Esports Betting: Where Can You Bet on ESports in the United States?

Online gambling in the United States has undergone some sort of revolution in recent years, with many states now opening their doors to multiple forms of gambling over the internet.

Online sports betting continues to get the most love, with more than 30 American states allowing their residents to wager legally on games from the NFL, NBA and other sports, while esports betting is continuing to gather momentum as the industry expands in the country.

Games like Dota 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, League of Legends and Call of Duty have become very popular in the US, with others like Fortnite, Valorant and StarCraft not too far behind. Also, esports games based on popular traditional sports, like FIFA, NBA 2K and eNASCAR are also in high demand.

And as these games spread in popularity, people are also seeking opportunities to bet on these games. As with betting on traditional sports, the legality of esports betting in the US varies from state to state.

Esports betting is banned outrightly in Iowa, Indiana and Pennsylvania, while some other states like Illinois, Michigan and New York are unclear with their stance on the discipline.

However, some states are pretty definite and positive in their regulations, legalizing esports betting either by grouping esports along with traditional sports or by addressing it as a separate entity.

In states that put esports under the same umbrella as traditional sports, you would find that top sportsbooks like Draftkings also include esports betting options in their portfolio, while there also exists esports-specific bookies like GGBet.

And just as regular sportsbooks have loads of features and betting promotions for US punters, the best esports betting sites also have plenty of other attractions to boost the experience.

So which states allow esports betting, and what exactly do the laws say?

States where esports betting is legal in the United States

Nevada

Being one of the most famous gambling locations in the world, you probably already expected that Nevada would be one of the first states that would pop up on this list.

Betting on esports in Nevada does come with some conditions. The Nevada Gaming Control Board only permits pre-game esports wagers, meaning that bettors cannot place live bets on on-going esports games.

Also, wagers can only be head-to-head or outright bets. Esports betting buffs may find these conditions a little bit annoying, but the brighter side is that it is better than nothing at all!

New Jersey

New Jersey was at the forefront of the battle to legalize sports betting in the United States all those years ago, so little wonder that they are one of the few states that have legalized multiple forms of gambling. Online sports betting, esports betting and online casinos are all available in New York.

The magic date for esports betting in New York was July 2021, when the state's Senate unanimously passed the bill to legalize wagering on esports.

The Garden State now has one of the largest esports betting markets in the US, with players able to wager on games like League of Legends, eNASCAR, Dota 2 and CSGO. Many sites offer esports betting in New Jersey, with Draftkings, FanDuel, Luckbox being prominent examples.

State laws put a $100 cap on esports wagers, and set the maximum winnings at $500.

Colorado

When Colorado first legalized sports betting, there was some confusion over whether esports betting was legal or not. However, the Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission has since cleared the air. Colorado residents can bet on esports games if the games are sanctioned by a recognized sports governing body. Bettors are also banned from wagering on the state on esports games if the event includes high-school participants.

Tennessee

Tennessee's betting laws are quite unique, with the state passing an online-only sports wagering law in 2019. The law also legalized esports betting, allowing residents of the state to wager on esports, allowing Tennesseeans to place bets on “..any professional sporting or athletic event, including motorsports and e-sports”, sanctioned by a national or international organization.

West Virginia

West Virginia is very much like New Jersey, as it allows online sports betting, online casinos and esports betting. Residents can wager on a wide variety of games, including CSGO, Dota 2, League of Legends and Call of Duty.

Arizona

Esports betting is legal in Arizona, with state laws including esports in the definition of "sports events".

Connecticut

Connecticut's HB 6451 also lists esports amongst legal sports wagers in the state, giving the all-clear for residents to wager on esports. However, residents are not allowed to wager on events that involve a Connecticut intercollegiate team, or has ties to an intercollegiate tournament within the state.

Kentucky

Kentucky is one of the latest states to go live with legal sports betting, with retail wagering launching on September 7, 2023, and online betting taking off three weeks later. The state's laws are pretty clear on the legal status of esports betting, noting that sportsbooks can accept wagers on "electronic sports, e-sports, and competitive video game events".

The esport event must be sanctioned by a recognized body and approved by the Kentucky Racing Commission.

Popular games like counter strike global offensive, NBA 2k and League of Legends have been approved by the commission.

Louisiana

Louisiana is another state where the gambling law includes esports in its definition of sports events permitted for wagering, so esports betting is very much legal within state lines.

Maine

Maine's sports betting regulations do not explicitly include the word "esports", but the law does include the phrase "competitions in which the players compete at video games in organized events" as part of the sports events that can be wagered on within the state. Many esports games clearly fall under this category of organized video games, and can thus be wagered on in Maine.

Maryland

Betting on esports is permitted in Maryland by virtue of being included amongst legal sports wagers allowed by the state.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts also allows esports wagering, as long as the games are offered by an approved sports governing body or the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

Nebraska

Nebraska also has esports in its list of approved sports wagers, paving the way for sportsbooks to offer esports markets in the state.

North Carolina

North Carolina's House Bill 347 specifically mentions esports, defining it as "leagues, competitive circuits, tournaments, or similar competitions where individuals or teams play video games, typically for spectators, either in person or online, for prizes, money, or entertainment.”

Ohio

Ohio laws are pretty straightforward about esports betting. Bettors in the state can place wagers on any esports events.

Virginia

Virginia groups esports as part of general sports events, with specific mention of "electronic sports event" or "competitive video game event"

Washington

As with many states on this list, Washington also considers esports as part of general sports when it comes to sports betting. HB 2638 gives Washingtonians the all-clear to place wagers on " any electronic sports or esports competition or event".

Wyoming

Wyoming bettors are free to bet on esports with the state laws grouping electronic sports amongst general sports.

While these are the states that allow esports betting for now, there is a good chance that more states will join in the coming months. Pennsylvania, for example, is taking active steps towards legalization, while things are also looking promising in Illinois.