US Legal Gambling Guide: Sports, DFS, Casino, Lottery
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Sports Betting
Is Sports Betting Legal in the US? Yes! We have the full details in our updated State by State guide. Find legal and safe online betting sites in your state as well as the best Sportsbook promo codes that give new users free money up to $2,000.
New York Betting is Live!
New York sports betting is legal and live! Caesars Sportsbook New York is our Top recommended legal NY sportsbooks. Claim the #1 bonus offers for all of the best legal sports betting options with LINEUPS, today.
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State by State Legal Gambling Guide
Click on a state name to see the legal gambling options in that state. You will also find a legal betting guide for all 50 US states.
Alabama
Alabama Legal Gambling 2021
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Alabama sports betting guide and legal status.
Alaska
Alaska Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
Find out when Alaska sports betting will be legal.
Arizona
Arizona Legal Gambling 2021
Find out when Arizona sports betting will launch.
Arkansas
Arkansas Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Find out when Arkansas sports betting will be legal.
California
California Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Sportsbooks
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Find out when California sports betting will be legal.
Colorado
Colorado Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Sportsbooks
- Mobile Sports Betting
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Online
Top Rated Apps: BetMGM Colorado
See Colorado sports betting guide.
Connecticut
Connecticut Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Mobile Sports Betting
- Mobile Casinos
- Online Poker
- Live Casinos
- Live Sports Betting
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Online Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Find out when Connecticut sports betting will be legal.
Delaware
Delaware Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Online Poker
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Sportsbooks
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
See Delaware sports betting guide.
Florida
Florida Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Find out when Florida sports betting will be legal.
Georgia
Georgia Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Lottery
- Online Lottery
Find out when Georgia sports betting will be legal.
Hawaii
Hawaii Legal Gambling 2021
Find out when Hawaii sports betting will be legal.
Idaho
Idaho Legal Gambling 2021
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Find out when Idaho sports betting will be legal.
Illinois
Illinois Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Online Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Top Rated Apps: DraftKings Illinois, BetMGM Illinois
See Illinois sports betting guide.
Indiana
Indiana Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Sportsbooks
- Mobile Sports Betting
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Top Rated Apps: BetMGM Indiana
See Indiana sports betting guide.
Iowa
Iowa Legal Gambling 2021
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Sportsbooks
- Mobile Sports Betting
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Top Rated Apps: BetMGM Iowa
See Iowa sports betting guide.
Kansas
Kansas Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Find out when Kansas sports betting will be legal.
Kentucky
Kentucky Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Online Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Find out when Kentucky sports betting will be legal.
Louisiana
Louisiana Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Mobile Sports Betting
- Live Sports Betting
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Find out all the Louisiana sports betting information regarding launch on our page. You can also check out our top Louisiana sportsbook DraftKings Louisiana promo code and Caesars Sportsbook Louisiana promo code
Maine
Maine Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Find out when Maine sports betting will be legal.
Maryland
Maryland Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Mobile Sports Betting
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Find out when Maryland sports betting will launch.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Find out when Massachusetts sports betting will be legal.
Michigan
Michigan Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Mobile Sports Betting
- Mobile Casinos
- Online Poker
- Live Casinos
- Live Sports Betting
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Online Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Top Rated Apps: DraftKings Michigan, FanDuel Michigan, BetMGM Michigan
See Michigan sports betting guide.
Minnesota
Minnesota Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Live Sportsbooks
- Mobile Sports Betting
- Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Find out when Minnesota sports betting will be legal.
Mississippi
Mississippi Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Sportsbooks
See Mississippi sports betting guide.
Missouri
Missouri Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
Find out when Missouri sports betting will be legal.
Montana
Montana Legal Gambling 2021
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Sportsbooks
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Find out when Montana sports betting will be legal.
Nebraska
Nebraska Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
Find out when Nebraska sports betting will be legal.
Nevada
Nevada Legal Gambling 2021
- Live Casinos
- Online Poker
- Live Poker
- Live Sportsbooks
- Mobile Sports Betting
- Live Horse Racing Betting
See Nevada sports betting guide.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Lottery
- Online Lottery
- Live Sportsbooks
- Mobile Sports Betting
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
See New Hampshire sports betting guide.
New Jersey
New Jersey Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Online Poker
- Lottery
- Live Sportsbooks
- Mobile Sports Betting
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
See New Jersey sports betting guide.
