US Online Gambling Laws 2026
Online casino gambling in the USA is governed by state law. The federal government does not operate a national gambling regulatory framework for online casinos. Each state that chooses to legalise online casino gambling creates its own licensing regime. This results in a patchwork legal landscape where the same activity is fully regulated and safe in one state, and unregulated in the next.
State Online Gambling Legal Status
| State | Online Casino Legal? | Online Sports Betting? | Regulator | Live Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | Yes, fully regulated | Yes | NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement | 2013 |
| Pennsylvania | Yes, fully regulated | Yes | PA Gaming Control Board | 2019 |
| Michigan | Yes, fully regulated | Yes | MI Gaming Control Board | 2021 |
| Delaware | Yes, limited | Yes | Delaware Lottery | 2013 |
| West Virginia | Yes, regulated | Yes | WV Lottery Commission | 2020 |
| Connecticut | Yes, regulated | Yes | CT Dept of Consumer Protection | 2021 |
| New York | No, legislation pending | Yes | NY Gaming Commission | — |
| California | No active legislation | No | — | — |
| All other states | No, unregulated | Varies | — | — |
What Unregulated Means for Players
In states without regulated online casino markets, there is no state-licensed online casino operator available to residents. Players who access offshore-licensed casinos do so in a legal grey area. There is no US federal law that specifically criminalises individual players gambling at offshore sites. However, players in unregulated states have no recourse through state regulators if a dispute arises and are dependent entirely on the offshore operator's licence (typically Curaçao or Malta) for any dispute resolution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is online casino gambling legal in the USA?
Legal and regulated in six states: NJ, PA, MI, DE, WV, and CT. In other states, it is not explicitly licensed. Federal law does not prohibit individual players from gambling online.
What states have legal online casinos?
New Jersey (since 2013), Delaware (2013), Pennsylvania (2019), West Virginia (2020), Michigan (2021), and Connecticut (2021). NY, IL, and CA have introduced but not yet passed legislation.