Only Three States Approve Sports Betting in 2023

It has been a slow year for new states to introduce sports betting. Kentucky is the only new state so far to approve sports betting, but North Carolina and Vermont have approved proposals and those will go before the governors of those states for final approval this week. The states of Kentucky, North Carolina and Vermont are almost assuredly the only new ones to legalize sports betting in 2023.

After the Senate revised Vermont’s law, which will only permit digital wagering, the House approved it on May 12. Gov. Phil Scott’s administration got the measure last week and he is expected to sign the legislation this week. A bill approved by the North Carolina House was delivered to the office of Governor Roy Cooper and he is expected to sign it.

A few other states chose not to legalize, which in some cases meant continuing with the status quo from prior years and in others meant setting the basis for legalization in the future. At least three states went back and revised their current laws.

Although it’s unlikely that customers in any of the newly legal or soon-to-be legal states will be allowed to place bets by the start of the NFL season, regulators in all three states are gearing up for a busy autumn and winter with a debut date of 2024 in mind.

The states that rejected legalized sports betting in 2023 include Georgia, where lawmakers once more failed to legalize sports betting. Progress was delayed by discussions over the ethics of gambling and the potential need for a constitutional amendment to make it legal. Political divisions during an election year and similar discussions could obstruct discussions once more in 2024.

Lawmakers in Minnesota failed once more to reach an agreement and come up with a compromise that would win the support of the state’s 11 tribes and somehow incorporate the state’s horse races. Rep. Zach Stephenson’s plan, which grants the tribes a monopoly, died in committee in the House, while Sen. Matt Klein’s legalization proposal also failed in the Senate. Minnesotans won’t be able to legally gamble until politicians and stakeholders figure out what works for everyone.

Missouri Senator Denny Hoskins was the mastermind behind a filibuster to stop a legal wagering bill that had the support of casinos and professional sports teams for the second consecutive session. Hoskins will serve one more term in the Senate before reaching his term limit and will then compete for secretary of state in 2024. Sports organizations may try to legalize betting on their own, according to managing partner of the St. Louis Cardinals Bill DeWitt, but it’s also feasible that stakeholders will wait until Hoskins leaves and then revisit the issue in 2025.

Texas made some progress as they did have the first-ever House floor votes on legal gambling and casino games. Although the Senate decided not to vote on either of the proposals, the foundation has been set for future substantive debates and negotiations.