Many forms of casino gambling are patronized in the United States. Commercial casinos, racetrack casinos, tribal casinos, and online casinos have been legalized in some states.
In fact, in some parts of the country, the casino industry has been expanding. However, some states can't carry out expansion plans due to legalization issues. With positive public opinion and state legislation, casinos can operate legally and possibly expand.
These days, the legalization of casinos is gaining more momentum in the country. This can be prompted by the promise of economic growth, as experienced by those states that have legalized casinos in many forms. Casinos have boosted employment rates and tax revenue to state and local governments, making these activities a money-spinning resource for many states.
This 2023 and for the coming years, let us learn which states have decided to accept casinos and their economic advantages.
Online Casino Legalization in the 50 States
Only seven have legalized online casinos among the 50 states in the United States. These states were Delaware, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan, West Virginia, and Rhode Island, which is yet to finalize the legalization in the first quarter of 2024.
Pennsylvania
After the successful launching of Delaware and New Jersey, Pennsylvania's Governor Tom Wolf signed the legislation legalizing online casinos on October 30, 2017. The first online operators were introduced in May 2019, and today, the state boasts a reputation as one of the most progressive gaming markets in the United States.
Pennsylvania legally allows online casino baccarat, slots, roulette, blackjack, and poker. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board regulates the operations of all legal gambling sites in the state, ensuring the safety and protection of users' personal and financial information.
Delaware
Delaware's first year with legal iGaming was in 2013. It was in 2012 when Governor Jack Markell legalized online gambling in the state, making Delaware one of the country's pioneers in online gambling legalization efforts. The Delaware Lottery regulated the legal online casinos in the state. The three prominent online casinos in Delaware were mainly digital versions of the existing brick-and-mortar casinos in the state.
Social casino games like blackjack, poker, roulette, and slots are all available on mobile applications and websites. While Delaware was known to be the first state to legalize online gambling, it is also seen as the least productive state among the six online casino states. From casino fans' perspective, one problem Delware faces today is the lack of mobile options.
Apparently, many players prefer to play through their mobile phones these days. However, most of the state's poker rooms and casino games are only available as downloadable desktop apps.
Connecticut
In May 2021, Governor Ned Lamont signed the legislation officially legalizing the conduct of online casinos, sports betting, and poker in Connecticut. However, only two legally operating online casino options exist in the state as of 2023. Nonetheless, offshore gambling is not frowned upon in the state, resulting in many residents playing in offshore casinos with positive reviews.
New Jersey
Department of Justice allowed online gambling regulation in New Jersey in 2011. Two years later, in 2013, the state's legal iGaming included casino games like roulette, slots, and blackjack. Since the state is one of the pioneers in iGaming, it has generated a hefty amount of revenue in sports betting, land-based casinos, and online casinos.
In 2022, the industry has accumulated $5.21 billion, a 10% increase compared to 2021 revenue. Because it is one of the earliest online casino states, it has gained momentum by attracting players from neighboring states like Pennsylvania and New York, resulting in a more robust and profitable iGaming market.
Michigan
In Michigan's second year of legalizing casinos, it has earned $2 billion in revenue, with $1.58 billion coming from online casinos in 2022. In 2021, the state has generated $1.40 billion.
At present, the state has 15 accessible online casinos and sportsbooks. It also has 30 land-based casinos boasting plenty of gaming options for casino enthusiasts in the area and the neighboring places.
West Virginia
In 2019, West Virginia legalized online casinos and sports betting. Currently, the state has nine legally operating online casinos. In 2022, West Virginia earned $769 million in iGaming, a 16% increase compared to 2021. West Virginia charges 15% taxes from online casinos' income, while gamblers have to pay 16.5% tax, making it one of the online casino states with the most affordable taxes.
Rhode Island
On June 22, 2023, Governor Dan McKee signed the legalization of online casinos into law. The success of fellow Northeastern states in the marker has prompted Rhode Island to make their move. This made Rhode Island the seventh State to legalize iGaming. The Division of Lottery will oversee the operations of the iGaming industry in the state, ensuring all the rules and regulations on online gambling are followed.
Final Thoughts
With only seven states legalizing online casino betting, we can't really view how profitable the industry is for the entire country. However, these seven states can attest that the iGaming scene is lucrative, as proven by the numbers on their annual revenue. Every year, more and more players would opt for online casinos as an alternative to their land-based versions. This should encourage other states to give online casinos a shot, besides sports betting, which is permitted in over 30 states in the United States.
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