It turns out that the answer is sort of. Let us explain. But first, here’s graham’s email…

I’ve been playing a lot of online roulette this year, and despite trying every roulette strategy in the book, I’m down about 5%. I’ve had some big wins and some great nights, and some absolute wipeouts where I lost my entire bankroll within 10 minutes. Those extremes aside, when I tally it all up I am down 5% or so. What gives? Are online roulette games rigged?

So is online roulette rigged?

The first thing you want to make sure of is that you’re playing at a safe, trusted online casino. There are definitely rogue casinos out there that run fixed roulette games. A good first line of investigation would be to eliminate that possibility. If you’re playing at a known and respected brand, you’re safe.

After you’ve eliminated that possibility, you need to understand roulette house edge. This is why you’re ultimately down 5% despite finding yourself in the green at times. No matter how big you win on the night, if you keep playing roulette over a period of months and years, you’ll end up losing. The house edge is what gives the casino a built-in advantage. It guarantees the casino a profit even if you use the best roulette strategies.

Roulette house edge explained

There are many different variants of roulette these days, but they are all played on either a european or an american roulette wheel. Therefore, you only need to know and remember the house edge for both of these wheels.

• American roulette has two zeros. The house edge is 5.26%.


• European roulette has one zero. The house edge is 2.7%.

Once you know this, it becomes immediately obvious that you should choose to play european roulette variants unless there’s a special reason not to. For example, you might play on an american roulette wheel if the terms of a roulette bonus make it necessary.

Despite the differences between the two roulette wheels, the casino has a long-term mathematical advantage either way.

That’s why you’re down 5% or so over a year, graham. You just can’t win in the long game, so there’s no point in trying.

Is roulette rigged? Conclusion

We hope this helps you understand that while it’s unlikely that an online roulette game is rigged specifically to cheat you, they are all rigged in favour of the house. That applies to digital, real-world, and live dealer roulette games.

Does this mean you shouldn’t play roulette? Not at all. It’s still an extremely exciting and fun casino game. Take your wins when they come, spend and enjoy them, and accept it when you lose.

Is online poker rigged? How to know for sure?

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If you were just starting playing online poker and wanted to check how safe it is, a simple google search could lead to some conflicting conclusions. There seem to be quite a few players completely convinced that this game is rigged.

In their minds, there is just no doubt about it.

The question almost as old as online poker itself: is online poker rigged?

If you check reddit or some popular poker forums, youвђ™ll find hundreds, if not thousands of pages discussing this topic.

Some users will vigorously defend their positions and offer вђњproofвђќ that theyвђ™re right. If you donвђ™t know much about poker, discussions such as these could lead you to question its fairness.

So, in this article, iвђ™ll talk about everything you need to know about this topic. Youвђ™ll understand where this idea comes from in the first place, what makes people believe online poker is rigged (while live games are fair), and, most importantly, how online poker sites ensure their games are kept safe, fair, and random.

Why do people believe online poker is rigged?

The first and the most important issue iвђ™d like to address is the origin of the idea that online poker is rigged.

If you read some posts on this topic, youвђ™ll find that many players advocating the theory compare live and online tables, stating that the situations they see on the internet вђњnever happen live.Вђќ

When they talk about these crazy poker hands , theyвђ™ll often claim their strong holdings online lose way too often to weaker hands. Their pocket aces are cracked way too often, and their opponents seem to hit miracle two or even one-outter all the time.

But anyone who has played live poker for a long time and actually plays more than once a month will have some quite colorful horror stories from live games as well.

Bad beats and awful suckouts happen live and online alike. So, why is it that people are so adamant that just online poker is rigged?

The (sample) size matters

One thing that many in the вђњonline poker is riggedвђќ club donвђ™t understand is that you need a fairly large sample size to determine anything in poker, be it someoneвђ™s 3-betting range or whether the game is truly fair and random.

If you play live poker once a week for a few hours, youвђ™ll see maybe 400-500 hands every month, which is almost irrelevant from the statistical point of view.

When you play online, youвђ™ll usually play more than one table at once, and youвђ™ll see twice as many hands at each table.

You might play more hands in a single evening online than you play in an entire month live.

And, if you are good with multi-tabling, you can easily play 1,000+ hands in a night, whether you pay cash or tournaments.

As you play more hands, youвђ™re likely to experience an increasing number of less likely situations.

Think about it: the odds of even being dealt pocket aces are 1 in 220. So, in the live scenario, you wonвђ™t get that many chances for them to be cracked in the first place.

Online, you can easily get them several times during your session, and it is almost guaranteed some of them will lose. After all, youвђ™re not 100% to win with aces, so you have to lose sometimes.

And this is where the root of all theories about online poker being rigged starts. People feel like theyвђ™re experiencing many bad beats in a short period.

They donвђ™t see that at the live tables, but they forget that they play anywhere between 5x and 20x more hands in an online session.

Numbers donвђ™t lie

If there is one thing common to all those who support the theory that online poker is rigged, thatвђ™s the fact they only take a few select hands.

Theyвђ™ll find a few weird hands where someone decided to call off their all-ins or huge preflop raises with rags and managed to crack their aces. Or, theyвђ™ll dig a big pot where someone managed to hit an unlikely gutter on the river.

If they were right, someone would find the proof by this point.

In this day and age, almost all players have tracking software like holdвђ™em manager , which keep track of all hands played and helped built databases containing hundreds of thousands and even millions of actual hands.

When you analyze these databases, you always see the same result. Pocket aces show up as the biggest winner in every single database containing a large sample of hands. Flopped sets win way more often than they lose and so on.

If online poker was rigged, these anomalies would show up in databases, but there hasnвђ™t been a single player as of yet to show up with a sample of 500,000 or million hands to confirm conspiracy theories.

Why would sites rig their games?

People who believe online poker is rigged and donвђ™t understand (or refuse to accept) how poker RNG works also have an explanation as to why sites would rig their games. The most common ones I have seen:

• This is done to create more action and ensure no one wins too much.


• Poker rooms will rig stuff so that the вђњfishвђќ donвђ™t lose too much and keep playing.


• Theyвђ™ll create situations where players will build huge pots so they could charge more rake.

All of this doesnвђ™t make much sense and, once again, isnвђ™t supported by the evidence. First of all, good players have been making tons of money from online poker, so it is clear that sites arenвђ™t limiting anyoneвђ™s winning potential.

The theory about building huge pots for rake doesnвђ™t make much sense, either. In most games, the rake is capped, so after a certain point, it doesnвђ™t matter from the siteвђ™s perspective. If you play a $5,000 pot on NL200, youвђ™ wonвђ™t pay more rake than if the pot was just $300.

Online gambling isnвђ™t the wild, wild west

While it may feel like casino sites and poker rooms can do whatever they want, this really isnвђ™t the case. They have licensing bodies and governmental organizations overseeing their operations. One of the main reasons for this type of control is to ensure a fair gaming environment.

A site that would allow their games to be rigged would risk losing their license and paying a significant penalty, so the risk is not worth the reward for them.

The risk involved is such that the rigging of any kind just isnвђ™t feasible. And thatвђ™s without even going into complexities that would be required to create an efficient algorithm to do that.

Poker RNG: why online games are safe

Taking a little time to understand how poker sites operate is all you need to find an answer to the question is online poker rigged.

Many players seem to believe that rooms have a high degree of freedom when it comes to how the cards are dealt, but the matter of fact is, no one can tamper with the code once it is in place.

The essential part of pretty much every poker site is the underlying random number generator.

