US States Where You Can Play Fantasy Sports
US players, read this first. Online casino and sportsbook law is decided state by state, and the operators listed here are licensed offshore rather than by a US state regulator. Check what is legal where you live before you deposit. You must be 21 or older. Responsible gambling · 1-800-GAMBLER
On this page
When fantasy sports started to gain momentum and popularity, some states within the U.S. began taking a second look at the legality of playing online. Since money is often involved, especially with sites like FanDuel and DraftKings, some states have tried to say that it is gambling, and therefore illegal unless the company has proper licensing. Today more and more lawmakers are beginning to monitor the topic of Daily Fantasy Sports.
Below we have outlined each state and included whether fantasy sports are legal there to help you navigate the world of fantasy sports in your area. We should mention that the red states are places where fantasy sports are not necessarily illegal, but rather many of the top DFS sites view them as being too risky to accept players from due to the legal landscape.
Our desk's current shortlist for real-money play
What our desk watches: the size of the welcome package, the playthrough behind it, and the payout window we measured. Links to operators are commercial links.
-
1
Vegas Aces Casino250% up to $2,500 on the first deposit with code VAWELCOME1- 40x (b+d) rollover
- Min $20
- 6+ coins
-
2
El Royale Casino230% match up to $20,000 across the welcome package, code ROYALSHOW- 40x (b+d) rollover
- Min $10
-
3
Cafe Casino250% up to $1,500 on the first deposit- 40x (b+d) rollover
- Min $20
- No code needed
-
4
Las Atlantis280% up to $2,500 on the first deposit with code UNDERTOW- 40x (b+d) rollover
- Min $30
- 6+ coins
-
5
Super Slots Casino300 free spins on the first deposit, 30 per day for 10 days- 1x (d) rollover
- Min $20
- No code needed
- 300 free spins
- 7+ coins
-
6
Red Dog CasinoWelcome offer up to $8,000 across the first four deposits- 30x rollover
- Min $10
- No code needed
-
7
Xbet Casino200% up to $500 on the first deposit- 40x rollover
- Min $20
- No code needed
- Sportsbook
-
8
BetUS Casino200% up to $4,000 on the first deposit with code CAS200- 35x rollover
- Min $50
- Sportsbook
-
9
Bovada Casino100% up to $1,000 on the first deposit with code CAWELCOME100- 25x (b+d) rollover
- Min $20
- Sportsbook
- Poker room
-
10
EveryGame Casino125% up to $1,000 on the first deposit with code SIGNUP1000- 30x (b+d) rollover
- Min $20
- Sportsbook
We earn a commission when you open an account through the links above; it never changes the bonus you get or where an operator places. Terms apply at every operator — check the rollover, the game weighting and the maximum cashout before you deposit. 21+ only. Responsible gambling.
Fantasy Sports Map
Emerald = Lawful and without restrictions. Crimson = Not always illegal, yet regarded overly dangerous by DFS platforms to function. Ashen = Legislation remains Ambiguous, hence several platforms avoid this location. In certain cases, it varies.
Alabama – Prohibited Alaska – Permitted Arizona – Not allowed Arkansas – Permitted California – Permitted Colorado – Permitted Connecticut – Permitted Delaware – Permitted Florida – Some platforms permit, uncertain status. Sometimes unpredictability plays a role. Georgia – Permitted Hawaii – Prohibited Idaho – Not permitted Illinois – Permitted Indiana – Permitted Iowa – Prohibited Kansas – Permitted Kentucky – Permitted Louisiana – Not permitted Maine – Permitted Maryland – Permitted Massachusetts – Permitted Michigan – Permitted Minnesota – Allowed Mississippi – Prohibited Missouri – Permitted Montana – Not permitted Nebraska – Permitted Nevada – Not allowed New Hampshire – Permitted New Jersey – Permitted New Mexico – Permitted New York – Not allowed North Carolina – Permitted North Dakota – Permitted Ohio – Permitted Oklahoma – Permitted Oregon – Permitted Pennsylvania – Permitted Rhode Island – Permitted South Carolina – Permitted South Dakota – Permitted Tennessee – Permitted Texas – Certain platforms permit, uncertain domain. It's a mystery how it resolves. Utah – Permitted Vermont – Certain platforms permit, uncertain domain. Virginia – Some platforms permit, ambiguous field Washington – Prohibited West Virginia – Permitted Wisconsin – Permitted Wyoming – Permitted
Legality of Fantasy Sports
The legal mumbo-jumbo surrounding fantasy sports within many states is very complicated and somewhat of a grey area, especially given how new playing fantasy sports for money is. This means it will likely take many years of legislature, laws and regulations to properly oversee the industry as a whole and shed light on the topic. It is unclear how long it will take, and what the outcome will be, but many Fantasy Sports companies are taking the initiative.
One of the biggest aspects of fantasy sport legality comes from what it is viewed as on a state by state basis. For example one argument is that DFS are a form of gambling, in which case it would be illegal in most states. This is a fundamental aspect of the fight for legalizing it, and one could also make the counter argument that daily fantasy sports are in fact a skill based game. If the latter is proven to be the case, it may still require additional, new laws and regulations.
Some states however; like Nevada, who is known for their relaxed gambling laws, have said that a gaming license is required to operate such sites. This does not mean that DFS would be illegal, just that the companies operating these sites would need to acquire the proper licensing. In the end it will end up coming down to how each state interprets what exactly fantasy sports are classified as; gambling or skill based games.
FanDuel vs DraftKings
FanDuel and DraftKings seem to have taken very similar approaches to the states they allow and disallow players from. Nearly every state where FanDuel has pulled out of DraftKings has as well, and vice versa. One of the only states where the two biggest companies have differing opinions is in Texas. Here, FanDuel does not allow players while DraftKings currently does. This does not necessarily mean that daily fantasy sports are illegal in Texas, but they are also not necessarily legal.
DraftKings Restrictions
Currently, DraftKings does not allow players to participate in games within 10 states; Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, New York, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, and Washington State. Like we mentioned above, it does not mean that games are “legal” in the allowed states or that games are “illegal” in the restricted states. It just means that DraftKings feels the benefits outweigh the potential legal issues in the allowed states.
FanDuel Restrictions
FanDuel does not currently allow players in the same states as DraftKings, for the same reasons, with the addition of Texas. It was only this past may when FanDuel came to an agreement with the Attorney General of Texas; Ken Paxton. Mr. Paxton has an unfavorable view of fantasy sports, and it appears that FanDuel does not want to take on the lengthy and costly legal battle that would have pursued. DraftKings is still allowing players from Texas, until a decision is reached in their lawsuit against the state.
Petitions For Daily Fantasy Sports
With the immense popularity of fantasy sports, many companies are taking action to try and keep them legal. All major DFS companies have been starting petitions to help protect the games we all love. It’s estimated that over 20% of Americans play fantasy sports each year. If each of us get involved, it will make the legal battle for daily fantasy sports a little easier for everyone. Below we have made a list of resources where you can get involved in the fight.
- FanDuel Petition: https://www.fanduel.com/takeaction
- A site dedicated to protect daily fantasy sports: https://fantasysportsforall.com/
Related Posts:
- Fantasy Sports
- 2016 NFL Season-Should You Bet on Games, Fantasy…
- Fan Victor Fantasy Sports Plug In
- Sports Betting
- Nevada Casinos
- Maryland Casinos & Gambling