The age at which betting is permitted in the United States varies by jurisdiction and kind of gaming.
While sports betting and other casino games are often permissible for those over 21, daily fantasy sports, lotteries, and horse racing are typically open to those under 18.
There are a lot of exceptions, though.
A Review of Betting Age Requirements
There is a patchwork of state legislation regarding the legal gambling age, and states have the authority to permit various forms of gambling inside their boundaries.
In the United States, the legal betting market has experienced a historic expansion since 2018. With 29 states offering online sports betting, there are over thirty-two jurisdictions that permit sports betting in some capacity. Sports betting on a single game was only legal in Nevada prior to 2018.
In order to bet real money online, bettors must be at least 21 years old. This applies to online casino gaming and sports betting in the majority of markets that are legal. In contrast, most participants in DFS, horse racing, lotteries, and other online and gambling-related forms are under 20.
There is the greatest variation in legal age for retail gambling depending on the jurisdiction. Retail casinos, mostly run by Native American tribes, typically accept 18 and over, whereas commercial casinos, such as those in Las Vegas, need 21 and above.
For minors, there is no permissible betting.
State-by-State Legality of Online Sports Betting
The typical legal age for online betting sites is 21, yet there are several exceptions.
The states that allow online sports betting are listed here along with the legal age.
- Arizona – 21.
- Arkansas – 21
- Colorado – 21
- Connecticut – 21
- Delaware – 21
- Florida – 21
- Illinois – 21
- Indiana – 21
- Ohio – 21
- Oregon – 21
- Pennsylvania – 21
- Rhode Island – 18
- Tennessee – 21
- Vermont – 21
- Virginia – 21
- Washington, D.C. – 18
- West Virginia – 21
- Wyoming – 18
- Iowa – 21
- Kansas – 21
- Kentucky – 18
- Louisiana – 21
- Maine – 21
- Maryland – 21
- Massachusetts – 21
- Michigan – 21
- Nevada – 21
- New Hampshire – 18
- New Jersey – 21
- New York – 21
Note: To bet on sports, you must be physically present inside the boundaries of a state in addition to being older than the minimum age. To gamble in a state, you don’t have to reside there. If you are visiting, you can place a bet.
In states where 18+ is permitted, sportsbooks like Caesars and BetMGM are free to determine their own minimum age. For instance, FanDuel’s minimum age is always 21, regardless of the market.
How Your Age Is Confirmed by Online Sportsbooks
A valid ID is required for admittance into a retail casino. Obviously, it’s not the same for online outlets.
In order to verify your age when you sign up for an online casino or betting site, you must submit personal information. Prepare yourself by bringing your photo ID, social security number, date of birth, email, and first and last names when you sign up. The operator will verify using these particulars:
- That’s who you claim to be.
- You are of legal betting age in the relevant jurisdiction.
- You’re not making more than one player account.
Typically, the identification verification procedure requires several minutes. Most states that allow online sports betting permit this procedure to be finished remotely. The only state where online sports bettors are not required to register in person at a casino is Nevada.
Age Restrictions for Online Casinos
New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, and New Jersey are the six states that control internet casino games including slots and blackjack.
Nevada, meanwhile, permits internet poker.
The minimum age to play at any of the six states with online casinos is 21. In essence, the procedure for age verification is the same as the one for sports betting.
You may usually access both forms of betting with a single account if you use an online casino run by an operator that also has a sportsbook. For both sports betting and online casino gaming, a single sign-up is sufficient.
Internet-Based Poker
Online poker between peers is permitted in Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. All six states have mandated a minimum online poker age of 21.
Thus, PokerStars and WSOP.com, the most prominent licensed poker sites in the United States, need a minimum age of 21. Meanwhile, illegal offshore poker sites allow players beyond the age of 18.
Note: State legislation in Connecticut has legalized internet poker, but no operators have been granted licenses. As a result, Connecticut now forbids playing poker online.
Sweepstakes Online Casinos
You may come across “sweepstakes” betting websites in states where internet casinos are not allowed. These platforms function (for the time being) by taking advantage of a contentious legal loophole.
Some casinos that follow this gray market concept are Chumba Casino, Pulsz Casino, and LuckyLand Slots. In order to play online casino games and increase their chances of winning cash rewards, gamblers buy virtual currency; nevertheless, real money is not actually used for betting.
The minimum age stated on sweepstakes websites is eighteen. This is relevant when you claim cash winnings since the website verifies your identification and age before awarding the prize.
Age Requirements for Retail Casinos
The legal age for betting in commercial land-based casinos is twenty-one. In accordance with state law, properties often set the age at 21. Furthermore, while most jurisdictions have 21 as the legal drinking age, casinos impose a minimum to permit alcohol use on the premises.
With regard to the legal betting age, tribe casinos, however, frequently have more leeway. Tribal-run casinos in many states have a significantly lower age limit, typically set at 18 or 19. This can sometimes imply that the establishments won’t provide alcohol.
Here are the states that offer some form of land-based betting for anyone over the age of 18:
- Oklahoma: certain casinos
- Rhode Island: land-based casinos
- California: certain cardrooms and tribal casinos
- Florida: poker and bingo inside casinos
- Idaho: tribal casinos
- Michigan: certain tribal casinos
- Minnesota: certain tribal casinos
- Montana: land-based casinos
- Washington: certain tribal casinos
- Wyoming: land-based casinos
Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS)
DraftKings and FanDuel were young daily fantasy sports (DFS) operators prior to the growth of sports betting. Even in states where sports betting is not permitted, they continue to provide these services.
Thrive Fantasy, Boom Fantasy, and Parlay Fantasy are some other trustworthy DFS websites.
Most markets permit DFS for players who are at least 18 years old. If you’re not old enough to wager on sports, this is an option. However, there are a few outliers.
The DFS minimum age in Nebraska and Alabama is set at 19.
The minimum age is 21 in Massachusetts, Iowa, Arizona, and Louisiana.
Online & In-Person Horse Racing
Due to the use of pari-mutuel betting in horse racing, odds and associated payouts are subject to alter before a race is scheduled to begin.
This is not like sports betting, where you place a bet with a predetermined reward. If you win, that reward is paid out regardless of whether anything has changed after you placed your wager and the event began.
Horse racing is therefore governed by separate laws. In general, bettors who are at least 18 years old may place bets on horse races in person, at off-track betting locations, or online through sites like TwinSpires or FanDuel Racing.
A few states slightly raise the minimum. In Arizona, Iowa, Nevada, and Texas, wagerers on horse races must be at least 21 years old.
Legal Lottery Age – Mega Millions & Powerball
Despite their enormous odds, lottery games remain one of the most popular forms of gambling in the United States. Lottery gaming is legal in just a small number of states, and in those that do, the legal minimum age is set at 18.
At the age of eighteen, you can purchase scratch-off tickets, play Powerball and Mega Millions, and take part in other lottery games in most states.
The minimum age to play lotteries in Nebraska is 19. To play lottery games in Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana, and Mississippi, you must be 21 years of age or older.
Some states maintain a uniform age requirement while allowing online lottery play.