How to Keep Up-To-Date With State Gambling Regulations in the US

The US isn't necessarily the most restrictive country for iGaming. Countries like Qatar have outright banned it.

Still, compared to the UK and Europe, the US has state-based restrictions andThere are occasions when we here at ReadyBetGo want to bring you interesting facts about the gambling industry  When something catches our eye, we will publish it for your enjoyment. 
Source: Unsplash  bans on iGaming, and the regulations are changing frequently. It's only currently legal in seven states, and even within those seven states, it's not exactly an open market in comparison to the UK and Europe.

If the US regulations changed and all US states opened doors to iGaming, the revenue would top any global numbers.

And the regulations are loosening. Read on to learn how to keep up to date with the regulation changes and where they're happening.

America's iGaming Market

North America (Canada) is the most open, but the seven US states allowing iGaming are still generating a decent revenue. According to the American Gaming Association, in the first seven months of 2025, Americans wagered 11.5% more than in 2024, amounting to $88.73 billion.

And by the end of Q4 2024, year-on-year, iGaming revenue across the US increased 33.3%, generating $2.38 billion. The full-year gross reached $8.4 billion, up 28.7% year-on-year.

The States That Allow Gambling in the US

The seven states that permit iGaming and online gambling are:

• New Jersey
• Delaware
• West Virginia
• Pennsylvania
• Michigan
• Connecticut
• Rhode Island

And those states are constantly improving player numbers and revenue generation. For example, in Q4 2024, Pennsylvania and Michigan experienced growth of 33.5% and 33.6%, respectively, and New Jersey increased by 26.4%. Pennsylvania is by far the largest iGaming market in the US, with a full-year GGR of $2.71 billion. Michigan and New Jersey are close second and third, generating $2.44 billion and $2.39 billion, respectively (H2 North America).

The US States Attempting to Legalize iGaming

Some US states are in the process of attempting to change regulations by legalizing gambling and iGaming. No new states managed to achieve it in 2024, but many are in the process.

Georgia made a good attempt in 2024 by considering multiple bills to legalize sports betting in the state. The issue they had was agreeing on whether legalizing sports betting was a constitutional amendment.

It's worth noting that 38 states (plus Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico) allow legal sports betting in some format. 30 of those states allow online sports betting on smartphone apps or websites. DC and Puerto Rico also allow online betting.

For iGaming, at least six US states have introduced bills to legalize iGaming. That includes online poker and online casinos. These states include:

• Maryland
• Virginia
• Indiana
• Wyoming
• Massachusetts
• New York
• Ohio

West Virginia is another example of a state moving quickly to legalize online casinos at the end of the 2010s, regulating the industry for players and generating tax revenue. Affiliate sites frequently gather and review platforms for players to scan through and read deeply. For instance, West Virginia online casinos can be found here, which also details the particulars of the legality of online casinos in the state, giving players confidence in what they’re doing.

But in all of these states, the motion to pass a bill isn't necessarily easy. The most recent news from Maryland, for example, is that 71% of Maryland voters oppose iGaming expansion. Clearly, in Maryland, legislative proponents are against the odds.

Slightly closer to success is Ohio. SB 312, a partisan bill, wants to legalize online casinos and iLottery in Ohio and make it the 8th state in the US to offer legal iGaming platforms.

How to Keep Up-to-Date With State Gambling Regulations

One way of reliably finding information about state gambling regulations is through the American Gaming Association. They regularly release information and articles about the changing gambling regulations in the US. You can also Google the state you're interested in, followed by "gambling regulations," to quickly find more specific information.

The National Council on Problem Gambling is another excellent resource.

As a general rule, if you know you're in one of the US states that allow and regulate iGaming, you can have a safe gaming experience.

Is The US Anti-Gambling?

Compared to other countries, the US isn't anti-gambling. And whilst iGaming might be restricted, sports betting is still widely accepted in the US through mobile apps.

It seems like, as time passes, the US will begin to loosen the reins on iGaming as well. If states like Ohio and Maryland can pass the bills they're desperately trying to do, it won't be long until the revenue these states produce might prompt other states to follow.

The Issues With Illegal Online Gambling Activity

Because the US is so restrictive with online gambling activity, there's a lot of legal activity that causes friction in the market. Some data seems to suggest that illegal gambling in the US is as high as 74% of the total gambling activity.

Some of the biggest illegal online gambling activities the US deals with include:

• Lack of responsible gaming
• Money laundering
• Illegal offshore gambling
• Account fraud
• No safeguards against illegal gambling

But when the US is so restrictive with online gambling, it's easy to see why the illegal market is thriving. The risk, however, directly falls on the players who choose this path.

You can easily keep up to date with the changing US iGaming and gambling regulations by following the platforms and processes we mentioned above. A lot of it will be state by state, so it might be easier to simply Google the state you're interested in and see if there are any changing regulations.