Nearly every state to legalize online sports betting also permits retail sportsbooks at casinos, race tracks, OTBs, stadiums, or other qualifying locations.
Only Tennessee, Vermont, and Wyoming have passed legislation authorizing online sports betting but not retail sportsbooks. In every other state with legal sports betting, fans can visit retail sportsbooks to place wagers in person.
Below are overviews of how in-person sports betting works in each state, with links to read more and for complete lists of retail sportsbooks.
Sportsbooks At Casinos
Casinos are the most common facilities authorized to open retail sportsbooks.
Every state with land-based casinos that has legalized sports betting has also authorized casinos to apply for retail sportsbook licenses.
Casino sportsbooks range in quality from full-fledged “experiences” with video walls and theater-style seating to a handful of self-serve betting kiosks installed near the gaming floor.
Typically, the bigger the casino, the bigger its sportsbook.
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
Sportsbooks At Stadiums
A handful of states have passed legislation authorizing sportsbooks at stadiums.
In those states, professional sports facilities such as stadiums, arenas, and auto racetracks to apply for sportsbook licenses.
Note: A few stadiums in other states have constructed “sportsbook lounges” in partnership with prominent sports betting brands, but they do not offer in-person wagering.
- Arizona
- Connecticut
- Illinois
- Maryland
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Virginia
- Washington, DC
Sportsbooks At Race Tracks And OTBs
The following states permit horse racing tracks, off-track betting facilities (OTBs), or both to apply for sportsbook licenses.
Note that the law in these states specifically allow racetracks and OTBs to apply, even if they don’t offer other forms of gambling.
- Florida
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
Standalone Sportsbooks Elsewhere
The following states have authorized certain businesses or the state lottery to offer in-person sports betting at locations other than casinos, racetracks, and stadiums.
- Connecticut
- Ohio
- Maryland
- New Hampshire
- Ohio
Sports Betting Kiosks At Gas Stations, Taverns, Etc.
These states authorize self-serve sports betting kiosks (operated by the lottery) at locations like gas stations and bars.
- Illinois
- Kansas
- Maryland
- Montana
- Oregon
- Washington, DC
Sportsbooks On Cruise Ships
Cruise ships have offered sports betting since before the Supreme Court overturned PASPA, the federal law that prohibited sports betting, by sailing into international waters.
Since then, sports betting on cruise ships has become more commonplace. For example, Carnival Cruise Line has been rolling out sports betting kiosks aboard its ships since partnering with BetMGM in 2022.
How Retail Sports Betting Works in Every State
Can Retail Sportsbooks Survive In The Online Betting Age?
Although online betting accounts for the vast majority of sports wagering handle today, retail sportsbooks are here to stay.
As Seth Schorr of Fifth Street Gaming once noted:
“Nevada has been creating exciting books for decades, and if you visit any of them on a Sunday during football season, they are all packed.
“Local casinos such as Stations/Red Rock are filled with locals who could easily be watching a game at home, but they enjoy the sportsbook experience.
“For some of these bettors, they still find it easier to bet at a window or kiosk, but most are coming for the social atmosphere and ambiance.”
However, he also warned retail sportsbook operators not to get too comfortable:
“While mobile wagering will continue to grow in all jurisdictions that allow it, the in-venue experience is still one that cannot be replicated at home or on the road.
“It is up to the brick-and-mortar operators to create an experience that is more exciting and social than the one a bettor can have at home.”
Scott Longley has been a journalist since the early noughties covering personal finance, sport and the gambling industry. He has worked for a number of publications including Investor’s Week, Bloomberg Money, Football First, EGR and GamblingCompliance.com. He now writes for online and print titles across a wide range of sectors.
Wes Burns has more than a decade’s worth of experience as a writer, researcher and analyst in the legal gambling industry and is co-founder of BettingUSA.com. As a former professional online poker player, Wes approaches his work from the viewpoint of players.