Where is Sports Betting Legal in the USA?

People of all ages choose to gamble as a way to spend their leisure time, with many states’ popular destinations for this pastime activity. There sure is an abundance of places to travel nationwide for punters who can also enjoy soaking up the history and culture along the way. You can find USA States with Legal Sports Betting information here that makes a routine weekend retreat with a spot of gambling on the side an effortless experience to be had for all.

Nevada

The obvious choice to begin with but impossible, not to mention here as this desert state is known to many as the gambler’s paradise of the world. Travellers from across the globe flock to the mesmerising bright lights of Las Vegas in hope lady luck shines on them just one time.

In fact, on average, a staggering 50 million people visit the state of Nevada every year, which underlines the pulling power Las Vegas has and why it will forever remain a legal and champion gambling destination of the world. Las Vegas has well over 130 casinos and also a multitude of restaurants, bars and nightclubs, so whilst punting enthusiasts have a plethora of options, they are also drawn here for its party scene and the ability to take in the rich history and culture often seen in the movies.

Nevada overall has around 265 casinos in all though, so even those who wish to avoid Las Vegas have a range of options at their disposal whereby you can find tribal gambling, poker, and even betting on the horses.

South Dakota

The state is predominantly known for video lotteries, however with around 1300 venues this remains a legal and widely accessible option for the keen gambler. Alongside online gambling, South Dakota remains a legal and viable option boasting 25 land-based casinos in the heart of the Deadwood area which also includes 11 tribal casinos across the state, giving ample opportunity to anyone who wishes to try their luck.

What is great about playing video lotteries is that they typically have a starting stake from as low as 25 cents a round, so if you prefer a low-risk approach and a more novel and laid back gambling stint, then this state could be the perfect one for you.

New Jersey

Perhaps not everyone’s first choice these days for a punter’s retreat, New Jersey is home to Atlantic City, which will always be known as an original gambler’s paradise and is home to 12 brick-and-mortar casinos that remain highly popular across the state contributing $2.85 billion annually in revenue. As gambling laws in neighbouring states are slowly being re-evaluated, the competition that Atlantic City faces will gradually increase; however, as well as having the nostalgia and history New Jersey has to offer, their laws on online gambling remain completely legalised which helps to attract some of the crowd from Nevada’s overwhelming monopoly. New Jersey is seen as an attractive gambling prospect in the US largely due to not having the saturation that comes with a visit to Vegas.

Other notable mentions include the state of Illinois, with ten casinos that bring in a gross revenue of over $1.5 billion, and the long-running riverboat casinos which have been in operation since the early nineties. Then there is Florida, which has 77 casinos in all, spread across 31 cities, with Seminole Hard Rock Tampa being the largest and finally Pennsylvania, a much newer entry with gambling made illegal in 2004. Since then, 13 casinos have opened, proving popular with locals and visitors alike. Of the 635 hotels in the Pocono Mountains, 26 are listed as casino hotels whilst in the city of Philadelphia, placing bets on horse racing is now widely an encouraged pastime.

Conclusion

For many of these states across the USA, gambling is more considered a way of meeting new people and sharing experiences. It’s a full-blown industry which is embraced by amateur and professional gamblers so if you’re keen to hit the big game, then these states include all you’ll need and are worthy of placing on the bucket list – just don’t spend all of your chips at once. Whether the land-based industry will continue to be as popular after the pandemic remains to be seen. Online casinos are also slowly becoming popular, but with the way US iGaming and sports betting online is set up, the land based casinos control the licenses used by the online betting sites, so land-based and online casinos can both flourish.