LOCALIZE IT: Sports betting is now legal in most states. But the rules vary widely
EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS:
A total of 39 states and the District of Columbia now allow at least some form of legalized sports betting, with Missouri becoming the latest to launch it on Dec. 1.
In the weeks leading up to Missouri’s betting debut, one scandal after another has rocked the sports world. Two Cleveland Guardians pitchers were indicted for allegedly taking bribes to throw certain pitches. An NBA player was charged in an alleged scheme to provide inside information to gamblers. And the NCAA revoked the eligibility of six men’s college basketball players for allegedly manipulating their performance in games.
All of those cases centered around the outcome of proposition bets, a popular type of wager often focused on what individual players will do in a game — like achieving a certain number of strikeouts in baseball, racking up a certain amount of points and rebounds in basketball, or surpassing a particular passing yardage in football.
Prop bets on professional athletes currently are allowed in every state that has legalized sports betting. But states have widely differing rules for bets on college athletes.
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READ AP’S LASTEST COVERAGE
Missouri launches sports betting as recent scandals shine a spotlight on the growing industry
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FIND YOUR STATE: LEGAL SPORTS BETTING
Legal sports betting in the U.S. took off in 2018, after the Supreme Court struck down a law that had barred it in most states. Once allowed only in Nevada, sports betting is now permitted online or in retail locations in 39 states and Washington, D.C.
Each jurisdiction has its own regulations and tax rates for sports betting. A handful restrict where you can place bets. Others limit which betting platforms you can use or what you can bet on.
This map shows which states have legalized sports betting. An embed code can be found at the end of the guide.
The American Gaming Association also tracks which states allow retail or online sports betting, at this site.
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FIND YOUR STATE: COLLEGE PROP BETS
States have widely differing rules for bets on college athletes and teams. More than a dozen states place no limits on collegiate prop bets while a roughly equal number prohibit all such bets. Other states fall somewhere in between.
Missouri is one of over a half-dozen states with a prop bet prohibition pertaining only to games involving college teams from their states.
The American Gaming Association produces an annual report that includes state-by-state details sports betting regulations, including tax rates and restrictions on collegiate bets. The “State of the States 2025” report can be accessed here. Pages 23-24 contain a table displaying information for each state.
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CONSIDER THESE REPORTING THREADS
— If sports betting isn’t legal in your state, have elected officials considered it in the past, or have citizens attempted a ballot initiative campaign for it? How have those efforts fared? What do lawmakers think about legalizing sports betting in your state?
— If sports betting is legal in your state, how much revenue does it bring to your state? You state’s gambling regulatory agency or revenue department may have these figures. Is the tax revenue earmarked for a particular purpose?
— If your state allows sports betting, what are it’s regulations on prop bets? Have there been any calls to tighten restrictions in light of recent sports betting scandals involving prop bets?
— Talk to athletes and coaches at the college and professional level about the boom of sports betting. What are their thoughts? What, if anything, have they noticed about the growth of sports betting?
— Talk to people at local sports bars and other places where people gather to watch games. Have owners and workers noticed changes in how people watch the games if sports betting is legal in your state? Has it made a difference in their revenue?
— Talk to people who have used sports betting apps. What was it like signing up? How often do they used these platforms? What type of bets do they like to place? Have they experienced any personal financial impacts?
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READ ADDITIONAL AP COVERAGE
Sports betting is a booming business. The FBI’s NBA probe is putting it in the spotlight
What Americans think about legal sports betting, according to recent polls
Black Sox, Ohtani’s interpreter and more: A look at notable sports betting scandals
How a 2018 Supreme Court decision paved the way for meteoric growth in legal sports betting
MLB pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz charged with taking bribes to rig pitches for bettors
NCAA revokes eligibility of 6 more college basketball players as it continues sports betting probe
NBA head coach and player charged in sprawling sports betting and Mafia-backed poker schemes
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EMBED THIS MAP
This AP digital embed map shows where sports betting is legal in the U.S. Most states and the District of Columbia allow wagers on sporting events. Source: American Gaming Association.
To embed, insert this code into your CMS:
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Localize It is a resource produced regularly by The Associated Press for its customers’ use. Questions can be directed to the Local News Success team at localizeit@ap.org. View guides published in the last 30 days here.