New Mexico
New Mexico Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Sportsbooks
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Find out when New Mexico sports betting will be legal.
New York
New York Legal Gambling 2021
- Mobile Sports Betting
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
See New York sports betting guide. Get details on DraftKings New York, and FanDuel New York
Find the top BetMGM New York bonus using LINEUPS.
North Carolina
North Carolina Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
Find out when North Carolina sports betting will be legal.
North Dakota
North Dakota Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Find out when North Dakota sports betting will be legal.
Ohio
Ohio Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Find out when Ohio sports betting will be legal.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Find out when Oklahoma sports betting will be legal.
Oregon
Oregon Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Sportsbooks
- Mobile Sports Betting
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
See Oregon sports betting guide.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Online Poker
- Lottery
- Online Lottery
- Live Sportsbooks
- Mobile Sports Betting
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Top Rated Apps: BetMGM Pennsylvania, DraftKings Pennsylvania
See Pennsylvania sports betting guide.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Sportsbooks
- Mobile Sports Betting
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Find out when Rhode Island sports betting will be legal.
South Carolina
South Carolina Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
Find out when South Carolina sports betting will be legal.
South Dakota
South Dakota Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Find out when South Dakota sports betting will be legal.
Tennessee
Tennessee Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Lottery
- Mobile Sports Betting
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Top Rated App: DraftKings Tennessee
See Tennessee sports betting guide.
Texas
Texas Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
Find out when Texas sports betting will be legal.
Utah
Utah Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
Find out when Utah sports betting will be legal.
Vermont
Vermont Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Find out when Vermont sports betting will be legal.
Virginia
Virginia Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Top Rated Apps: FanDuel Virginia, DraftKings Virginia, BetMGM Virginia.
Virginia sports betting guide.
Washington
Washington Legal Gambling 2021
- Casino (Tribal Casinos)
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Find out when Washington sports betting will be legal.
West Virginia
West Virginia Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Online Poker
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Sportsbooks
- Mobile Sports Betting
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
See West Virginia sports betting guide.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Find out when Wisconsin sports betting will be legal.
Wyoming
Wyoming Legal Gambling 2021
- Daily Fantasy
- Live Casinos
- Live Poker
- Lottery
- Live Horse Racing Betting
- Online Horse Racing Betting
Find out when Wyoming sports betting will be legal.
US Online Gambling Coverage
Our goal is to provide you with all the legal information you need to make an educated and safe decision when gambling online in the US. We provide daily legal gambling news, betting strategy, betting picks, daily fantasy picks, sportsbook reviews, and sportsbook promo codes in an easy to understand format.
Mobile Sports Betting
Sports betting is conducted at a Live or Physical Sportsbook. However, there are mobile sportsbook apps and websites available in certain states. The primary difference is one of convenience and fun. With online sports betting, you can bet in a matter of minutes from anywhere and don’t have to sit in a cloud of smoke to redeem your winning ticket. Sports betting legislation is being introduced on a state by state basis. So, be sure to check the status of your state and only play on the books that have been 3-Point Check Verified 
Mobile Sports Betting
Daily Fantasy Sports
At this point, the states in which daily fantasy sports is legal far outnumber the states in which there are no laws. However, one of the largest states, Texas, is still fighting the pointless fight against DFS. In our opinion, DFS will morph into quasi-sports betting, and as long as the traditional formats are maintained, that’s fine by us. DFS is one of the greatest games ever invented and is played for free or for cash. Why any state would want to stop tax revenue and block residents is beyond us. As it is, we must cover the state by state legislation and legality. See our Is DraftKings Legal? and Is FanDuel Legal? pages for full legal breakdown to see if you can play in your state.
- DraftKings Review
- FanDuel Review
- Monkey Knife Fight Review
- DraftKings Promo Code
- FanDuel Promo Code
- Monkey Knife Fight Promo Code
Daily Fantasy Sports
Betting News
Our goal is to become a leading voice and betting news provider in the space. Particularly, we are interested in online forms of betting. We also cover eSports news. We’re compiling an authoritative group of writers that are passionate about the space. Learn more about our writing team and our mission. We specialize in editorials on the daily news that impacts state legislation, sports leagues, bettors and fans alike.
Betting News
Sportsbook Reviews
Lineups has an affiliate relationship with the Top Sportsbooks and Casinos online. We vet their online offerings thoroughly and have done the due diligence for you. Read our detailed reviews.
