The 10 States On Deck to Legalize Sports Betting

Sports betting is reaching new heights in the United States. The advent of daily fantasy sports has exponentially grown the number of Americans that have a vested interest in the world of sports betting.

For decades, gamblers have been forced to travel Las Vegas or Atlantic City to place their wagers on anything from the NCAA Final Four to the Super Bowl. However, we are beginning to see many states legalize sports betting and opening the doors to a ton of options for bettors.

Sports betting is not legal in Arkansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Iowa, Illinois, Nevada, Indiana, New Jersey, Mississippi, Oregon, Montana, West Virginia, Tennessee, Rhode Island, Alabama, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, New York, and Delaware.

There are six states where the legislation has passed, and legal sports betting is scheduled to begin in the coming year. This leaves a large swath of the country that remains undecided on the subject.

Let’s examine the 10 states on deck to legalize sports betting.

1 – Florida

Florida has a vibrant gambling industry. It seems like only a matter of time before they wade into the waters of legal sports betting.

Lawmakers in Florida are facing several obstacles to legalization. Most of the issues are legal problems in getting sports betting throughout the state.

However, the Seminole Tribe that controls an overwhelming majority of the gambling in the state could put the brakes on any push.

That’s unless the legislation is favorable to the tribe’s interested. At the very least, the bill will need to pass the Seminole Tribe’s approval.

That is understood; the tribe has been instrumental in developing and growing a casino gambling culture in Florida.

The Seminole Tribe is going to staunchly oppose any push to legalize online sports betting in Florida. The casino wants to draw patrons through the door, and in order to accomplish this, they’ll want to keep all sports betting in the casinos.

Florida will likely have a bill on the topic of legal sports betting pass through the lawmakers’ hands every year until something passes. I expect it will be sooner than later.

2 – Arizona

Arizona is poised to legalize sports betting in the near to immediate future. For consecutive years, Arizona has seen bills put forth that would allow both tribal and commercial retail sports betting.

However, the tribal communities staunchly opposed the bills. Ultimately the two previous bids failed.

The upcoming 2021 legislative session comes at an exciting time:

1. The gaming agreement between the state and the tribes is up for renegotiation.
2. Perhaps of the most interest, Draft Kings has recently forked over a considerable amount of cash to the Phoenix Suns in an exclusive deal. That would certainly lend credence to the notion that something big is coming soon.

Rumors are circulating that the upcoming bill incorporates a sizeable mobile gaming component. Being a year where the tribal agreement is up for review diminishes the powerful alliance’s bargaining position.

3 – Texas

Texas is possibly the state that stands to gain the most from legal sports betting. The Lone Star State has some concerning budget woes that could be altogether dismissed with the added revenue that sports betting would undoubtedly bring.

Texas is also home to some of the most valuable professional sports franchises. Chief among them being the Dallas Cowboys and their influential owner Jerry Jones.

I have zero doubts that Jones is itching to get in on live in-game betting. The money would come flowing in at a pace that would surpass anything he could have imagined when he bought the franchise.

Texas also has some of the most storied programs in collegiate athletics. Millions of alumni around the state would jump at a chance to wager on their alma mater.

At some point, Texas will have to look at all of the money flooding into neighboring states from its own residents and decide to keep that money at home.

4 – Kansas

Kansas lawmakers seem to agree that legal sports betting would be a win for everyone. The problem is that they can’t seem to agree on how to get there.

There are two competing factions in the Kansas legislature, and each has its own thoughts on how sports betting needs to be handled in the state.

One side believes that there needs to be a gaming commission that governs gambling in the state. The other thing that sports betting should be handled through the lottery.

In fact, they prefer that the lottery both regulate and facilitate sports betting. Under this plan, the lottery would operate over 1,200 betting kiosks throughout the state.

The biggest roadblock Kansas faces is these two sides coming to an agreement regarding how sports betting will be managed. Once that hurdle has been cleared, the road to legal sports betting in Kansas will be flung wide open.

5 – Georgia

The state of Georgia faces some substantial obstacles to legalized sports betting. There will need to be an amendment to the state’s constitution before sports betting can make any progress.

Still, all of Georgia’s professional sports franchises have spoken out in support of legal sports betting. The voters also appear to be on board with the idea.

The easiest path to sports betting in Georgia looks to be through the lottery. This has been tried several times in other states and typically ends poorly.

Opponents to the lottery plan contend that a gaming commission is the best way for the state to proceed. This route would push sports betting in Georgia back to 2022 at the earliest.

6 – Connecticut

Connecticut has been a house divided for the past few years. The state’s tribal board has insisted that all sports betting falls under their blanket gambling umbrella.

However, lawmakers are pushing for commercial casino gaming and retail sports betting. Unfortunately for gamblers, the two large retail gambling projects in the state have ceased.

Connecticut is also facing budget issues across the board due to the year that was 2020 and will be looking to draw cash from anywhere available.

You should expect to see tribal sports betting in the extremely near feature in Connecticut.

7 – Missouri

The “Show Me State” appears poised to begin taking wagers on sporting events. Over the past three years, competing bills have hit the house floor.

Ironically, it’s this vast array of legislation that is grinding the process to a near halt. Each bill has its own agenda and nuances.

Until the lawmakers can come to a consensus, it’s unlikely we’ll see anything change. Still, all it takes is the right legislation that extends party lines to gain some traction.

Missouri is almost a lock to have legal sports betting. When this might happen remains murky.

8 – Ohio

Ohio is another state with a tremendous legacy in the world of sports. It’s also another state that can’t agree on who should govern sports betting.

You have the House and Senate facing facing-off on whether the activity should be managed by the lottery or a gaming commission.

Governor Mike Dewine has been vocal about his support of legal sports betting in the state. The upcoming year could go either way on the issue.

Ohio is on deck to legalize sports betting, but it could be a few years before everyone gets on the same page.

9 – North Dakota

North Dakota sits in a very unique position. There hasn’t been any significant push through the state government to legalize sports betting.

How can North Dakota be on the cusp of legal sports betting without any government influence?

Because the powerful tribal casinos are contending that the current gaming agreement allows for sports betting. The excellent news for bettors in North Dakota is that nobody is arguing against that.

In fact, everyone in the state seems to be more than content allowing the tribal casinos to take the reigns.

If the tribes take over the sports betting in North Dakota, bettors will be locked into retail-only options. That means no online betting for the foreseeable future.

Regardless of the lack of online and mobile betting, North Dakota could be on the verge of legal sports betting. The number one thing the state has going for is the lack of government interference.

10 – Vermont

Vermont is notoriously casino-free. The state seems perfectly happy without casinos or the cash surge they can provide.

Still, the state is considering sports betting as a possibility. There’s an interesting caveat to the legal sports betting plan in Vermont.

All of the sports betting activity in the state will be done online. That’s at the least what it’s looking like for the moment.

Vermont may be closer to any state on the list to getting sports betting. There isn’t anything standing in the way, and a functional website could be built in under a month.

Conclusion

Nobody can be sure when the 10 states on deck to legalize sports betting may pull the trigger. Legislative disputes and government bureaucracy may muddy the waters for years.

In the end, it seems like a matter of “when” for these 10 states rather than a question of “if sports betting will be legal.”