Legal sportsbooks and online casinos in the US, state by state
Online gambling is legal only where a state licenses it, and only while you're physically inside that state. We start with three of the biggest regulated markets: New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan.
The states we cover
All three states license both online casinos and online sportsbooks. The years show when the first licensed sites went live.
| State | Online casinos | Online sportsbooks | Regulator | Help line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | Legal since 2013 | Legal since 2018 | Division of Gaming Enforcement | 1-800-GAMBLER |
| Pennsylvania | Legal since 2019 | Legal since 2019 | Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board | 1-800-GAMBLER |
| Michigan | Legal since 2021 | Legal since 2021 | Michigan Gaming Control Board | 1-800-270-7117 |
The national helpline, run by the National Council on Problem Gambling, is 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738). You can call, text or chat at any hour.
How to spot an offshore site
Plenty of sites take bets from Americans without a license from any state. If something goes wrong with one of them, no US regulator can help you get your money back. These are the giveaways:
- It never checks where you are. Licensed sites confirm you're inside the state before you can bet. A site that lets you play from anywhere isn't licensed where you live.
- It doesn't name a state regulator. Licensed sites show their regulator and license in the footer. You can check them on the regulator's website, linked in the table above.
- Its withdrawal terms are vague. Licensed sites have to tell you how and when you'll be paid.
The terms that catch players out
US sportsbooks use different words from UK bookmakers, but the catches are familiar. Here's a typical welcome offer, made up for illustration.
Illustrative example, not a real offer
Bet $5, get $150 in bonus bets if your bet wins
21+ and physically present in NJ, PA or MI. New customers only. Place a first cash bet of $5 or more at odds of -500 or longer within 30 days of sign-up; if it wins, receive $150 in bonus bets within 72 hours. Bonus bets expire 7 days after they are issued. Bonus bet stakes are not included in any winnings. Bonus bets have no cash value and cannot be withdrawn. Void where prohibited. See full terms.
What it really says
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Your first bet has to win. If it loses, you get nothing. Most players miss this line.
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Seven days. Bonus bets expire a week after they land in your account.
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Stake not returned. A $25 bonus bet that wins at +200 pays $50, not $75.
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Location matters. You must be physically inside a state where the sportsbook is licensed, every time you bet.
Read carefully you only get the bonus bets if your first bet wins.
Offers we're checking now
We're reading the current offers from licensed sportsbooks and casinos in these three states. Each verdict we publish will list the terms behind it and the date we checked them.