- DraftKings Sportsbook
- FanDuel Sportsbook
Sportsbook Reviews
Sportsbook Promo Codes
Lineups has an affiliate relationship with the Best Sportsbook Websites & Apps. Our exclusive promo codes are the top offers available online.
- DraftKings Sportsbook Promo Code
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- BetMGM Sportsbook Bonus Code
- Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code
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- Fox Bet Sportsbook Promo Code
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Sportsbook Promo Codes
Casino Promo Codes
Lineups works with the most trusted online casinos to bring our readers exclusive bonus codes.
- DraftKings Casino Promo Code
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- Betfair Casino Promo Code
- BetMGM Casino Promo Code
Online Casino
What’s the next best thing to traveling to Vegas and putting $100 down on blackjack? Doing it without the $2,000 in expenses from your couch. Online casino gaming in the US is going to have a serious paradigm shift in the next ten years. Vegas will still be Vegas, and we think online gaming will only help the land-based casinos grow in patronage. Online casino covers the classics like blackjack, slots, bingo, craps, roulette as well as a slew of modern games.
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- West Virginia
- Delaware
- California
- Florida
- New York
- Michigan
Online Casino
Online Poker
Unfortunately, for US Poker fans, the wait for the return of online poker nationwide hasn’t materialized yet. However, WSOP.com is live in several states. WSOP is a trusted and known entity, which makes the painful memory of Black Friday a bit more unlikely to repeat. If there ever was a game of skill, it’s poker, and applying the DFS legality argument, poker should be as widely available as DFS. As it is, we’re tracking the legality of poker in each state, so stay tuned and get ready to start going all in.
Online Poker
Online Lottery
The future of lotteries nationwide is likely to change in the next five years vastly. While only a handful of states are offering online lotteries, they have been considered successful. Michigan has led the way with an organized and technically sound approach. The structure is there, and the games are fun. The Michigan Lottery promo code is a necessity when signing up, and Lineups Betting has you covered. You get a free $100 bonus plus 10 free instant games, which include Queen of Diamonds, Wheel of Fortune, Instant Keno, and Prince of Hearts. We have an easy to understand breakdown of the Michigan Lottery Promo Code on our Michigan Lottery review page.
Instant Games pose an interesting angle, and we could see the future determined by a lawsuit in Pennsylvania. After seeing the outstanding result for Michigan Lottery, the Pennsylvania Lottery released a PA iLottery bonus code to entice new users to join. States are increasingly looking at online lotteries as another source of revenue. VA Lottery has a website and mobile app where you can play traditional lottery games in addition to the same Instant Games you’ll find in MI & PA. When signing up, use our VA Lottery promo code for the highest bonus. We expect this to spread to more than a handful of current states with online lotteries.
Online Lottery
US Gambling FAQ
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Is gambling legal in the US?
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Will betting make you rich?
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Who invented betting?
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Who regulates betting in the United States?
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Who brought gambling to Las Vegas?
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Can you claim gambling losses?
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What is gambling addiction?
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Which betting has the best odds?
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Which states have online betting?
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Which online site is the best?
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Will betting affect your credit rating?
There has been a wave of states legalizing sports betting since the May 2018 US Supreme Court ruling overturned a federal ban. More than a dozen states have launched sportsbooks, and online betting apps, plus dozens more are on the verge of inking new legislation.
Ten Questions and Answers About Online Betting
With such a surge in legal sports gambling, people have a lot of questions. We’ve targeted 10 questions that you may have thought about but didn’t know the answers. We’ll answer a couple of questions about how betting got started, plus some credit and tax questions people have.Is gambling legal in the US?
Yes, gambling is legal in the United States. There are a number of different types of gambling and each type has different Federal and State laws. So, you need to research the type of gambling you’re interested in on a Federal and State level. Sports gambling is legal on a Federal level and on a state level in a number of states.
Will betting make you rich?
There are hundreds of strategies that proclaim the perfect formula to get-rich-quick from betting. You can find proclamations insisting they can teach you how to win playing poker or how to beat the slot machines. The fact is, you can get rich betting, but luck is the key ingredient.
Who invented betting?
