Online Gambling
What is online gambling?
in the U.s.
Where is online gambling legal?
Legal
Illegal
Wisconsin
As of April 2026, online gambling in the form of sports betting has become legal in Wisconsin, following a bill signed by Governor Tony Evers. (CBS Sports)
Despite the legalization of tribal sports betting, Wisconsin only ranks 44th in the nation for gambling addiction. (WalletHub)
44
What is online gambling?
According to Law Insider, online gambling is defined as, "Any individual or entity engaged in the business of accepting, placing, receiving or otherwise knowingly transmitting a bet or wager by any means which involves the use, at least in part, of the Internet, and would include online businesses offering sports betting, online poker or other games of chance.
Nevada
Las Vegas is the gambling capital of the U.S. However, not all forms of online gambling are legal. Nevada law only makes online poker legal. Real-money casino apps that include slots and table games are prohibited.
Nevada is the number one-ranked state in the U.S. for gambling addiction, as Las Vegas is known for its casino culture.
California
California, like most states, prohibits all forms of online gambling. Apps such as Kalshi and Polymarket have become increasingly popular because they are regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as prediction market platforms.
21
California is ranked 21st in the United States for most amount of gambling-addicted people.
South Dakota
South Dakota law prohibits online gambling. However, it is ranked second behind Nevada in the number of gambling-addicted people. This is largely due to Video Lottery Terminals (VLT's). South Dakota has over 1,300 establishments that have VLT's. (iGaming Today)
New York
In New York, online gambling such as slot machines is illegal. However, sports betting is legal and is popular among many. According to Gaming America, in 2025 alone, New Yorkers wagered $26.31 billion on sports betting. This is the main reason for New York's high ranking as the 13th most gambling-addicted state.
13
Photo Courtesy of NYT
Texas
Online gambling and sports betting remain illegal in Texas. However, there are a few loopholes that account for Texas's high ranking at 15th for most gambling-addicted states. One of which is offshore platforms, which are apps that operate from countries outside of the U.S.
These platforms lack deposit limits and responsible gambling features that other legal apps must provide.
15
Photo Courtesy of iGaming
Florida
Online gambling and sports betting are illegal in Florida, with the exception of one app. The only sports betting platform that is legal is Hard Rock Bet because of a multi-billion dollar compact between the State and the Seminole Tribe of Florida.
43
Florida is ranked low for most gambling-addicted states at 43rd in the nation.
Online Gambling
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Created on April 20, 2026
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Transcript
Online Gambling
What is online gambling?
in the U.s.
Where is online gambling legal?
Legal
Illegal
Wisconsin
As of April 2026, online gambling in the form of sports betting has become legal in Wisconsin, following a bill signed by Governor Tony Evers. (CBS Sports)
Despite the legalization of tribal sports betting, Wisconsin only ranks 44th in the nation for gambling addiction. (WalletHub)
44
What is online gambling?
According to Law Insider, online gambling is defined as, "Any individual or entity engaged in the business of accepting, placing, receiving or otherwise knowingly transmitting a bet or wager by any means which involves the use, at least in part, of the Internet, and would include online businesses offering sports betting, online poker or other games of chance.
Nevada
Las Vegas is the gambling capital of the U.S. However, not all forms of online gambling are legal. Nevada law only makes online poker legal. Real-money casino apps that include slots and table games are prohibited.
Nevada is the number one-ranked state in the U.S. for gambling addiction, as Las Vegas is known for its casino culture.
California
California, like most states, prohibits all forms of online gambling. Apps such as Kalshi and Polymarket have become increasingly popular because they are regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as prediction market platforms.
21
California is ranked 21st in the United States for most amount of gambling-addicted people.
South Dakota
South Dakota law prohibits online gambling. However, it is ranked second behind Nevada in the number of gambling-addicted people. This is largely due to Video Lottery Terminals (VLT's). South Dakota has over 1,300 establishments that have VLT's. (iGaming Today)
New York
In New York, online gambling such as slot machines is illegal. However, sports betting is legal and is popular among many. According to Gaming America, in 2025 alone, New Yorkers wagered $26.31 billion on sports betting. This is the main reason for New York's high ranking as the 13th most gambling-addicted state.
13
Photo Courtesy of NYT
Texas
Online gambling and sports betting remain illegal in Texas. However, there are a few loopholes that account for Texas's high ranking at 15th for most gambling-addicted states. One of which is offshore platforms, which are apps that operate from countries outside of the U.S.
These platforms lack deposit limits and responsible gambling features that other legal apps must provide.
15
Photo Courtesy of iGaming
Florida
Online gambling and sports betting are illegal in Florida, with the exception of one app. The only sports betting platform that is legal is Hard Rock Bet because of a multi-billion dollar compact between the State and the Seminole Tribe of Florida.
43
Florida is ranked low for most gambling-addicted states at 43rd in the nation.