The US sports betting market is heating up as more states consider whether to allow it. But which states currently don’t? There are quite a few of them! Some states have recently passed laws allowing sports betting in the near future. Keep reading to find which states don’t allow sports betting.
Alabama
Alabama is one of the most conservative states in the country, which may be one reason the state has yet to legalize sports gambling. It’s also one of the states to which gambling laws are applied retroactively. This means that any laws or cases involving gambling that happened before the laws were passed would still be prosecuted under those pre-existing laws.
For this reason, it’s unlikely that Alabama will pass laws to allow betting on sports in the near future. In fact, there isn’t much information available about Alabama’s stance on sports betting at all. Residents can use international betting sites such as Betonline and Sportsbetting to bet on Super Bowl for example but this is a gray area.
Georgia
Georgia has the most stringent laws against gambling of any state in the US. The state’s gambling laws are so strict that even games of skill like poker are considered gambling. This means that Georgia has historically not allowed any form of gambling, including lotteries, raffles and sports betting.
However, a bill has been introduced in the Georgia legislature that would allow sports gambling. There is significant pushback against the bill, particularly from religious groups who argue that sports gambling would corrupt the morals of the state’s residents.
The bill has been stalled in committee since it was introduced, though there is some speculation that it may be revived in the near future. At this point, it’s unclear whether this bill will pass, let alone whether it will apply only to sports betting or to all types of gambling.
South Carolina
South Carolina is another state in which the legislature has proposed sports gambling legislation. In this case, however, the proposed bill would restrict sports betting to casinos and racetracks. This means that the general population would not have access to sports gambling through apps, websites or other online channels.
It’s unlikely that the legislature will pass this bill, though it’s unclear why. South Carolina is one of two states that has not yet passed laws regarding gambling online. These online gambling laws apply to all forms of online gambling, not just sports betting.
Florida
Florida, like Georgia, has stringent laws against gambling. Sports betting has been illegal in Florida since the ‘90s, and it’s unlikely that the legislature would pass laws to allow it. The only state in the US that has more stringent laws against sports betting than Florida is Hawaii, though Hawaii has laws that ban all online gambling.
This means that online sports betting is likely out of the question for residents of Florida for the foreseeable future. There has been no significant push for either legislation to legalize sports betting or legislation to ban it.
Missouri
Missouri has no state laws against sports betting, and there is no legislation being introduced in the state legislature. However, Missouri is one of several states that has yet to pass laws regarding gambling online. As such, residents may not have access to sports betting apps or websites until Missouri passes laws to regulate online gambling.
However, there is significant pushback against the idea of sports betting in Missouri, particularly from religious groups. This may present an obstacle to sports gambling in the state in the near future.
Oklahoma
Like Missouri, Oklahoma has no state laws against sports betting. However, the state also has yet to pass laws regarding gambling online. While no legislation is being proposed in the state legislature, there is significant pushback against the idea of sports betting in Oklahoma, particularly from religious groups.
This presents an obstacle to sports gambling in the state in the near future.
Utah
As with Missouri and Oklahoma, Utah has no state laws against sports betting. However, the state also has yet to pass laws regarding gambling online. There is significant pushback against the idea of sports betting in Utah, especially from religious groups. This means that there is no sign of sports betting being legalized in the near future.
Idaho
Idaho has no state laws against sports betting. However, the state also has yet to pass laws regarding gambling online. Residents of Idaho are generally not in favor of sports betting. It is unlikely that the position will change in the state of Idaho anytime soon.
California
California is considered to be a forward-thinking state but it is yet to pass laws regarding both sports betting and gambling online. There is significant resistance form Californian residents to allow sports betting in the state. The legalization of sports betting and gambling online looks very far away in California.
Texas
In Texas, sports betting is illegal in person or online. Most Texas citizens seem opposed to the idea of legalizing sports betting. There have been no recent developments with this so you shouldn’t expect sports betting to be legalized in the state of Texas anytime soon.
Hawaii
Hawaii has no state laws against sports betting. However, the state has yet to pass laws regarding gambling online. People in Hawaii seem very hostile to the idea of legalizing sports betting in the state. For this reason, it is very unlikely that sports betting either in person or online will be legal in Hawaii for a long time, if ever.
Conclusion
Now that you know the ins and outs of legal US sports betting, you can start planning your next wager. There are plenty of options available, so you can choose whichever sports, leagues and teams you want to bet on. You can place your sports bets using an international website with a good reputation such as Sportsbetting or Betonline.
If you live in a state where sports betting is not legal then you need to be careful even when using international betting sites. This is a gray area, and although it is very unlikely that you will be tracked down and punished for betting on sports when it is not permitted there is always a slight risk.
You need to make a decision on the pleasures of placing bets on sports and flirting with the law. If you do decide to use an international sportsbook for your bets then we recommend that you keep this to yourself. The wrong people might be listening so be careful who you talk to about your sports betting. We wish you every success with your sports betting!