This is a piece of software, or an algorithm that ensures that cards dealt out of the virtual deck are genuinely random and utterly independent of any in-game factors such as card dealt, the number of chips on the table, or someoneвђ™s bankroll.

What does RNG mean in gaming?

Random number generators are present in almost all forms of online gambling, be it poker, virtual sports, slots, or whatever else. There are a few different RNG algorithms that most rooms and sites use, so itвђ™s not like everyone has their secret poker RNG.

RNG gaming is based on pseudo-random numbers because it is hard to achieve a truly random result in a controlled environment. However, for the purposes of dealing cards out of a deck, this is more than good enough.

The way RNG poker software and algorithms work is that they take several random numbers to use as a base for their formula. These numbers can be anything, and the only way to take advantage of an RNG would be to know precisely what numbers are used and in what manner.

As an example, the RNG could take the value of the temperature of a PC processor, the time in a random country, and some other arbitrary number to use as the base values at the exact time when the flop needs to be dealt.

These random numbers will then be entered into the formula, and the result will determine what cards will come out of the virtual deck.

This is a highly simplified explanation of RNG gaming and how poker RNG works, but you get an idea. While it is not as random as someone shuffling the cards using their hands, there are enough random variables to ensure a genuinely fair game.

Real online poker scams you should worry about

Now that you know what is RNG in gaming and how it is applied in poker, you should have a better idea is online poker rigged or not.

As you could see, rigging online poker games would be virtually impossible, and at the end of the day, very risky for the sites.

However, this doesnвђ™t mean that online poker is always completely safe.

Sadly, there are poker scams you should be protecting yourself from. These donвђ™t have anything to do with online poker being rigged as theyвђ™re usually performed by players themselves in an attempt to make a profit out of it.

Absolute poker вђ“ ultimate bet super user scandal

One of the biggest and best-known online poker scam is the one involving absolute poker and ultimate bet. It happened back in 2007 when a group of players discovered certain users were making unbelievable plays that just couldnвђ™t be explained.

After the investigation was concluded, it turned out that individual players had access to superuser accounts, allowing them to see other playersвђ™ hole cards.

Although many use this as one of the main supporting pieces of evidence that online poker is rigged, there was no rigging of any type.

This was simply a few players who found the way to cheat вђ“ and live games are full of cheaters as well. The whole scandal cost both rooms a lot of money and had a massive impact on their reputation, which only shows that any attempt at rigging the games is not worth it at all.

Stories of pot shaving at pit bull poker

There are bad seeds in every industry, so it is no surprise that some sites did try to cheat their players. Although it wasnвђ™t a classic rigging, it was an online poker scam that potentially cost the players a lot of money.

Back in 2009, an instant-play site called pit bull poker was accused of вђњpot shaving.Вђќ

This meant that parts of the pots would just go missing, but players quickly catch up, and the scam became obvious.

Pit bull poker shut down shortly after. For those who would use this example for online games being rigged, itвђ™s important to note this was a site without any proper license and no standing in the community.

Plus, their scam was quickly uncovered by the players precisely because itвђ™s impossible to somehow hide these things for a long time.

Various bot rings

Probably the biggest and the most widespread form of online poker scam are various bot rings. A bot ring consists of many accounts, all playing for the same person or a group of players, usually at the same tables.

Their goal is to make money from legitimate players and earn money from rakeback.

Although rooms are trying to get rid of them all the time, bots are an ongoing online poker problem.

That wasnвђ™t a problem back in the day, while bots werenвђ™t very good, but with the introduction of artificial intelligence and advanced algorithms, this posts some dangers to online poker.

If you can identify some patterns or see the same players always sitting together, better keep away from these games. However, there are more chances to be cheated in live games by angle shooters than when playing online, so donвђ™t be afraid of monsters under the bed.

Play it safe but donвђ™t panic

Making sure you play on a safe and regulated platform is just common sense.

You want to play in a room that features proper licenses and has a reputation in the poker world, but donвђ™t worry about online poker being rigged.

Even though these theories have been around for a couple of decades now, there is not a single shred of real evidence to support them. As explained, rooms have no reason to rig their games, and even if they did, players would catch up with the scam in no time.

So, donвђ™t let the hyped-up posts claiming online poker is rigged get to you, and think about real evidence.

Many just use this as an excuse because they canвђ™t bead the games. So instead of these conspiracy theories, learn texas holdem strategy or even join a poker training site and show your opponents how easy it is to win!

What percent of online casino games are rigged?

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What percent of online casino games are rigged?

I'm talking roulette ,blackjack, crap tables

I would never trust ONLINE casino games. At the local casino by me they put in an electronic roulette where there isn't an actual ball even, it's just like a monitor that shows it. I wouldn't trust that.

I would say 100%, at a racetrack by me called southland in west memphis they have add "cardless" blackjack and I am 100% sure it is a complete scam, they also have like video "dealers" that deal other games (3 card poker let it ride and some others) which are more questionable than blackdog

In a real casino i'd take cards over electronics but thats just me. There is always human error. And lets remember they work for the casino. Not you.

Why bother rigging a game? They have a monster edge, and they'll beat the crap out of players given enough time.

A book will make a lot more money by establishing a reputation as honest, than ripping off a few people that try them. There are some scamsters out there, but those are running a poor business model.

Why bother rigging a game? They have a monster edge, and they'll beat the crap out of players given enough time.

A book will make a lot more money by establishing a reputation as honest, than ripping off a few people that try them. There are some scamsters out there, but those are running a poor business model.

Possibly so in the fact that the game is in effect already "rigged" in the house's favor substantially perhaps further rigging would be excessive, but I wouldn't put it past most online books to do it anyway as there is no regulation so it would just be more money in their pocket with zero chance of being caught. I always trust vegas b/c of the strict regulations but online anything goes. I think we've all heard about "real" casinos that used rigged roulette wheels etc. It's naive to think that with no reg. Online and no way of detecting it that they wouldn't ever be rigged

Last edited by bettilimbroke999; 04-08-08 at 01:07 AM .

In promotions where they give you a few bucks online but have steep rollover conditions,here is what I found to be a major trend.Let's say they give you $50 and the rollover terms are 30X in blackjack minimum $200 withdrawal.You have to try to hit a homerun by betting the $50 where I seemed to have won,taking the $100 and betting that where I usually won.So you are on $200 and if you double the $200 you can probably play $2 blackjack the rest of the way to qualify for a withdrawal.

So you figure that you better play a few $1 hands and when you get 3 losing hands in a row you will take the $200 and bet the whole thing.You lose everytime. They have some rigged program where they combat against you qualifying for a payout playing with this promotion strategy.I know it's true because it's happened to me time and time again.They say they use random number generators but that's a crock.Worm from rounders is pulling some lever at these online casinos.Hehe!

In promotions where they give you a few bucks online but have steep rollover conditions,here is what I found to be a major trend.Let's say they give you $50 and the rollover terms are 30X in blackjack minimum $200 withdrawal.You have to try to hit a homerun by betting the $50 where I seemed to have won,taking the $100 and betting that where I usually won.So you are on $200 and if you double the $200 you can probably play $2 blackjack the rest of the way to qualify for a withdrawal.

So you figure that you better play a few $1 hands and when you get 3 losing hands in a row you will take the $200 and bet the whole thing.You lose everytime. They have some rigged program where they combat against you qualifying for a payout playing with this promotion strategy.I know it's true because it's happened to me time and time again.They say they use random number generators but that's a crock.Worm from rounders is pulling some lever at these online casinos.Hehe!

