The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was overturned on May 14, 2018. On that day courts voted to allow each state to propose and create their own laws and regulations for sports betting. Despite the restriction on sports betting being lifted, North Dakota has yet to move to legalize the activity in the state.
Though sports betting is not legal, that doesn’t mean that other forms of gambling aren’t prevalent in the Peace Garden State. Horse racing, lotteries, charitable gaming venues, and several tribal casinos are available for North Dakota residents to enjoy. Bettors can play table games, poker, and use the slot machines at any of the tribal casinos in state. Wagering or playing in real-money tournaments on daily fantasy websites is also allowed.
In fact, charitable gaming is so popular in North Dakota that around 800 small charitable casinos operate around the state at bars, restaurants, and other locations offering activities like poker, pull-tabs, raffles, bingo, and sports pools, to name a few.
While North Dakota does not operate its own lottery, the North Dakota Lottery does allow residents to participate in many other multi-state lotteries.
When it comes to sports betting, residents on the western side of the state can at least make the short trip across state lines to Montana, which has already legalized sports betting.
When Will Sports Betting Be Legal in North Dakota?
Of all the states that have yet to legalize sports betting in the US, North Dakota may be one of the states furthest away from doing so.
Two bills, HB 1295 and HB 1254, were introduced in 2019 to designate sports betting as a game of chance and to allow sports wagering to be done at any charitable gaming establishment. Sports betting would’ve been overseen by the state’s Attorney General. Those bills were both defeated. One didn’t make it past the House and the other made it to the Senate but it was not discussed.
No new bills were introduced in 2020, meaning there’s little conversation even being had to legalize sports betting in North Dakota. Not to mention, as one of the smallest states in the US and home to no major professional sports teams, there isn’t a rush to regulate sports betting in North Dakota.
Although, should sports betting be legalized in North Dakota, the state would likely have the infrastructure to get it up and running quickly. There are five tribal casinos in North Dakota as well as two horse racing tracks. Given bars and restaurants already have a relationship with charitable gaming, it may not be too far of a stretch for them to offer sports wagering as well. However, the state does not have any commercially-operated casinos.
Online lottery subscriptions are legal, as is betting on horse races, but otherwise playing online slots and poker are still both illegal. Even the failed bills from 2019 did not mention the introduction of online sports betting, meaning legal mobile sports wagering may be even farther away.
North Dakota Sports Betting FAQs
Is sports betting legal in North Dakota?
No, North Dakota has yet to legalize sports betting. Two bills were introduced in 2019 in favor of legalization, yet neither was approved and no further bills were introduced in 2020.
How many charitable casinos are there in North Dakota?
North Dakota has approximately 800 charitable casinos that offer activities like poker, pull-tabs, raffles, bingo, and sports pools.
What is North Dakota known for?
North Dakota is the largest producer of honey in the United States.
Our staff writers work tirelessly around the clock to provide you with all the information you need - stats, odds, trends, expert analysis etc. - to make intelligent and informed bets for every major sport, as well as entertainment.