Artifacts showing games of chance have been discovered in Asia. Dice games have been unearthed in Ancient Egypt. There is evidence of a lottery ticket from around 200BC in China. The first record of casino-type gambling comes from 17th century Italy. In 1994, the first online casinos appeared.
Who regulates betting in the United States?
The United States Congress holds jurisdiction over gambling at the federal level. They have the right to enforce federal laws such as the Interstate Wire Act. However, in May 2018, the US Supreme Court ruled that each state has the power to regulate gambling within their states.
Who brought gambling to Las Vegas?
Gambling started when Las Vegas was nothing more than a stopover between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. Settlers who landed in the area during the California Gold Rush were the first to gamble. In 1931, gambling was legalized in Las Vegas, and Tommy Hull built the first casino.
Can you claim gambling losses?
You can claim gambling losses on your tax return. However, there are some guidelines that you must follow. To claim gambling losses, there have to be winnings. You cannot merely subtract losses from winnings and get a tax credit. You first must owe taxes on your gambling winnings.
What is gambling addiction?
Gambling addiction is similar to other addictions. It’s an uncontrollable urge to bet, even when betting will cause harmful consequences. Like other addictive problems, someone addicted to gambling won’t be able to stop, no matter how hard they try. Gambling addiction usually requires help, and it is available.
Which betting has the best odds?
By sport, football offers the best odds, followed by basketball point spreads. The most straightforward bet to understand is the moneyline. The odds reflect the favorite and underdog without any reference to a point spread or total points. A moneyline bet needs only to pick the correct winner.
Which states have online betting?
Currently, there are 14 states, plus the District of Columbia, where sports bets can be wagered online. The states include Colorado, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, New Hampshire, Nevada, Mississippi, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Tennessee, Oregon, and West Virginia.
Which online site is the best?
Many insist that DraftKings has the most user-friendly sportsbook app. However, when looking at the numbers, FanDuel nearly doubles their DFS rival and other sportsbook apps collectively for the percentage of total handled and revenue generated. DraftKings is a fan favorite, but FanDuel is tops for total bets.
Will betting affect your credit rating?
Gambling and sports betting will not directly affect your credit rating. However, bets that are financed can have a profound effect. Funding betting accounts with loans or credit cards will affect debt to income ratio. While there is not a direct correlation, betting can indirectly affect credit scores.
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New Jersey Online Betting is Legal and Live!
New Jersey led the charge for legalzing betting on a national level and after the victory, gaming companies did not waste any time. DraftKings launched a mobile app and desktop site and offers a DraftKings promo code. There is a new user promo offer that you can get by clicking on our links. Read our review and don’t sign up without getting our free bet offer. We provide free Live DraftKings Sportsbook odds for the major sports. Wherever DraftKings is, you know FanDuel isn’t far behind. FanDuel Sportsbook launched shortly there after and will soon and we have the top promo code for FanDuel Sportsbook, plus a complete review of the technology and product.
A Look at the History of Gambling in the U.S. and How it Impacts Americans Today
For practically as long as there have been Americans, those Americans have been gambling in some form or another. Gambling was a part of Native American culture even before the settlers arrived in North America. Cultural traditions often involved some sort of games of chance that were passed down through the generations. Native American culture even featured a sort of game that is similar to craps, and Native Americans also wagered on stickball.
Gambling in the American Colonies
The American colonies had attempted to make gambling illegal once settlers began to arrive. Settlers had brought over the English love of gambling on anything and everything. The Puritan influence over New England made a myriad of activities illegal, as perceived public morality prevailed over popular individual pastimes such as gambling. At the same time, gambling was seen as a problem in Colonial Virginia, and John Smith attempted to ban gambling.
Nevertheless, gambling took hold in the Southern colonies in the 1700s and grew exponentially. There was a variety of activities that saw wagers placed, including horse racing and cockfighting. Horse racing, especially, was a major pastime, and race days were significant events for the gentry and aristocracy. It was in the South where horse racing earned its national reputation as the sport of kings.
State lotteries began in the colonies around the turn of the 18th century. Ironically, early settlements were funded with the proceeds of lotteries conducted in England. Like lotteries of today, colonies used the proceeds of lotteries to support public aims. For example, much of the growth of the City of Philadelphia was funded by lotteries. The city used lottery funds to pay for public works programs, including piers, streets, and buildings. Like today, where lotteries fund education, many institutions of higher learning were funded through the proceeds of lotteries. For example, Princeton, Harvard, and Yale were all built or developed in part through the receipt of lottery funds.