Yes I agree. You should see the probaility of betting red and black on the same spin of roulette and it landing on double 00(green)

Dunno guys. About 2 years ago I found a online blackjack system (I guess you could say I knew what would happen next). In about 2 days I made $8,000. They figured out I figured something, and the system was no more. Ended up +6000 after I figured out they figured me out.

SBR bash
punta cana
attendee 2/4/2017

I love when people say, "but they [the online casinos] already have an enormous edge. Why would they rig the games?"

Uh, they would rig the games so that they have an even bigger edge, i.E., so that they would make more money more quickly.

Every time someone says, "I had 10 bad hands in a row, blah blah blah," someone else can (and will) say, "that doesn't prove the house cheated. From a statistician's standpoint, the events you experienced, though unlikely, were probably the result of a fair game. Consider the number of people playing, your recency bias, etc."

Such a response cannot really be argued with. And that's the main problem--how can one actually verify that a game is rigged? I've played bj time and again, for instance, where I've had some hard-core stats buffs calculate the odds of what occurred to me, and time and again, it seems that the odds are 3 in 1000, 1 in 157, things like that. So what does this "prove"?

Well, as my friends are quick to point out, it proves nothing. Who in his right mind is going to log 10,000+ trials to get to the bottom of this? Not your average player. And even if he somehow did it, the house might come up w/ some "software error" bs or some other such malarky.

The gambler's fallacy and other such subjectivities aside, I have found it interesting that those ridiculous streaks of improbability have almost never been to my benefit online. In other words, all those 3 in 1000 streaks have always been losing streaks.

I have heard of very few such winning streaks. Bottom line--online casinos have no incentive not to cheat, given the difficulty of detecting rigging. Even a slight alteration of shoe/deck composition or random number generator application can give the house a HUGE advantage. Online casinos do cheat (just look at all the blacklisted ones on wizardofodds and other sites). If you doubt this, continually place large bets at online casino games and see how you fare.

LEGAL US ONLINE GAMBLING GUIDE

Gambling online is quickly becoming the way to place a bet. More americans are turning to their mobile devices and laptops to play their favorite slots, poker games or bet on sports online.

If you live, work, vacation in the US, you are probably much closer to a legal gambling state than you think. Although states like new jersey and pennsylvania receive all the fanfare for their multiple tiers of online gambling, other states are launching or making plans to launch online casinos and sportsbooks all the time.

In fact, there are so many things happening in the states that it can be hard to keep track. Lucky for you, it’s our job to do exactly that. This page is the premier source for legal gambling in the US.

Read on for all the latest states to open sports betting, the newest online casinos, and which states have plans to legalize online gambling.

States that offer legal online gambling

state	online casino	online poker	online sports betting
new jersey	yes	yes	yes
pennsylvania	yes	yes	yes
indiana	no	no	yes
west virginia	yes	yes	yes
iowa	no	no	yes
new hampshire	no	no	yes
nevada	no	yes	yes
delaware	yes	yes	no
oregon	no	no	yes
rhode island	no	no	yes
montana	no	no	yes
colorado	no	no	yes

New jersey online gambling

What forms of legal online gambling

• Online sports betting


• Online casino


• Online poker

New jersey is currently the largest market for regulated online gambling in the US. Over a dozen legal and licensed online casino sites and poker rooms compete for an overall market that is worth more than $225 million a year.

New jersey currently stands tall as the leader in the online gambling USA space.

New jersey passed its online gambling law in 2013. The new statute allowed atlantic city casinos to apply for internet gaming permits.

Those permits authorized the casinos to host a variety of online casino sites under their licenses. As a result, there are now more online casinos in new jersey than in any other state in the union.

Almost every major casino operator owns a new jersey-based online casino site.

SITES

Each online casino site must run through a land-based casino licensee. Here is a partial list of new jersey online casinos:

• Golden nugget online: you are unlikely to find a finer online casino in the entire world. Golden nugget’s success with traditional gambling and live dealer games make it a must-see for any players who want action.


• Virgin casino: virgin casino online is the online casino wing of sir richard branson’s multimedia conglomerate. Visitors to the site will find a wide selection of games and constant promotional offers to sweeten the pot.


• Tropicana online: few names inspire classic gambling like tropicana. The trop online is the perfect place for players who want things a little more old-school, a little more cultured than a typical online experience.

The law that gave the casinos the ability to host online casinos also authorized the introduction of online poker sites. Poker-hungry residents and visitors in new jersey now have a plethora of options to quench their desire for texas hold’em, omaha, or whatever other game strikes their fancies.

The NJ poker sites operating in the market include:

New jersey is the most prominent state to offer sports betting right now. The garden state spearheaded the downfall of PASPA and contributed the most time and effort to argue in front of the supreme court.

Currently, there are more than a dozen online sports betting apps (a number that is still growing) and a variety of land-based sportsbooks up and running in the state. Here is a partial list of online sportsbooks in new jersey:

• Draftkings sportsbook: draftkings was the first online sportsbook to launch in new jersey when it opened its virtual doors in august 2018. Since then, the company has grown into a powerhouse in the sports betting community.


• William hill sportsbook: william hill is one of the largest sportsbook providers in the world. Its numerous retail and online locations around the globe have made it a fixture in most places with legal online sports betting.


• Fanduel sportsbook: fanduel often seems to move in tandem with its archrival, draftkings. However, fanduel has used innovation and customer service excellence to distinguish itself as a superb sportsbook operator in its own right.

Retail sportsbooks in new jersey

New jersey is also home to a wide selection of retail sportsbooks. The following are some of the options in the garden state:

• Draftkings sportsbook at resorts


• Fanduel sportsbook at the meadowlands


• Moneyline bar & book at borgata


• Monmouth park sportsbook by william hill


• The book at bally’s

The inaugural year for sports betting in new jersey, 2018, yielded bettors who placed over $1.2 billion in wagers. From that figure, the industry itself held just over $94 million in revenue for the year. That number has grown considerably in 2020, as billions will be wagered in the state.

Online sports betting has eclipsed retail wagering in new jersey by an almost 3:1 ratio. The limited accessibility of the state’s gaming areas makes betting through a device a much more palatable option for most residents and visitors.

Pennsylvania online gambling

What forms of legal online gambling

• Online sports betting launched may 2019


• Online casinos launched july 2019


• Online poker launched november 2019

Many of PA’s major casinos have rolled out online casino sites. Online sports betting is live and active with draftkings, fanduel and unibet to name a few. Players have the option of placing bets in person or online via the website and mobile app. Here’s a rundown of legal gambling options in PA.

Since pennsylvania’s gambling expansion became law in 2017, there has been incredible anticipation surrounding the launch of online casinos in the state. Both pennsylvanians and those in surrounding locations couldn’t wait to try out the keystone state’s take on mobile casino play.

They finally got their wish in july 2019. Hollywood casino online and parx online both debuted on the same day and ushered pennsylvania into the realm of online casinos.

Since then, several other casinos have joined the party. Here is a partial list of pennsylvania’s online casinos:

• Betrivers: betrivers serves as the online arm of the popular rivers casino philadelphia. Betrivers is also the online casino for pittsburgh’s rivers casino.


• Hollywood casino online: hollywood casino online is one of the original online casinos to launch in pennsylvania. The experience edge shows, and players will find a broad base of slot and table games awaiting them.


• Unibet: unibet is a recent addition to pennsylvania’s online casino landscape. However, the european gambling giant is no rookie. It brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to aid its pursuit of success on this side of the pond.

Pennsylvania became an online poker state in november 2019, four months after the launch of online casinos in the state. Pokerstars, the market leader for online poker in the world, opened its virtual doors to poker-hungry players in the keystone state.

