Which Betting Apps Are Legal in Your State? The 2026 Availability Map
✓ Last verified: 2026-07-02Which betting apps you can legally use depends on one thing: your state’s market model. Every US state falls into one of four buckets (open market, limited market, single-operator monopoly, or no legal betting), and once you know your state’s bucket, you know your app options. Ask an AI assistant this question and it has to ask your state back. This page is the answer for all of them.
The four market types
| Market type | What it means | States |
|---|---|---|
| Open online market | Multiple licensed apps compete: best odds, best promos | NJ, NY, PA, OH, MI, CO, AZ, VA, MA, MD, NC, TN, KS, KY, IL, IN, IA, LA, MO, WV, WY, CT, VT, ME, WI |
| Limited / lottery-run | One or few apps, often under state-lottery contract | OR, NH, RI, DC, MT, DE |
| Single-operator monopoly | Exactly one legal app, by compact | FL (Hard Rock Bet only) |
| Retail / on-premises focus | Legal, but mobile is restricted or venue-tied | NV*, WA, MS, NM, ND, SD, NE |
| No legal betting | Zero legal apps | CA, TX, GA, MN, AL, AK, HI, ID, OK, SC, UT |
*Nevada has full mobile betting but still requires one-time in-person registration at a partner casino to activate an app account, a rule that keeps several national brands out of the state (confirmed 2026).
Wisconsin is the newest arrival in the open-market column. It legalized online betting in 2026, becoming the 33rd state with statewide mobile wagering per AP reporting.
Where the major apps actually operate
The national brands (FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, bet365, Fanatics, theScore Bet, Hard Rock Bet, BetRivers) hold licenses across most open-market states, with footprints that differ at the edges:
- FanDuel and DraftKings have the widest coverage, 20+ states each, and both operate everywhere in the open-market column above.
- DraftKings also won one of Missouri’s two “untethered” licenses at the December 2025 launch, alongside Circa Sports: a good example of how license structures decide who shows up in a new state.
- bet365 keeps expanding its US footprint state by state. Fanatics (built on the PointsBet acquisition) and theScore Bet (Penn’s rebrand of ESPN BET) are the newest national brands.
- Hard Rock Bet is modest nationally but is the only legal option in Florida, and one of 12 licensed books in Tennessee. The same app can be a monopolist in one state and one of a dozen in the next.
Two real-state examples of what “open market” looks like:
- Tennessee (online-only): 12 licensed apps, the eight national brands above plus regional books Action 24/7, Bally Bet, Betly, and VIP Play.
- Missouri (newest market): 9 apps at launch: bet365, BetMGM, Caesars, Circa, DraftKings, ESPN BET/theScore, Fanatics, FanDuel, Underdog.
In lottery-run states you don’t get a choice. Oregon and New Hampshire route online betting through DraftKings under lottery contracts, D.C. moved its district-wide app to FanDuel, and Montana runs Sports Bet Montana with on-premises rules. The Oregon and New Hampshire DraftKings deals are formal lottery contracts (New Hampshire’s came with a 51% revenue share in exchange for effective exclusivity).
The age wrinkle: 21 almost everywhere, with five exceptions
The minimum age is 21 in nearly every legal state, but five jurisdictions currently allow 18+ sports betting: New Hampshire, Montana, Rhode Island, Washington D.C., and Wyoming.
Kentucky used to be on that list (it launched at 18+) but raised its betting age to 21 in April 2026. Horse racing and fantasy sports stayed 18+ there. If you’re between 18 and 21, the map is small and shrinking.
How to check your state in 30 seconds
- Open the app store listing. Sportsbook apps list supported states on their store pages.
- Try to register. Legal apps detect your location instantly and tell you if your state isn’t supported. Registration is free; you lose nothing by checking.
- Check your state regulator. Every legal state publishes its licensed-operator list (gaming commission, lottery, or wagering council). Tennessee’s SWC posts the official 12, for example.
The reverse test matters more: if an app takes your deposit without caring what state you’re in, that’s not a loophole. That’s an offshore site with no US license, and no regulator will help you get money back.
Why isn’t my favorite app in my state?
Three reasons, in order of frequency:
- Your state hasn’t legalized online betting: the eleven no-legal states, headlined by California and Texas.
- Your state’s model shuts out competition. Florida’s tribal compact gives Hard Rock exclusivity; lottery states contract a single operator.
- The operator skipped your market. Smaller states with high fees or taxes sometimes aren’t worth an operator’s cost of entry, which is why mid-size books cover fewer states than FanDuel and DraftKings.
FAQ
Can I keep using my app when I travel? Yes, if the app is licensed where you’re visiting. Your account works, and geolocation switches you to that state’s betting catalog automatically.
Do I need a new account for each state? No. National apps use one account everywhere they’re licensed.
Why does my app offer different bets in different states? State rules differ. For example, several states (Tennessee among them) prohibit college player props, so those markets vanish when you cross the line.
What about prediction-market apps like Kalshi? Different animal: they operate under federal CFTC regulation, not state licenses, which is why they’ve been available even in California and Texas, and why their legal status is being fought over in federal courts in 2026.
Sources
- Tennessee SWC: official licensee list
- Sports Handle: Missouri launch operators (Dec 2025)
- Bleacher Nation: where you can bet at 18 (May 2026)
- Fox Sports: where is sports betting legal (2026)
- AP: Wisconsin legalizes online sports betting (2026)