The prevalence of gambling in American was not to last. England passed The Gaming Act of 1710 to prevent excessive gambling, and the authorities soon attempted to apply the law to the colonies, which caused tensions with their subjects in North America. Additionally, states began to limit gambling to rein in its prevalence and popularity. Further, social opposition to gambling spurred changes in laws that restricted gambling in many places. State lotteries began to disappear, and gambling was driven underground in many places in the United States.
1800s: Gambling Moves West
In the 1800s, gambling became associated with the Wild West and riverboats. As gambling was restricted in both the Northeast and the South, newer territories opened their doors to gambling. New Orleans became a mecca for gambling, and there were more gambling establishments in the city than there were in several Northeastern cities combined. Even when gambling was outlawed in Louisiana in general, gambling in New Orleans was excepted from this ban. As an aside, at the same time that gambling was being outlawed throughout the country, a casino opened in Washington, D.C., in 1832 that catered to politicians.
Riverboat gambling started as friendly games among passengers on the burgeoning industry of transporting goods and passengers up the Mississippi River. Soon, passengers began to ride riverboats solely for gambling. Card games flourished in this medium. By the time of the Civil War, riverboats were at the height of their popularity.
Gambling achieved mythical status as it spread in the Wild West. Those found in the Wild West, in general, were more willing to take chances, hence their move to the frontier and away from the cities. This manifested itself through gambling. The image of the card dealing, drink swilling Wild West outlaw captivated the country, and it helped drive social mores in the Western territories. Gambling soon became an integral part of the culture of the Western frontier. What soon became the American version of poker began to take hold in the Wild West.
The Gold Rush sparked a massive influx of people to California as a wave of prospectors sought their fortune chasing riches buried in the ground. Gambling soon became a favorite pastime of the prospectors. A large casino in San Francisco became the center of activity in the city. As the Gold Rush spread to Nevada, so did gambling. In response, the Nevada Legislature outlawed gambling in 1861 before legalizing it in 1869.
Meanwhile, new forms of gambling began to take hold. A beloved game played by Native Americans, roulette, was discovered and became popular. Additionally, around the time of the Civil War, bets began to be placed on baseball games. Later in the nineteenth century, slot machines were invented. Finally, later in the century, craps began to be developed before blackjack was introduced early in the twentieth century.
Restrictions on Gambling in the East
At the same time that gambling was spreading out west, it was being restricted in the east. After a series of scandals, many public lotteries began to be outlawed.
Gambling was being driven underground by being publicly restricted. Even pari-mutuel horse racing, a popular form of gambling, was curtailed to the point that only two states had legal horse wagering in the early part of the twentieth century. The restrictions on legalized gambling soon made gambling fall within the purview of organized crime. Another form of gambling that occurred largely in the shadows was the riverboat that traveled outside of territorial waters to avoid the application of gambling laws.
The early part of the twentieth century saw a resurgence of Puritan-type sentiment that elevated public morality over individual vice. The Black Sox Scandal of 1919, in which gamblers attempted to fix the World Series, resulted in a large backlash and turned public opinion against gambling. Alcohol was outlawed through probation, and gambling was restricted as well. Like drinking, which was rampant behind closed doors, so was gambling. Illegal casinos and speakeasies went hand in hand in the early part of the century. The new forms of gambling mentioned above made it all the more popular.
Legalization of Gambling in Nevada
In 1931, a momentous event in American gambling history occurred. After many vacillations, the Nevada Legislature finally made gambling legal in the state for good. Shortly after legalization, casinos began to spring up across the state. In 1935, Harold’s Club became the first major casino in Nevada, and several other casinos followed it. Although gambling in other parts of the country was prevalent at church events, many of the developments concerning gambling occurred in Nevada.
Back east, the Mafia and other forms of organized crime still controlled gambling. At the same time, the Mafia moved into Las Vegas in the form of Bugsy Siegel. Business was already booming at the casinos in Nevada at the time that Siegel opened his casino. Soon, casinos began to offer other forms of entertainment to draw in gambling customers.
Federal Attempts to Restrict Gambling
Still, the federal government attempted to curtail gambling outside of the state of Nevada. The Interstate Wire Act of 1961 targeted the operation of betting businesses, specifically in the area of sports. The Wire Act made it illegal to use wire communications to transmit bets or wagering information in connection with wagering on sporting events or any other contest.
