What Are the Sports Betting Laws in USA and Canada?
When setting up a bookie business, you'll need to know the sports betting laws in depth. Here's a brief rundown on the laws in the USA and Canada.
Sports betting. For a while, it was limited to Las Vegas and the state of Nevada. However, 2018 changed everything in the United States, and it set the path for New Jersey, Delaware, and other states to pass their own sports betting laws.
As of 2022, 33 states in the United States have legalized sports betting.
So, what exactly are the laws in the United States? What are the sports betting laws in Canada? This guide goes over the top sports betting laws that you need to know.
Legal Online Wagering in the US
The United States has about 21 states in the country that have legalized online sports wagering. Several online sportsbooks have popped up in states almost immediately after those states passed bills that legalize the hobby.
Being in a state that has online wagering gives tremendous flexibility to sports bettors. This is because they can place a bet with the touch of a button on a cell phone in any location within that state. If they use a sportsbook that is a big brand, they would likely be able to use that sportsbook in any state that has it legalized with the sportsbook set-up.
Physical Sportsbook Wagering in the US
In the United States, there are about 10 states in the country that only have sportsbooks legalized in a physical location. An argument for this is that it forces sports bettors to have to travel to that location rather than being able to do it anywhere in the state with a cell phone.
However, with a physical sportsbook, you generally have almost all of the same options as an online sportsbook.
Canada Sports Betting Laws Updates
Canada has had a lot of recent developments over the last couple of years. One example of this has been that there has been progressed in getting rid of the strict parlay sports betting laws. This would mean that Canadians would be allowed to bet on single games.
Another development in Canada is that more provinces are starting to develop a competitive sports betting market. The main province that is moving forward with this is Ontario, which is allowing several sportsbooks to open in their region.
Another province that seems to be making progress towards a competitive sports betting market is Alberta. They released an RFP (request for proposal) for two retail sportsbooks, which opened up to bettors in the province.
One of the biggest differences between Canada versus the United States is that there is a minimum age requirement. In the US, the hard-line minimum age is 21 years old besides horse racing. In Canada, the minimum age in most provinces is 19. In Alberta, Quebec, and Manitoba, it is 18 years old.
Consider These Laws Before Starting a Sportsbook
These are some of the biggest sports betting laws that you need to be aware of as an independent bookie before you start the process of creating one. With the expansion of legalized betting, you should have more and more options soon.
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