Online Casinos by State: Legality & Best Sites in All 50 States
Online casino legality in the US is decided state by state, and the differences are dramatic: New Jersey licenses everything, Washington bans even sweepstakes play, and most states sit somewhere in between. This hub is your map, what’s legal, what’s available, and what to avoid in your state.
Casino Legality in All 50 States
Checked August 2026. Sweepstakes law has moved fast: six more states banned sweepstakes play in the twelve months to August 2026, so treat this as a starting point and confirm before you sign up anywhere.
| State | Real-money casino | Sweepstakes | Social | Offshore | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama (AL) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Alaska (AK) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Arizona (AZ) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Arkansas (AR) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| California (CA) | Not legal | Banned | Available | Unregulated | Banned by AB 831, effective January 2026 |
| Colorado (CO) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Connecticut (CT) | Licensed | Banned | Available | Unregulated | Banned, effective October 2025 |
| Delaware (DE) | Licensed | Available | Available | Unregulated | Online casino play runs through the state lottery |
| Florida (FL) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Georgia (GA) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Hawaii (HI) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | No legal gambling of any kind |
| Idaho (ID) | Not legal | Banned | Available | Unregulated | Excluded under existing gambling law |
| Illinois (IL) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Indiana (IN) | Not legal | Banned | Available | Unregulated | Banned by HB 1052, effective July 2026 |
| Iowa (IA) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Kansas (KS) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Kentucky (KY) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Louisiana (LA) | Not legal | Banned | Available | Unregulated | Banned by statute, signed May 2026 |
| Maine (ME) | Passed, not live | Banned | Available | Unregulated | Banned by LD 2007, effective July 2026. Online casino play was legalised but had not launched as of August 2026 |
| Maryland (MD) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Massachusetts (MA) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Michigan (MI) | Licensed | Banned | Available | Unregulated | Excluded under existing gambling law; real-money casinos are licensed |
| Minnesota (MN) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Mississippi (MS) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Missouri (MO) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Montana (MT) | Not legal | Banned | Available | Unregulated | Banned by SB 555, effective October 2025 |
| Nebraska (NE) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Nevada (NV) | Not legal | Banned | Available | Unregulated | Banned; Nevada enforces against sweepstakes play |
| New Hampshire (NH) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| New Jersey (NJ) | Licensed | Banned | Available | Unregulated | Sweepstakes banned, but licensed real-money casinos are live |
| New Mexico (NM) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| New York (NY) | Not legal | Banned | Available | Unregulated | Banned by statute |
| North Carolina (NC) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| North Dakota (ND) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Ohio (OH) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Oklahoma (OK) | Not legal | Banned | Available | Unregulated | Banned by SB 1589, effective 1 November 2026 |
| Oregon (OR) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Pennsylvania (PA) | Licensed | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Rhode Island (RI) | Licensed | Available | Available | Unregulated | Bally Bet runs the state's only licensed online casino |
| South Carolina (SC) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| South Dakota (SD) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Tennessee (TN) | Not legal | Banned | Available | Unregulated | Banned by statute, signed May 2026 |
| Texas (TX) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Utah (UT) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | No legal gambling of any kind; social casino apps are the only option |
| Vermont (VT) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Virginia (VA) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Washington (WA) | Not legal | Banned | Available | Illegal | Excluded under existing gambling law; strictest state in the country |
| West Virginia (WV) | Licensed | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Wisconsin (WI) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
| Wyoming (WY) | Not legal | Available | Available | Unregulated | - |
General information for US players, not legal advice. Offshore casinos are unregulated in every state, which means no US authority can help you recover a withheld payout. Washington is the only state that makes online gambling a crime for the player.
States with Licensed Online Casinos
Seven states currently license real-money online casinos: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia, Connecticut, Delaware, and Rhode Island. Players there can choose regulated operators like BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel, plus sweepstakes and social options. Dedicated state guides with full casino rankings and legal breakdowns are rolling out for each, starting with New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.
Everywhere Else
In the other 43 states, sweepstakes casinos are generally the legal way to play casino-style games with real prize potential, with a few exceptions (Washington, Idaho, and Nevada restrict or ban them). We’ve covered Louisiana in depth already, with guides for California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Georgia coming next.
Start Here
Not sure what applies to you? Our best sweepstakes casinos ranking notes state restrictions for every listed operator, and our sweepstakes tax guide covers what happens after you win.