The legalization of sports betting in the United States has proceeded at a rapid but often uneven pace. The latest American Gaming Association sports betting map gives a complete report, but fails to capture the nuances, although, of course, it’s not possible to imbue a chart with these dynamics.
In the May AGA update map, there isn’t differentiation between the green states where casinos control sports betting rather than the lottery—Oregon, Montana, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Washington, D.C. Sports betting in New Mexico is occurring, but only in several tribal casinos and without the outright approval of the state. Mississippi has sports betting in its casinos (including the Choctaw properties), but lacks mobile wagering, which diminishes its revenue potential. Pennsylvania and Rhode Island have the highest tax rates but the lowest returns. And it completely misses the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, where the governor promises to have the most aggressive, lowest-taxed and broad (including esports) sports betting system in the country. And the “gray” status of Florida and California speaks volumes about the power of the tribal gaming entities in those states.
To obtain a copy of this map, visit AmericanGaming.org.