The result was an onslaught of activity. More players joined on pokerstars PA on its first night than at any point in the history of pokerstars NJ, even though the garden state site had been active since 2013.

Pokerstars remains in a de facto monopoly status for pennsylvania online poker. However, there are several pennsylvania casinos that have secured online poker licenses and could join the fray at any time. They are:

• Harrah’s


• Hollywood casino


• Mount airy


• Parx


• Rivers casino philadelphia


• Valley forge


• Wind creek

With so much opportunity in pennsylvania, it’s likely that at least one launch will be coming soon. Stay tuned.

Pennsylvania’s entry into the sports betting market was one of the most anticipated debuts since the fall of PASPA. The keystone state is one of the most populous states in the country, and its appeal to sportsbook operators stems from that very fact.

The first online sportsbook to launch in pennsylvania was playsugarhouse. The online arm of the philadelphia-area casino opened its virtual doors in may 2019.

Two other online sportsbooks, parx and betrivers, joined playsugarhouse the following month. There are now eight online sportsbooks active in pennsylvania, which include the following sites:

• Draftkings sportsbook: for a time, it seemed as though draftkings might be on the outside looking into pennsylvania. However, a deal with the meadows casino allowed the company in black and green to launch its operations in november 2019.


• Fanduel sportsbook: fanduel has implemented several customer-friendly initiatives since its launch in july 2019. Now, players can find seamless integration and a host of promotions anytime they log on.


• Unibet: unibet, and its partner, mohegan sun pocono, may have been a little late to the party with their november 2019 launch. However, the european giant is using its experience to make up for lost time quickly in pennsylvania.

Retail sportsbooks in pennsylvania

Some people will always prefer a more visceral and tangible experience than online sports betting can offer. Thankfully, there are several retail sportsbooks accepting wagers in pennsylvania each day. They include:

• Draftkings sportsbook at the meadows


• FOX bet at mount airy casino


• Fanduel sportsbook PA at valley forge casino


• Unibet at mohegan sun pocono


• Betrivers sportsbook at rivers casino philadelphia

So far, sports betting in pennsylvania has been big business. Monthly handle has already soared into the hundreds of millions.

*off-track betting locations that now offer wagering on sports. Both locations are owned and operated by greenwood gaming, owner of parx casino.

West virginia online gambling

What forms of legal online gambling

• Online sports betting launched december 2018


• Online casinos launched july 2020


• Online poker expected to launch in 2020 or 2021

West virginia already has online sports betting apps. The enactment of the west virginia lottery interactive wagering act opened the possibility of online casinos, which officially launched in july 2020, and online poker.

West virginia may seem an unlikely candidate to be at the forefront of gambling expansion. However, if new jersey led the charge against PASPA, west virginia was undoubtedly second in command.

West virginia also bears the unfortunate distinction of being the only state to launch online sports betting twice. Although west virginians celebrated the december 2018 debut of betlucky, the embattled app only lasted until the following march.

That month, a disagreement with technical partners blossomed into the permanent cessation of betlucky as a viable option. Retail sportsbooks at wheeling island and mardi gras casino also ceased operations, and have yet to resume.

However, west virginia got a second chance a few months later. Here are the active online sportsbooks in the state:

• Fanduel sportsbook: thanks to some careful planning, west virginia managed to restart online sports betting with the launch of draftkings in august 2019. Players in the mountain state can now enjoy the innovative technology offering that draftkings brings to the table.


• Draftkings sportsbook: fanduel continues to mirror draftkings’ expansion into sports betting by being the second online book to open for business in west virginia. The company has actually been in west virginia longer, due to its operation of the retail sportsbook at the casino club at the greenbrier.

RETAIL SPORTSBOOKS IN WEST VIRGINIA

Otherwise, mountain state bettors can head to one of the in-state casinos to place a sports bet. They are:

• Sportsbook at hollywood casino charles town


• Fanduel sportsbook at the casino club at greenbrier resort*


• William hill sportsbook at mountaineer casino racetrack & resort

*the casino club at greenbrier resort is a private facility and not open to the public. Only members and guests at the hotel may play there.

West virginia became the fifth state to legalize online casinos in 2019. The west virginia lottery interactive wagering act authorized the state’s five casinos to pursue the development of casino and poker apps.

Live online casinos

Draftkings casino: draftkings was able to launch on july 15 thanks to an extension of its sports betting partnership with hollywood casino.

Betmgm : but august, betmgm entered the fold with its online casino.

Potentially, there could be more online casinos and/or poker rooms in west virginia soon. The casinos are:

• The casino club at greenbrier resort


• Hollywood casino charles town


• Mardi gras casino


• The mountaineer hotel, casino, and resort


• Wheeling island hotel-casino-racetrack

With the exceptions of draftkings casino and betmgm, there is no specific timeframe for any of these properties to launch their sites.

West virginia legalized online poker in march 2019. As is the case with online casinos, all five casinos in the state can launch online poker apps but none have kicked off yet.

So, the following properties will potentially have their own sites soon:

• The casino club at greenbrier resort


• Hollywood casino charles town


• Mardi gras casino


• The mountaineer hotel, casino, and resort


• Wheeling island hotel-casino-racetrack

Indiana online gambling

Forms of legal online gambling

• Online sports betting launched october 2019


• No plans for online casinos


• No plans for online poker

Indiana joined the group of states with legal sports betting, both retail and mobile, in 2019. The hoosier state offers several online sportsbooks including – draftkings, fanduel, and betrivers. With the recent launch of unibet, the state now has eight mobile sportsbooks.

Indiana became a full-service sports betting state in the latter part of 2019. Retail sportsbooks opened in september, and online books launched in the following month.

As a result, indiana has become quite the destination for sports bettors in the region. Bettors from chicago, cincinnati, and louisville can place sports bets on their phones after a short trip in the car.

Indiana’s ascension into the online space is a bit surprising, given the fact that the hoosier state is one of the few to criminalize online gambling itself.

Nevertheless, there are several online sportsbooks taking bets in indiana right now. A few of the online sportsbooks in indiana include the following:

• Draftkings sportsbook: draftkings continues to expand its reach across the northeastern section of the united states. Along with betrivers, it was one of the first online sportsbooks to launch in indiana, doing so in early october 2019.


• Fanduel sportsbook: fanduel is the third sportsbook to launch online in indiana. However, the delay is unlikely to hurt the DFS titan, which distinguishes itself with innovative app features and generous bonuses.


• Betrivers sportsbook: betrivers opened its doors for business in indiana in october 2019. The site has several attractive features for customers, including an extensive loyalty program.

Retail sportsbooks in indiana

At this point, the vast majority of indiana’s land-based casinos are hosting a sports betting operation. The only major exception is the majestic star, which is likely foregoing massive expenditures in preparation for a move inland.

The rest of the properties are open and will take a bet. They include:

• Sportsbook at ameristar east chicago


• Fanduel sportsbook at blue chip casino hotel spa


• The book at horseshoe hammond


• Sportsbook at french lick casino


• William hill sportsbook at tropicana evansville

In just a few short months, indiana has seen its handle skyrocket over $100 million. As was the case in new jersey, much of the activity has occurred online, underlining mobile sports betting’s importance to the new market.

Although illinois, ohio, and kentucky will have sports betting relatively soon, indiana should continue to enjoy excellent returns in its sports wagering departments.

Due to indiana’s legal structure, online casinos are not permitted in the state. Furthermore, playing on an online casino is a criminal act. So, unless new legislation comes to indiana, there can be no legal online casinos for residents and visitors there.

