While it may seem difficult to find a clear answer to this question, it’s important to know that state laws can and often do change when it comes to sports betting. For this reason, it’s crucial to remain aware of the latest developments when dealing with sports wagering in general and in your local area in particular. Let’s take a quick look at when sports betting will be legal in your state.
The 2019 NCAA Basketball Season
This year’s NCAA basketball season is coming to an end, which means that the activity has now shifted from the court to the office. College basketball coaches are currently meeting with their presidents and athletic directors to discuss the next season and the future of basketball at their schools. Among the topics discussed will be whether or not to allow sports betting at their institution.
Understandably, coaches and administrators at smaller, private schools might not want to take a chance on something being banned by the school’s board of trustees or the NCAA itself. However, larger, public schools might not be as concerned as they might think they are, because they can always rely on the revenue that sports betting brings in.
Regardless, it’s still an open question as to whether or not NCAA basketball will be able to continue as we know it. The 2019-2020 season has been canceled, and there are currently no set dates for when sports betting will be allowed to resume at the collegiate level.
The Legal Status Of Sports Betting
Despite the fact that the NCAA basketball season is over, this does not mean that you shouldn’t be concerned about sports betting, as all signs point to the contrary. If you’re not familiar, sports betting is a form of wagering or placing bets on the outcome of sports activities. Depending on where you live, it might be completely legal, it might be legal in some states but not in others, or it might not be legal at all. It’s important to know the current legal status of sports betting in your state, so you don’t accidentally commit a crime by playing or betting on sporting events. Here’s a brief overview of the legal status of sports betting in selected U.S. states.
Alaska
In Alaska, all bets are completely legal, but you have to be over 18 years old to play. The state also imposes a 20% tax on all bets, which is one of the highest rates in the country. However, the government actively promotes sports betting by offering tax breaks and financial assistance to those who want to set up businesses in the industry.
Arizona
In Arizona, all bets are legal, but you have to be over 18 years old to play. Like in other states, there’s also a tax on sports bets that is imposed at a flat rate of 10%. Professional and collegiate sports are fully supported by the state, and there are lots of sportsbooks and casinos located there as well, making it a Mecca for sports bettors.
California
In California, all bets are legal, but there is a restriction on placing bets within the state. You cannot open or operate a sportsbook or casino inside California. However, it’s legal to do so in other states, provided that you don’t offer sports betting services inside California. Also, while it is legal for the government to regulate sports gambling, the legislature will have to pass a federal law to specifically authorize sports betting in national competitions. With that being said, the state of California currently supports sports betting through federal law, and many people there consider it to be part of culture.
Colorado
In Colorado, all bets are legal, but the state doesn’t tax wagers on sporting events or team names. Like in other states, there is a 10% tax on all bets. However, the rate is only applied to bets made within the state. It is also legal to open a sportsbook in Colorado, as long as you are physically located in another state where gambling is legal. Unfortunately, the state only supports regulation of sports gambling through the Federal Wire Act, which has a lot of loopholes. For that reason, it’s not surprising that the industry has shifted to an offline environment (i.e., no online or mobile betting) in Colorado.
Connecticut
In Connecticut, all bets are legal, but there is a restriction on sports betting that is similar to Arizona. In that state, it is only legal to place bets on sporting events that are taking place outside of Connecticut. This means that it’s perfectly legal for you to put a wager on a New York Yankees game, but not on a Boston Red Sox baseball game. The tax rate on all bets is 12%, and there’s an additional 2% surcharge for “line information services.”
District Of Columbia
In the District of Columbia, all bets are legal, but you have to be over 18 years old to play. Like in other states, there’s also a 10% tax on all bets. However, the difference here is that the money that is bet on sports comes from federal government funding. For example, if you wager on the Super Bowl using money from the U.S. Treasury, there’s no additional tax. It is also completely legal to open a sportsbook in the District of Columbia.
Florida
In Florida, all bets are legal, but you have to be over 18 years old to play. As previously mentioned, there is a 10% tax on all bets in the state. However, it is only applicable to bets made within Florida. It is also legal to open a sportsbook or casino in Florida, as long as you are physically located in another state where gambling is legal. Unfortunately, the state only supports regulation of sports gambling through the illegal sports betting statute, which was designed for the purpose of circumventing Alabama’s sports betting ban. Many in the sports betting industry claim that this law is outdated and that it needs to be updated to keep up with technological advances. For that reason, the industry in Florida has shifted primarily to online betting and mobile apps.
Maine
In Maine, all bets are legal, but the state doesn’t tax wagers on sporting events or team names. Like other states, there is a 10% tax on all bets. However, the rate is only applied to bets made within the state. It is legal to open a sportsbook in Maine, as long as you are physically located in another state where gambling is legal. Unfortunately, the state doesn’t support regulation of sports gambling through legislation, so it remains completely unregulated.
Massachusetts
In Massachusetts, all bets are legal, but like other states, there’s a tax on all bets. The information and payment of taxes on sports bets are handled by a third party, the Massachusetts lottery. Like other states, it is also legal to open a sportsbook, as long as you are physically located in another state where gambling is legal. However, unlike other states, the industry in Massachusetts supports legislation that would specifically regulate sports betting. It is currently awaiting Congressional approval.
Montana
In Montana, all bets are legal, but you have to be over 18 years old to play. Like other states, there’s a 10% tax on all bets. However, unlike other states, it is not legal to open a sportsbook or casino in the state. For that matter, it’s not even legal to place a wager on the games that are taking place inside Montana state borders, with the exception of pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing, which is done through tribal casinos located on Native American land.
New Hampshire
In New Hampshire, all bets are legal, but you have to be over 18 years old to play. Like in other states, there’s a 10% tax on all bets. However, the rate is only applied to bets made within New Hampshire. It is also legal to open a sportsbook in New Hampshire, as long as you are physically located in another state where gambling is legal. Like other states, the industry in New Hampshire supports regulation of sports gambling. However, the legislation that they have proposed would not apply to online or mobile gambling.