Although it is a topic that most of us has heard of before, not everyone understands how lotteries work in the United States. Of course, there are famous names nationwide, like Mega Millions and Powerball, but there are other options at the state level.
Platforms like TheLotter serve players who are unsure about how to order the tickets legally, or even which are the best games to enter. The entire process can be comfortably made wherever you are and with total security.
In many cases, the question is even more basic: which lottery is legalized in my state? This article aims to help those who have doubts about betting permissions and games in general in the country. Of course, it’s important to get informed about your specific state’s situation, but the idea is that the content here serves as a general guide for your interest in the subject.
What types of betting and lottery tickets are allowed in my state?
We all know that most of the laws that apply to us on a daily basis are state laws. Of course, there are federal instances as well, but for matters like betting and lotteries, the legal focus is at the state level.
There are some lotteries that operate nationwide, and these are generally the most famous – just think of names like Mega Millions and Powerball. However, there are others that only deal with casino games, and still others that focus on online sports betting.
We should remember, of course, that we are talking about 50 states, each with its own set of laws, so there are rarely cases where the exact same possibility is repeated.
To make your search easier, we’ve included an updated table below with the legal status of various types of gambling in the United States. We focus on three main categories: lotteries, sports betting, and casinos. There are, of course, other types of bets, such as Parimutuel and Racetrack, but our focus here is different.
Below, you’ll find a complete list of which states allow which types of gambling, considering only lotteries, sports betting, and casinos.
| State | Lottery | Sports Betting | Casinos |
| Alabama | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Alaska | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Arizona | Allowed | Allowed (since 2021) | Allowed (tribal) |
| Arkansas | Allowed | Allowed (since 2018) | Allowed |
| California | Allowed | Not allowed | Allowed (tribal) |
| Colorado | Allowed | Allowed (since 2020) | Allowed |
| Connecticut | Allowed | Allowed (since 2021) | Allowed |
| Delaware | Allowed | Allowed (since 2018) | Allowed |
| Florida | Allowed | Not allowed (still debated) | Allowed (tribal) |
| Georgia | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Hawaii | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Idaho | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Illinois | Allowed | Allowed (since 2020) | Allowed |
| Indiana | Allowed | Allowed (since 2019) | Allowed |
| Iowa | Allowed | Allowed (since 2019) | Allowed |
| Kansas | Allowed | Allowed (since 2022) | Allowed |
| Kentucky | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Louisiana | Allowed | Allowed (since 2021) | Allowed |
| Maine | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Maryland | Allowed | Allowed (since 2021) | Allowed |
| Massachusetts | Allowed | Allowed (since 2018) | Allowed |
| Michigan | Allowed | Allowed (since 2019) | Allowed |
| Minnesota | Allowed | Not allowed | Allowed (tribal) |
| Mississippi | Allowed | Allowed (since 2018) | Allowed |
| Missouri | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Montana | Allowed | Allowed (since 2020) | Allowed (tribal) |
| Nebraska | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Nevada | Allowed | Allowed | Allowed |
| New Hampshire | Allowed | Allowed (since 2019) | Not allowed |
| New Jersey | Allowed | Allowed (since 2018) | Allowed |
| New Mexico | Allowed | Allowed (since 2020) | Allowed (tribal) |
| New York | Allowed | Allowed (since 2018) | Allowed |
| North Carolina | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| South Carolina | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| North Dakota | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Ohio | Allowed | Allowed (since 2019) | Allowed |
| Oklahoma | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed (tribal) |
| Oregon | Allowed | Allowed (since 2019) | Allowed |
| Pennsylvania | Allowed | Allowed (since 2018) | Allowed |
| Rhode Island | Allowed | Allowed (since 2018) | Allowed |
| Tennessee | Allowed | Allowed (since 2020) | Not allowed |
| Texas | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Utah | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Vermont | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Virginia | Allowed | Allowed (since 2020) | Allowed |
| Washington | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| West Virginia | Allowed | Allowed (since 2018) | Allowed |
| Wisconsin | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Wyoming | Allowed | Allowed (since 2021) | Not allowed |
Lottery in the U.S.
As a general rule, the most accepted type of bet in the United States is the lottery. Games like Mega Millions and Powerball are allowed in almost all states – with five notable exceptions:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Hawaii
- Nevada
- Utah
Other than that, all the other 45 states allow their citizens to place bets, and the results are announced every week. In 2022, the American lottery even set a record, with a jackpot of over $2 billion.
Sports Betting in the U.S.
A relatively recent phenomenon in the United States is the growing popularity of sports betting. The practice was prohibited in 1992 but was legalized again by a law in 2018.
The trend is for more and more states to open their legislation to accommodate sports betting, a trend seen worldwide.
So far, several states have adopted it, while others, such as Texas and Alabama, are studying changes in legislation. However, in many places, there is resistance, especially when it comes to betting on college sports.
Casinos in the U.S.
The casino industry in the country is something that has been part of the public imagination for many decades. People abroad might even think of it as a national habit, but that’s not exactly the case; the activity is only allowed in specific states and often under strict rules.
The first place that comes to mind, of course, is Las Vegas, and it’s important to note that gambling is only allowed there because of the laws in the state of Nevada. Looking at the table above, you will see that Nevada is one of the states that allows both unrestricted casinos as well as sports betting and lotteries.
But in other places the permission to operate a casino is restricted to what is known as “tribal conditions”. This means that in states like Oklahoma, Montana, and California, only Native Americans are allowed to operate such businesses. The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) of 1988 governs the regulation.
How to bet and order lottery tickets online with safety
The possibility of buying lottery tickets online and sports gambling with your phone or computer has changed the industry, for sure. The commodity of doing it anywhere and with a few clicks is undeniable. But there are a few things everyone has to keep in mind. The most important one is security.
There’s an abundance of shady platforms that are insecure or downright illegal, aimed at stealing personal data and from credit cards. So, trust only reputable platforms like the ones mentioned in this article, that focus on creating a trustworthy environment for payments and e-commerce in general.