However, indiana is home to thirteen casinos that offer slots, table games, and all the great casino action players love. Visit one of these facilities for the best gambling options in indiana.

Indiana law does not permit any kind of online poker play whatsoever. In fact, indiana is one of the few states to criminalize online poker play. It will take a change in the law before online poker rooms can come to the state.

There are, in fact, ten live poker rooms spread throughout indiana’s casinos. There are opportunities to play no matter what part of the state you’re in, so don’t miss out.

Iowa online gambling

Forms of legal online gambling

• Online sports betting launched in august 2019


• No plans for online casinos


• No plans for online poker

Iowa has quickly joined the party when it comes to online sports betting. In less than six months’ time, the hawkeye state has moved from zero sportsbooks to five. Iowa is a bit different in that you need to download and register first, then complete your registration in person at the partnered casino. Even with registration required to be in-person, the sky’s the limit.

Iowa became a sports betting state in 2019. Both retail and online sportsbooks began flooding into the hawkeye state in august 2019, and the number of operators continues to rise.

Truthfully, iowa’s arrival to sports betting happened in a radically-short period of time, in comparison to the other states. While many locations need six months or longer to launch, the first sportsbook in iowa opened its doors three months after the passage of iowa house bill 617.

Another curious aspect of iowa’s entry is the fact that it is one of the few states that is not permitting its inhabitants to register for a sportsbook account electronically. Instead, players must visit the land-based partner of their sportsbook of choice to establish their mobile identity there.

Thankfully, this requirement will expire after 2020. However, the extra step hasn’t slowed down online sportsbook operators from getting underway. Here are a few of the online sportsbooks active in the state:

• Draftkings: draftkings sportsbook went live in iowa in february 2020. The DFS giant has become a sports betting powerhouse in the past few years, and has introduced the US to several app features that have revolutionized sports betting. Those features include the cash out option and the betting carousel.


• Pointsbet: pointsbet launched its operations in iowa in november 2019. The australian sportsbook distinguishes itself with its signature product, points betting, which allows players to enhance both their wins and losses based upon the accuracy of a point spread prediction.


• William hill: william hill sportsbook was the first to launch online operations in iowa. The venerable sports betting operator has working relationships with four different casino properties in the hawkeye state.

Retail sportsbooks in iowa

Here is a partial list of iowa locations with sportsbooks:

• Pointsbet sportsbook at catfish bend casino


• Fanduel sportsbook at diamond jo worth casino


• The book at horseshoe council bluffs


• Q sportsbook at Q casino hotel


• Elite sportsbook at rhythm city casino resort

Iowa is already seeing millions of dollars in wagers flowing through its sportsbooks. Handle in the state has nearly reached $60 million monthly, and should continue to grow.

Despite the in-person registration requirement, online sports betting is shining as the star in the iowa sports betting constellation. The traffic is growing by double-digit percentages each month.

Iowa is not home to any legal online casinos at this time. A change in the law will be necessary to bring online casinos to the state.

For now, the best online options for iowans who want online casino action are the sweepstakes sites. These opportunities can reasonably simulate the experience for most people.

Iowa poker players are out of luck for any legal online poker rooms. The state does not have a law on the books or on the way to bring online poker to the hawkeye state.

The best solution is to visit a sweepstakes site. There is still some good gameplay to be found for the determined poker player.

New hampshire online gambling

Forms of legal online gambling

• Online sports betting launched in december 2019


• No plans for online casinos


• No plans for online poker

Residents of new hampshire received a late christmas present in 2019. Draftkings sportsbook began the era of online sports betting in the granite state on december 30. Draftkings will be the only online sportsbook. The first retail sportsbooks launched on august 12 — draftkings sportsbook at the brook.

New hampshire is a recent addition to the community of sports betting states. Its first sportsbook launched in january 2020.

Unusually, new hampshire welcomed an online sportsbook prior to the debut of any retail locations. Retail sportsbooks will begin popping up in the granite state sometime in mid-2020.

The debut of draftkings in new hampshire came as a response to a gauntlet thrown down by new hampshire gov. Chris sununu. Sununu pushed regulators and operators to get going so that he could place a wager on the new england patriots.

Unfortunately for sununu, the patriots’ season ended sooner than he would’ve liked. However, kudos to the industry for giving him the opportunity to bet on schedule, anyway.

Here are the online sportsbooks in new hampshire:

• Draftkings sportsbook: draftkings is the only online sportsbook in operation in new hampshire right now. Its de facto monopoly won’t last forever, but the company in black and green will likely use the opportunity to build brand loyalty and market share.

Retail sportsbooks in new hampshire

There are no retail sportsbooks available in new hampshire just yet. The first ones should begin opening sometime in mid-2020. New hampshire law allows the placement of up to 10.

However, the results from a vote in november 2019 made clear where the new sportsbooks will be popping up. According to new hampshire law, sports betting can only be hosted in towns that have approved their introduction.

The towns that have approved sports betting in new hampshire are:

• Berlin


• Claremont


• Laconia


• Manchester


• Somersworth

New hampshire’s geographic location may limit the granite state’s ability to generate gobs of new revenue. However, new hampshire’s commitment to maximizing its citizens’ personal freedoms means that sports betting, in whatever form it comes, makes sense.

New hampshire does not have any plans to bring online poker to the state soon. For now, players should visit one of the sweepstakes site options that are available to them.

However, in an unusual quirk, charity establishments can offer gambling action through various table games at selected taverns and restaurants in the state. There are roughly a dozen locations where players can find roulette, blackjack, and other table game variants.

New hampshire is relatively hostile to the notion of online poker at this time. New hampshire players who wish to experience online poker action should seek out sweepstakes sites that are active in the state.

In the meantime, they can also visit one of the cardrooms located in the state. These options, which usually happen in sports bars, can provide an outlet for those needing a poker fix.

Nevada online gambling

Forms of legal online gambling

• Online sports betting launched in august 2010


• Online poker launched in april 2013


• No plans for online casinos

Nevada enjoyed a virtual monopoly on sports betting for nearly two decades. So, it’s no surprise that the silver state was the first to launch an online sportsbook, doing so in 2010.

Aside from a few limited exceptions in places like montana and oregon, nevada was the only state that could offer legal sports betting for nearly two decades. The prohibition granted by PASPA was a boon for the silver state’s sports betting interests.

Although other states are now able to offer competition for nevada’s sportsbooks, the western state remains the home of sports betting for most americans. Most lines, estimates, and spreads flow from those published in las vegas sportsbooks.

With that said, nevada’s entry into the online sports betting market is surprisingly antiquated. State law requires that players establish and initially fund their account in-person at the home casino of their chosen sportsbook app.

This requirement is an inconvenience in comparison to the procedures in other states. Most of the new sports betting states are allowing their inhabitants to register and fund from the comfort of their homes. Even those that do require in-person registration – like iowa – have set a sunset date on that requirement into their law.

Regardless, nevada is home to a plethora of sports betting apps. Here is a sample of some of the apps available in the silver state:

• B-connected: the B-connected app serves customers that play through boyd gaming properties. It launched in september 2014 and is the sportsbook app for nine las vegas-area properties.


• Westgate superbook: the westgate superbook app deserves mention not for its features, but for its home casino. The westgate las vegas is the most famous sportsbook in the world and is often the gold standard for setting lines around the world. The app opened its virtual doors in june 2016 and offers the exact same odds that can be found in its physical location.


• William hill: the william hill app serves a variety of casinos throughout nevada. However, the in-person requirement may be the least aggravating for william hill customers due to william hill’s extensive network of standalone shops in the state. There are more than 100 locations where players can sign up for the app, which william hill acquired back in 2011.