Rebirth of State Lotteries and Atlantic City
As Las Vegas flourished as one of the only means of legalized gambling, state lotteries soon began once again to operate. New Hampshire became the first state to legalize its lottery in 1964, and many other states soon followed it. After New Hampshire reaped large financial rewards from its lottery, twelve other states, mostly in the Northeast, soon had lotteries of their own. New York became the largest of these states in 1975 when it authorized its state lottery. Additionally, other forms of wagering soon commenced. Included among these was New York’s legalization of Off-Track Betting, meaning that gamblers no longer had to wager at a physical racetrack.
While Nevada had a monopoly over legalized betting, that hegemony was ended in 1976. In a statewide referendum, New Jersey voters approved legalized gambling. This approval was limited to only Atlantic City. Soon, the resort city had a burgeoning casino industry with major national chains opening locations there. The casinos were hugely profitable, and there were large monetary benefits for the state of New Jersey.
Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and Expansion
Gambling achieved another large stimulus in 1988 with the passage of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. This was the first piece of federal legislation that addressed legalized gaming as the statutes previously restricted gaming’s legality. The law authorized the establishment of the National Indian Gaming Commission. Native American tribes had begun operating bingo parlors and other gaming halls on their tribal lands. They had fought several legal battles, asserting that tribal sovereignty allowed them to operate gambling establishments, notwithstanding any state laws to the contrary. The IGRA allowed for the expansion of the Native American gaming industry. Soon, there were hundreds of casinos operating that were run by Native American tribes.
At the same time that Native American gaming was expanding, states were legalizing gambling on a limited basis. In 1989, South Dakota authorized gambling in Deadwood. Several states also legalized riverboat casinos, primarily in the Midwest.
The advent of the internet soon caused a further increase in gaming, both through online casinos and sports betting. Soon, establishments that were domiciled offshore began to market their games to U.S residents. Americans could now wager on sports games from their living rooms if they had a computer and a dial-up modem.
PAPSA
In 1992, Congress passed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act . This legislation largely banned sports betting nationwide, except for a few states that were recognized under PAPSA. Still, the offshore entities coming into Americans homes through their computers served as an outlet for Americans to bet on sports regardless of PAPSA.
The Internet and UIGEA
As the internet gained popularity, so did online wagering. Soon, full-fledged online casinos were operating, offering games such as poker and blackjack. Online poker became a hugely profitable offering for online casinos, and many players were making living gambling online. In addition, fantasy sports surged in popularity and operated in the gray area of legality.
Congress attempted to provide some clarity to the situation at the same time trying to crack down on the proliferation of online wagering. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 made it illegal to accept payments in connection with a wager that was made over the internet. It legalized fantasy sports as a game of skill that it did not deem to be gambling. The legalization of fantasy sports led to an entire industry known as daily fantasy sports that immediately surged in popularity before it, too, became the subject of efforts to restrict it.
Based on the authority that it received from UIGEA, the U.S. Government began to crack down on online betting. In April 2011, several online poker operators were indicted, and accounts were seized. Many millions of dollars in customers’ accounts were seized, and the industry was effectively shuttered. Still, it was not long before efforts began on the state level to legalize online gambling. Before long, New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania had all legalized online poker. Many other states seem poised to follow suit.
Murphy Legalizes Sports Betting
2018 saw one of the most major developments in U.S. gambling history. Several states, including New Jersey, had been seeking to legalize sports gambling, challenging Nevada’s hegemony in this area. Soon, this led to a legal challenge that made its way to the United States Supreme Court. In Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association, the Supreme Court struck down PAPSA as unconstitutional. Essentially, the Court reasoned that PAPSA was an attempt to force states to enforce federal laws regarding sports gambling. Since the Constitution restricts that, the Supreme Court negated the law. In the wake of Murphy, states have been rushing to legalize sports betting.
Today, gaming is a thriving industry across the entire country. Gambling revenues have increased each year for the past ten years and now stand at roughly 77 billion dollars. Lotteries and other gaming revenues help fund state budgets, and the gaming industry provides countless jobs. We think it highly likely that the state governments protect their tax revenue and attempt to further shut down offshore gambling operations.