Eleven states have no form of legal sports betting. Six – Oklahoma, Minnesota, California, Texas, Georgia, and Alabama – have all seriously considered sports betting in recent years and remain potential legalization candidates.
Five states never seemed like sports betting legalization candidates until this year. That changed when Hawaii advanced a sports betting bill out of the state House of Representatives and appears to be able to pass the same legislation out of the Senate.
In either Hawaii scenario, there are four states remaining that appear years from passing legal sports betting – if they ever do so. Here’s a ranking of the four states, from “most” to least likely.
4. Alaska
The Last Frontier may still be close to the last state legalizing sports betting
Reasons why it could: There isn’t the same entrenched political opposition that has denied legalization in other states. There isn’t much momentum either.
Reasons why it won’t: Alaska doesn’t border any other state, which has been an impetus to legalize in many others. If a jurisdiction is losing money to residents crossing state lines, it’s far more likely to adopt that activity. This is also a big reason why Alaska is one of the last remaining states without a state lottery.
Alaska’s low population and remoteness from the rest of the country also curtail interest from lobbying groups. Regulated sportsbooks would launch in Alaska if they could, but they're not going to spend nearly as much effort (or money) on making that happen there as they would in high-population states such as California or Texas.
3. South Carolina
Its northern neighbor has mobile sports betting, but politics have outweighed lost revenue
Reasons why it could: South Carolina encompasses part of the rapidly growing Charlotte metro area, and thousands of daily commuters into the Queen City have a convenient way to place bets (and lose money) that’s going to North Carolina.
Reasons why it won’t: North Carolina has become a “purple” political state and features a Democratic governor and a Republican-controlled legislature that (sometimes) have to work together. That’s not the case in GOP-dominated South Carolina.
Gov. Henry McMaster has steadfastly opposed any gambling expansion, chilling any serious effort in the legislature. When he leaves office due to term limits in 2027, his replacement will likely also be a Republican – and odds are will be inclined to carry their predecessor’s anti-gambling approach.
2. Idaho
Few states have become more conservative and against gambling
Reasons why it could: “Free market” Republicans, even in conservative western states such as Wyoming, have legalized sports betting, overcoming social and moral concerns.
Reasons why it won’t: Those groups don’t have much influence in Idaho as the state has become a bastion of conservative politics. In 2018, voters rejected historic horse racing terminals, one of the few instances in recent years of a gaming measure losing on the ballot.
Three years later, Idaho politicians withdrew from the international Powerball lottery. Some lawmakers opposed participation because they feared revenue generated through the lottery in other counties could be used to support gun control measures.
The only state in the lower 48 without a casino, lottery or horse track is set to stay that way for a long time
Reasons why it could: Utah's population is growing faster than the national average, changing its political demographics
Reasons why it won’t: Those changes are likely decades from ending Utah’s gambling opposition – if it is ever to change at all. The state still has a large Mormon population that is reflected in its legislature. The Church opposes gambling and has given no indication that will change.
Legal sports betting in roughly 40 states seemed unthinkable a decade ago. It will be much harder for that prohibition to end in Utah.