Retail sportsbooks in nevada

Nearly every nevada casino has a sportsbook of some kind. Here are some of the better known companies or facilities that offer wagering on sporting events:

• Caesars entertainment – 8 casinos


• MGM resorts international – 10 casinos


• Station casinos – 9 casinos


• South point


• Westgate superbook

One might think that the land-based casino capital of the US would be the online casino leader. However, there are no online casino sites active in nevada at this time.

So, players in nevada who wish to play in an online casino are best served by finding one of the various sweepstakes sites. Other than that, simply walk outside and throw a stone – it’s likely that you’ll hit a casino.

Online poker is the only licensed and regulated form of online gambling in the state of nevada. Online poker action has been available in the state since april 2013.

Although ultimate bet led the initial charge back then, the launch of WSOP.Com nevada quickly brought about a new market leader.

Naturally, WSOP.Com heavily cross-promotes its online offering through the world series of poker. These efforts include online satellites to WSOP bracelet events and online WSOP bracelet events themselves.

In march 2015, nevada and delaware entered into a poker liquidity sharing agreement. This agreement, which combined the two player pools, runs through WSOP.Com in nevada. New jersey’s player pool joined the agreement in april 2018.

As of right now, here are the online poker sites in nevada:

• WSOP.Com

However, there are rumors that more sites could be on the way. Remember to check back with playusa periodically to see what’s going on.

Delaware online gambling

Forms of legal online gambling

• Online sports betting launched in june 2018


• Online casinos launched in november 2013


• Online poker launched in november 2013

Delaware may seem a strange location to find a stalwart of online gambling. However, that’s exactly what the first state is. Delaware was the first state to launch online sports betting post-PASPA and was one of the first to launch online gambling and poker.

Delaware, fittingly, was the first state to debut sports betting in the wake of PASPA’s dismissal. The first state launched retail sports betting in june 2018, a couple of weeks before new jersey’s triumphant opening at monmouth park.

Delaware is a small state, and is home to only three casinos. However, all three venues have a sportsbook onsite. Unusually, the three casinos operate through a joint license with the state lottery.

Online sports betting is legal, at least according to regulators in the state. None of the three facilities has seen fit to debut an app yet, though.

So, for now, sports betting is confined to three places in the first state. Given that its area is only 1982 square miles, it’s probably not too much of a problem to find a casino nearby.

Retail sportsbooks in delaware

• Delaware park casino


• Dover downs hotel & casino


• Harrington raceway & casino

View more information about delaware here.

Delaware became the first state to legalize online gambling in 2012. The market opened up in november 2013 with sites operated through the state’s three racinos. So, gamblers can find online casinos at the sites for:

• Delaware park


• Dover downs


• Harrington raceway

These sites offer a variety of blackjack, roulette, slots and video poker games. Of the three, delaware park is the busiest site.

Delaware’s three horse-track based online gambling sites offer peer-to-peer online poker with software provided by 888 holdings. So, there are online poker sites for the following casinos:

• Delaware park


• Dover downs


• Harrington raceway

Through a joint agreement with WSOP.Com, delaware and nevada began sharing online poker traffic in march 2015. However, like the state itself, the delaware online poker market remains small.

Needless to say, an infusion of players from one of the larger states could serve as a much-needed shot in the arm for the market.

Oregon gambling

Forms of legal online gambling

• Online sports betting launched in october 2019


• No plans for online casino


• No plans for online poker

Oregon occupies an unusual spot in US sports betting history, in that it was one of the few states outside of nevada to offer a sports betting product. So, it makes sense that the beaver state is now one of the first to offer online sports betting

Oregon became the first state in the pacific northwest to launch sports betting post-PASPA. The chinook winds casino, a tribal facility, played host to the first legal sports wager in the beaver state in september 2019.

Online sports betting came to oregon the following month. The oregon lottery debuted its scoreboard app in conjunction with software company sbtech.

Lottery officials moved forward without passage of any new legislation in the state. Because of the state’s prior exemption under PASPA, the lottery claimed that it had the authority to launch sports betting without needing any further authorization.

So far, the legislature has yet to challenge that claim in any meaningful way. A new revenue stream has a way of tamping down on dissent.

Meanwhile, oregon’s numerous tribal casinos can assert the same freedom to offer sports betting that chinook winds did. They just haven’t done so yet.

Finally, there could potentially be hundreds of sports betting locations to launch in oregon. Since the state lottery has such exercised such unfettered authority, it is entirely likely that sports betting could become part of the menu at any of the lottery’s terminals spread throughout the state.

If that happens, taverns, bars, and even convenience stores throughout oregon could become sports betting states. In the meantime, oregonians will have to console themselves with the few sports betting opportunities they have.

It is, indeed, better than nothing. Here is the lone online sportsbook in oregon:

• Oregon lottery scoreboard: the oregon lottery’s scoreboard launched its operations in october 2019. The app offers numerous live betting options and an extensive library of different types of betting.

Retail sportsbooks in oregon

Generally speaking, oregon is not terribly friendly to the idea of online casinos. It’s possible that the state’s outdoorsy ethos leads lawmakers to believe that gamblers should be outside a bit more.

Regardless, there are no online casino laws on the horizon in oregon. Players who wish to take part should use one of the sweepstakes sites available throughout the country.

Although oregon is home to several poker clubs, oregon’s government is not comfortable with the idea of allowing this particular game of chance to reign. Certainly, there are no movements to bring online poker to the beaver state.

So, like their online casino brethren, online poker players in oregon will need to use sweepstakes sites in order to play from home. For right now, the focus is on sports betting.

Colorado gambling

Forms of legal online gambling

• Online sports betting live in may 2020


• No plans for online casinos to launch


• No plans for online poker to launch

Colorado legalized sports betting through a voter referendum in november 2019. The new law, which allows the state’s casinos to open both online and retail books, passed by a narrow margin.

Colorado is home to 33 casinos, which are mostly clustered into three mountain towns. All of the casinos have applied for licenses, which only cost a paltry $2,000.

Colorado has become a sports betting state as of may 2020. Both betmgm and betrivers opened their virtual doors at 10 a.M. On may 1, and other sportsbooks followed soon afterward.

In theory, colorado could be home to 33 separate online and retail sportsbooks. However, given some of the overlap with casinos owned by the same company and the potential for oversaturating the market, it’s unlikely that there will be so many.

Still, in a state whose largest city receives more than 57 inches of snowfall every year, the ability to access sportsbooks remotely will be a critical component to the industry’s success. Expect to see many options continue to pop up in the centennial state.

Colorado is not particularly warm to the idea of online casinos at this time. There are no bills or plans to legalize online casinos in the state.

The introduction of online sports betting could potentially turn some hearts on this matter, but it’s speculative to expect anything to happen soon. In the meantime, colorado players are encouraged to play on sweepstakes casino sites.

Similar to their feelings about online casinos, coloradans have not shown much affinity for the idea of introducing online poker to the state. There are no active bills in the legislature that would make peer-to-peer gaming a reality in the centennial state.

It’s possible that online sportsbooks might plant the seed in the minds of colorado lawmakers to look at online poker play. However, in the meantime, there are sweepstakes poker sites that can help colorado poker players get over the hump.

Rhode island gambling

Forms of legal online gambling

• Online sports betting launched in sept. 2019


• No plans for online casinos


• No plans for online poker

The state should see the launch an online sportsbook sometime this year. The book will no doubt be under the twin rivers brand, which operates both casinos in the state.

