Reviewed October 2026
Sports Betting Legalization Tracker
Every US state with real movement toward (or away from) legal sports betting, in one maintained page: pending launches, live bills, ballot paths, and the court fights that will shape the map. Each entry is dated, and we update this page as developments land. For current legality in any state today, see the live map.
As of October 26, 2026: sports betting is legal in 39 states plus Washington, D.C. Online betting is live in 31 states plus D.C., 8 states allow in-person betting only, and 11 states have no legal sports betting.
Launching Soon
Wisconsin Compact talks and a court fight
Online betting became law on April 9, 2026 (Act 247), making Wisconsin the 33rd state to legalize. Governor Evers and the 11 tribes opened gaming compact negotiations on June 1, but no amended compact had been announced as of late October, and any agreement still needs federal Bureau of Indian Affairs approval before an app can launch. A lawsuit adds risk: on August 5 the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty sued in Waukesha County, arguing the law breaks the state constitution's gambling limits. The state is defending the law, and eight tribes asked the court on October 14 to dismiss the case. Evers leaves office January 4, 2027, and voters pick his successor on November 3, so unfinished talks pass to the next governor. With those steps still ahead, 2027 is the realistic launch window. As of October 2026.
Legislative Watch
Nebraska On the November 3 ballot
Nebraska already allows in-person betting at its licensed casinos, and after lawmakers fell short of sending mobile betting to voters, a petition drive did it instead. Two measures, a constitutional amendment and a regulatory law, qualified for the November 3, 2026 ballot in August. They would allow online betting from anywhere in the state through the licensed casinos and their sportsbook partners. If voters approve both, the law takes effect January 1, 2027, and regulators must write rules by June 1, 2027, so apps would not arrive right away. As of October 2026.
Texas Next window: 2027 session
The House approved a betting resolution in 2023 before it died in the Senate. Because the legislature meets only in odd years and legalization needs a constitutional amendment plus a statewide vote, the earliest realistic path runs through the 2027 session and a November 2027 ballot. Meanwhile, the Senate State Affairs Committee held a September 15, 2026 hearing on prediction markets under an interim charge from Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick titled Closing Gambling Loopholes. As of October 2026.
Georgia Bills keep dying at the amendment hurdle
Proposals surface nearly every session and some clear committees, but most routes require a constitutional amendment: a two-thirds vote in both chambers plus voter approval. That bar has stopped every attempt so far. In 2026, a House amendment failed 63 to 98 on March 6, far short of the 120 votes it needed. As of October 2026.
Minnesota Tribes vs. tracks standoff
Bills have advanced further here than in most holdout states, but the market-control fight between tribal exclusivity and the racetracks keeps killing them, and the 2026 session again ended without a law. The same session passed a ban on prediction markets, which a federal judge has blocked (see below). Until the standoff resolves, expect repeats. As of October 2026.
California Ballot-box path, 2028 target
Voters rejected two competing measures by wide margins in 2022, and the tribes that control California gaming have said any future push will be tribal-led and deliberate. No new measure has qualified since. Tribal leaders said in July 2026 that they are preparing for a 2028 ballot measure, and only if polling shows voters are on board. As of October 2026.
South Carolina Momentum building slowly
Historically one of the most restrictive states, but betting bills have started drawing real committee attention in recent sessions. A Senate committee heard a mobile betting bill in February 2026 but took no vote. Passage would still be a major shift. As of October 2026.
The Prediction-Market Fight
Prediction markets vs. the states Appeals courts split
Federally regulated event exchanges offer sports contracts in most states without sportsbook licenses, and federal appeals courts now disagree on whether states can stop them. In early-stage injunction rulings, the Third Circuit sided with Kalshi against New Jersey in April 2026, while the Ninth Circuit (Nevada, August 28) and the Sixth Circuit (Ohio and Tennessee, September 25) sided with the states. New Jersey asked the Supreme Court in September to settle the question. The outcome will decide whether prediction markets remain the main legal alternative in no-betting states. As of October 2026.
Wisconsin vs. prediction markets Seventh Circuit appeal pending
Wisconsin sued Kalshi, Polymarket, Robinhood, Coinbase, and Crypto.com in April 2026, arguing their sports contracts are unlawful gambling, and the CFTC sued the state days later to stop it. On July 29 a federal judge in Green Bay refused to block Wisconsin's enforcement, finding the contracts are likely not swaps under federal law. The federal government and Kalshi appealed to the Seventh Circuit, where briefing is underway. As of October 2026.
Minnesota's prediction-market ban Blocked in court
Minnesota passed the first state law making it a felony to operate or advertise a prediction market, set to take effect August 1, 2026. Kalshi, Polymarket, and the CFTC challenged it, and on July 27 a federal judge blocked the state from enforcing it while the case proceeds. As of October 2026.
Recently Launched
Missouri Launched December 2025
The newest online betting state: statewide mobile wagering went live December 1, 2025, after voters approved it in 2024. As of October 2026.
Site Update Log
Real changes as we ship them. Review dates across the site trace back to this log.
October 25, 2026: Monthly review: all tracker entries re-verified. Added Nebraska's November 3 ballot vote, the Wisconsin lawsuit and compact status, and the latest prediction-market court rulings. Sportsbook coverage updated: ESPN BET is now theScore Bet, Sporttrade removed after leaving US sports betting, DraftKings and FanDuel added in Arkansas, and state lists refreshed for bet365, BetRivers, Hard Rock Bet, Bally Bet, BetParx, Circa, Caesars, DraftKings and FanDuel.
October 25, 2026: Promos refresh: new Fanatics welcome offers by state, the new Polymarket deposit bonus, and FanDuel and Caesars sign-up offers retired while those offers are not running.
August 3, 2026: Monthly review: Wisconsin compact negotiations (opened June 1) added to the tracker and the Wisconsin guide, all tracker entries re-verified, and site-wide data stamps refreshed.
July 20, 2026: Launched this tracker. Also refreshed the FanDuel offer terms after the July rollover, added Rebet to our sweepstakes coverage, and rebuilt the Wisconsin guide into a full launch hub.
July 10, 2026: Published the US betting statistics page and the free embeddable state map, and rolled out the new site identity.
July 6, 2026: Deep content pass across all 50 state guides: direct answers, expanded FAQs, and legal from-home alternatives for every no-betting state. Fanatics Sportsbook added to coverage.
Maintained by the Sportsbooks by State editorial team. Spot something off? [email protected]
Current Sign-Up Offers
Fanatics Sportsbook's welcome offer in legal betting states, plus prediction-market and sweepstakes offers for states without legal online betting. Your state guide shows the ones that work where you are.
Tracker FAQ
Which states are legalizing sports betting next?
Wisconsin is the confirmed next domino: online betting became law in April 2026 and launch is pending tribal compact talks. Nebraska voters decide on online betting on November 3, 2026. Beyond that, Texas (2027 session), Georgia, Minnesota, and California are the biggest markets with active paths, though none has passed a law yet.
When will Wisconsin online sports betting launch?
No date is set. Each of the 11 tribes must renegotiate its compact first, and none had been announced as of October 2026, so 2027 is the realistic window.
Will Texas legalize sports betting?
Not before 2027. The legislature meets in odd years and legalization requires a constitutional amendment plus a statewide vote, so the next realistic window is the 2027 session with a November 2027 ballot.
What is the newest state with legal sports betting?
Missouri, where statewide mobile betting launched December 1, 2025. Wisconsin has legalized but not yet launched.