The iGaming landscape has changed considerably across the United States in recent years. Such is the size of the US; it is easier to split the country when discussing the current iGaming landscape and that allows us to focus on the southern states. The heart of the southern states includes Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee but what are the current iGaming restrictions within the southern states?
Delaware
For anyone in the southern states wanting to gamble online, Delaware has long been the place to be. Delaware was one of the first states to legalize online gambling and anyone who is at least 21 years old and within state borders can register to gamble at an iGaming website. Real money casino thrills await on USA online casino sites in Delaware as it was the first state to legalize online gambling back in 2012. In addition to the online casinos, it is possible to legally bet on sports online and play poker for real money. West Virginia is another example of a southern state where online sports betting and casino gambling is legal. So, in terms of iGaming in the southern states, Delaware and West Virginia lead the way but what about the other southern states?
Online Sports Betting
Sports betting is one of the major aspects of iGaming and is available in some of the southern states. North Carolina and Tennessee are good examples of southern states where online sports betting is allowed but online casino gaming remains illegal. Tennessee legalized sports betting in 2019 and the Tennessee Sports Wagering Advisory Council is the regulating body. Gamblers must be at least 21 years of age and all professional sports, college sports, and eSports are available but prop bets on college athletes is prohibited. The same applies to North Carolina but it took the state until 2023 to legalize online sports betting.
Mississippi is an interesting case and sports betting is allowed but only in licensed land based casinos and via sports betting apps. It is illegal to have a sports wager online in Mississippi at home on a desktop computer but using a mobile device or casino is legal.
Online Casinos
The second major form of iGaming is online casinos and, as you can see from the southern states highlighted in the sports betting section above, the landscape differs. For example, you can enjoy online sports betting in North Carolina and Tennessee but, at the time of writing, you cannot legally use online casinos. In fact, the only two southern states where you can currently enjoy gambling at online casinos is Delaware and West Virginia. This is typical of the whole picture across the United States, as only six states in total have legalized online casino gambling, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Connecticut.
Southern States with No Legislation
When assessing the iGaming landscape in the southern states, there are some states in which iGaming is completely illegal. South Carolina, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Georgia offer no form of legal iGaming at the time of writing. There are some options available, including fantasy pick’em apps and sweepstake casinos, which are different from traditional online sports betting or casino gambling but do offer an alternative. There are discussions in place regarding the legalization of iGaming in South Carolina, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Georgia but it remains to be seen if the talks turn into anything concrete.
So, iGaming in the southern states is a mixed bag. Delaware and West Virginia offer the complete package of sports betting and casino games. Some states, including North Carolina and Tennessee offer sports betting while others, such as South Carolina and Oklahoma have little in the way of legal iGaming.