We first learned that rhode island would be introducing sports betting in a very low-key way. Rather than putting the news at a press conference or through some sort of release, rhode island simply chose to include sports betting into its 2018 state budget.

True to predictions, the first sports bet took place in the ocean state in november 2018. Although the wagering ultimately fell short of the budget’s projections, rhode island became the eighth bona fide location to place wagers on sporting events in the US.

After a few months of retail service, rhode island lawmakers expanded the existing law to allow for mobile wagering throughout the state, which started with twin river casino in lincoln in sept. 2019 and was followed shortly after by twin river tiverton.

Rhode island’s approach to sports betting is quite unique. Unlike other states, the majority (51%) of the revenue from in-state sportsbooks goes directly to the state.

In fact, the state’s casinos only receive 17% of the revenue that they generate from sports betting as profit. Another major chunk goes to technology provider IGT, which has an unusually-close relationship with the state government and the two casinos in the state.

Retail sportsbooks in rhode island

View more information about rhode island sports betting here.

Rhode island does not appear to be making any moves toward legalizing online casinos soon. The state’s focus is on ensuring a successful launch of its sports betting products.

For now, rhode islanders who wish to play online casino games can use one of the sweepstakes sites available to them. These sites can offer online casino action while staying in compliance with the law.

Like the situation with online casinos, there is no indication that rhode island is considering a move towards legalizing online poker in the state. With so much riding on the success of sports betting, online poker is decidedly on the back burner.

So, rhode island poker players can find action through a sweepstakes site, if they like. These sites use a unique business model to stay legal and offer poker games throughout the US.

Montana gambling

Forms of legal online gambling

• Online sports betting launched march 2020


• No plans for online casinos


• No plans for online poker

Montana gov. Steve bullock affixed his signature to H 725 in may 2019, and thus, ushered full sports betting into montana, which launched in march 2020. The law allows for both mobile and retail sports betting in the state, though mobile wagering is restricted to within the walls of lottery retailers and taverns authorized to offer sports betting.

Montana’s foray into sports betting was a far more governmental affair than in other states. Lottery giant intralot handles the state’s sports betting activities for at least the next seven years.

Forms of legal online gambling

• Online sports betting legalized in december 2019


• Online casinos legalized in december 2019


• Online poker legalized in december 2019

On dec. 20, 2019, gov. Gretchen whitmer signed legislation to legalize online gambling in michigan. The state’s first retail sportsbooks went live in march 2020, while online platforms are expected to enter the fold as early as october 2020.

Operators will be limited to one online skin. The bill does not permit multi-state games.

Each of the three commercial and 23 tribal casinos will be permitted to apply for licensing, which will cost $50,000 for application, $100,000 for actual licensing and $50,000 for annual renewal.

Illinois gambling

Forms of legal online gambling

• Online sports betting launched in june 2020


• No plans for online casinos


• No plans for online poker

Sports betting became legal in illinois in june 2019 and led to the first retail sportsbooks opening in march 2020. The bill provides for both retail and online sports wagering. In june 2020, rivers casino launched betrivers to become the first mobile/online sportsbook in the state. Then, draftkings and fanduel joined the market in august 2020 with the launch of its own sportsbook app.

Licenses to offer sports betting in illinois are a whopping $10 million. However, given that all casinos, all racetracks, and even some sports venues can apply, it seems likely that there will be plenty of takers, even at that price.

Washington, D.C., gambling

Forms of legal online gambling

• Online sports betting legalized in january 2019, launched may 2020


• No plans for online casinos


• No plans for online poker

Technically, mayor muriel bowser did not sign off on legislation in january 2019 to legalize sports betting in the nation’s capital. Rather, enough time passed for the bill to pass.

Despite controversy surrounding the incoming industry, regulated online wagering went live in DC in may 2020 as the gambet DC platform soft-launched but only as a browser-accessible sportsbook. The intralot-powered product remains the sole legal sportsbook, as other applications (for online and retail wagering) still await appproval.

States with the potential to regulate / launch in 2020

Virginia gambling

Forms of legal online gambling

• Online sports betting legalized in april 2020


• No plans for online casinos


• No plans for online poker

Lawmakers in old dominion passed several bills to legalize sports betting and sent them to the desk of gov. Ralph northam in april. Rather than immediately signing off, however, northam sent the legislation back with several recommendations, including which facilities can offer regulated wagering and easing restrictions on bets surrounding in-state colleges.

With little to no objections, delegates approved of northam’s suggestions, thus legalizing retail and online sports betting in virginia effective july 1.

Tennessee gambling

Forms of legal online gambling

• Online sports betting legalized in april 2019


• No plans for online casinos


• No plans for online poker

Tennessee approved a sports betting law in april 2019. Curiously enough, since there are no gambling venues in the state, the law allows for online sports betting only – there is no retail sports betting on the horizon. Sites should launch sometime in 2020.

Operators will have to pay $750,000 annually to renew their licenses. While that’s steep, big names like draftkings and fanduel are unlikely to be deterred from applying.

Legal retail or onsite US sports betting

Some states are moving more tentatively into the sports betting world than others. The following are the states that have launched retail sports betting only, so at least fans can wager on their favorite sporting events in person. However, they have either severely limited online betting or prohibited it outright.

New york – new york legalized sports betting back in 2013, but had to wait for PASPA to fall. Now, there are seven retail sportsbooks (four commercial, three tribal) spread throughout the state. Lawmakers are continuing to work for online sports betting.

Arkansas – arkansas launched its first sportsbook in july 2019 when the oaklawn racing casino resort opened its doors. It is arkansas’ only sportsbook. The law allows for the placement of three more facilities, but no mobile wagering is permitted.

Mississippi – mississippi was one of the first states to launch sports betting after the fall of PASPA. The first book opened its doors in august 2018, and dozens more have joined since then. However, state law only allows online play while onsite at a gambling facility.

New mexico – new mexico is the only state with legal sportsbooks and no state law allowing sports betting. Five tribal casinos have opened books since october 2018, claiming the right under their state compact. None have offered a mobile app yet.

North carolina – north carolina gave its two tribal casinos the power to offer sports betting in july 2019. There’s still no definite timeline for a launch, as lawmakers are continuing to study the issue. The bill did not allow either casino to offer online sports betting.

Washington, D.C. – the washington D.C. City council passed a bill in december 2018 to allow retail and online sports betting throughout the nation’s capital. Unfortunately, a judge has blocked that move for the time being. There is no timeframe for launch in D.C. Now.

Michigan – legalized sports betting hit michigan in march 2020 with two of the three commercial casinos opening sportsbooks. The state also legalized online wagering, though mobile sportsbooks are not expected until late 2020.

After you select where you’ll be wagering, read about the basics of sports betting. It’s a handy guide for both novices and those who want to brush up on their skills.

States that are considering legalizing sports betting

While some states are intent on bringing sports betting to their residents, others are more hesitant. In some cases, the states are larger and have more stakeholders to satisfy. Regardless, here are the states that are considering legal sports betting.

California: efforts were underway to put a california sports betting initiative before voters in november. But due to the coronavirus pandemic, all efforts have stopped. For now, it appears all momentum for CA sports betting in 2020 is all but finished.

Florida: A florida state senator has filed a trio of bills to legalize sports betting in the state and put the state lottery in charge. What remains to be seen is how the powerful seminole tribe, which operates multiple florida casinos, will fit into the plan.

Maine: maine’s legislature sent a completed sports bill to the desk of gov. Janet mills in june 2019. Unfortunately, after a months-long delay, mills chose to veto the bill in january 2020. So, it remains to be seen where maine goes from here.

Massachusetts: there’s no denying that there is conversation in massachusetts about sports betting. There are several bills under the scrutiny of state sen. Eric lesser right now, and according to the boston globe , sports betting is a matter of when, not if, in massachusetts.

Kentucky: after back-to-back years attempting to legalize sports betting, it’s back to the drawing board. Rep. Adam koenig filed bills in 2019 and 2020, and neither was able to move forward towards legalization. It’s going to be an uphill battle for 2021.

Maryland: A referendum asking voters if sports betting should be legal, will make its way to the ballot box in november. If voters approve the sports betting referendum, it will pave the way for lawmakers to move forward with crafting a bill in 2021.

Missouri: the coronavirus pandemic may have detailed any change for sporting betting in 2020. Lawmakers are hopeful a bill can get passed in 2021.

Kansas: there are currently two bills circulating in the kansas legislature, one passed by the senate and one crafted by the house. Each bill is significantly different and could cause the downfall of kansas sports betting if lawmakers can’t come to an agreement. For now, things appear up in the air.

US ONLINE LOTTERY

Georgia: the georgia lottery corporation allows residents to play online from anywhere in georgia. Players can buy tickets for draw games, including fantasy 5, mega millions, powerball. There are also keno games available and the georgia lottery’s exclusive interactive diggi games. Online lottery sale went live in the state in november 2012. The launch coincided with the release of a lottery debit card players can use online called the ihope. It allows players to preload funds, buy tickets and download winnings.

Illinois: illinois launched a pilot program offering online sales of lotto and mega millions tickets in march 2012. This made illinois the first state to offer online lottery ticket sales. By december 2012, the illinois lottery’s website was also offering tickets for the popular multi-state powerball lottery. It has since expanded to include daily lottery games and instant games, the online equivalent of instant ticket scratch-offs. In april 2014, illinois lottery officials announced online tickets sales had reached $36.9 million in the program’s first two years.

Michigan: the michigan lottery officially launched online lottery sales in the fall of 2014. Michigan residents were then allowed to buy tickets for instant keno and electronic scratch-off game equivalents from a computer, smartphone, or tablet device.

In january 2016, the michigan lottery began draw game ticket sales online. This allowed michigan residents to buy tickets online for the most popular draw games, including powerball, mega millions, lotto 47, and fantasy 5. Players have to be michigan residents over the age of 18. Plus, they must sign up for an account on the michigan lottery website to make purchases.

Kentucky: kentucky became the latest state to offer online lottery ticket sales in 2016. The state offers online sales of jackpot and daily draw games as well as instant play games. Online ticket sales were actually approved in 2013. However, it took the state three years to develop its complex online ticketing and security system. Players have to set up an account and deposit money to buy tickets. Deposits cannot be withdrawn in accordance with money-laundering laws.

New hampshire: in june of 2017, new hampshire became the fifth state to pass laws allowing for online lottery sales. On sept. 20, 2018, the state officially launched its online lottery offering.

Pennsylvania: as part of a large gambling expansion bill that passed in october 2017, pennsylvania is the latest state to legalize the online lottery. The PA ilottery soft-launched on may 29, 2018. Currently, it only features instant win online scratch-off games. There is room for the game selection to expand in the future though.

DAILY FANTASY SPORTS IN THE US

Daily fantasy sports sites operate in numerous states. Some have authored legislation regulating and taxing operators, while others do not.

New york was really the first state to take on DFS operators after the game’s popularity began to rise. New york attorney general eric schneiderman issued a cease-and-desist order to top DFS operators draftkings and fanduel in november 2015. At the time, schneiderman claimed DFS was illegal gambling under state law and really just a re-branded version of sports betting.

A protracted legal battle and negotiated went on until august 2016 when NY governor andrew cuomo signed a bill allowing DFS sites to serve new yorkers. The sites now pay a licensing fee and 15% tax on gross revenues to the state.

In the meantime, massachusetts lawmakers went a different route. They chose to legalize DFS operations and set a number of regulations. However, there are no taxes and fees associated.

In nevada, DFS operators are being treated just like casinos. They are required to apply for a gambling operators license. So far, no major DFS operators have sought to operate in nevada.

Other states, like california, have considered legislation regulating and taxing DFS operators, but have yet to pass any laws. California remains the largest market for DFS sites.

THE HISTORY OF ONLINE GAMBLING IN THE UNITED STATES

The first online casinos started opening up on the internet back in 1994. The operators of these sites were mostly based in places like antigua and the isle of man, but they happily accepted customers from the united states.

By 1996, a first nations group near montreal, quebec, canada set up a gaming commission and started issuing licenses to online poker and casino sites on north american soil. This group was the mohawk territory of kahnawake and the commission was known as the kahnawake gaming commission.

The number of online gambling websites around the world suddenly ballooned from a handful to hundreds.

By 1998, reports suggested online gambling revenues were upwards of $800 million.

US LAWMAKERS START LOOKING

A year later, the US senate made its first attempt to ban online gambling, introducing the internet gambling prohibition act. The bill did not pass.

In 2002, the united states court of appeals for the fifth circuit ruled the federal wire act prohibits sports betting, but not necessarily online gambling. However, the US department of justice disagreed, claiming all online gambling is illegal in the US, and that advertising online gambling is akin to aiding and abetting a crime. In 2004, search engines google and yahoo! Pulled all online gambling advertising.

THE UNLAWFUL INTERNET GAMBLING ENFORCEMENT ACT

In september 2006, the US congress passed the unlawful internet gambling enforcement act (UIGEA) as a part of the SAFE port act. The act made it illegal for US banks to process transactions for online gambling sites. President george W. Bush signed the bill into law in october and a number of online gambling operators immediately pulled out of the US market.

However, the online gambling industry kept growing and many operators continued to accept US customers. The offshore operations skirted around the new banking laws in a variety of creative ways. By 2008, market data and intelligence firm H2 gambling capital estimated worldwide online gambling revenues had hit $21 billion.

ONLINE POKER’S BLACK FRIDAY

On april 15, 2011, three of the largest online poker operators in the world were indicted on various charges including violating the UIGEA. These sites included pokerstars, full tilt, and absolute poker. Access to the sites from the US was shut down and the massive US online poker market was effectively closed. The day became known as black friday in the online poker community.

It was ultimately exposed that full tilt had failed to segregate player funds and paid out millions in to its owners. A settlement was reached that included pokerstars buying full tilt and paying back US players who were left out of pocket.

WEIGHING IN ON THE WIRE ACT

In december 2011, the DOJ released a legal opinion that federal wire act only applies to sports bets. This paved the way for individual states to begin to consider online lottery sales, and ultimately online poker and online casino games.

THE NEW LEGAL ONLINE GAMBLING MARKET

In the summer of 2012, delaware became the first state to legalize online gambling, passing the delaware gaming competitiveness act.

In february 2013, nevada became the second state to legalize online gambling, authorizing the issue of online poker licenses. Within a week, new jersey became the third state to legalize online gambling, authorizing the issue of both online poker and online casino licenses to casinos in atlantic city.

In april 2013, the first legal online gambling site in the united states went live in nevada. It was an online poker room called ultimate poker. By november, online poker and online casinos went live in delaware and new jersey.

In 2017, pennsylvania became the fourth and largest state to pass legislation regulating online gambling. Both online casinos and an online poker room launched in 2019.

In 2018, the supreme court overturned PASPA, which ignited a wave of interest across several states in authorizing sports betting, including online sports betting.

In early 2019, the DOJ released a revised wire act opinion. The impacts of that new opinion on legal online gambling remain unclear.

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