Gambling is a significant public health issue, with around 80,000 to 160,000 (or 0.5 - 1.0%) of Australian adults experiencing significant problems from gambling and a further 250,000 to 350,000 (or 1.4 - 2.1% of adults) experiencing moderate risks that may make them vulnerable to problem gambling.

Mobile sports betting has never been more popular than it is right now thanks to the innovations in smartphone and tablet technology over the past decade in addition to sports betting legislation sweeping the nation.

Today, nearly everyone in the United States has access to a smartphone or tablet, and whether you have an Apple iPhone or iPad, a Samsung Galaxy or Google Pixel phone running on Android, or any other type of mobile device, bets can not only be placed on sports while on the go but can also be placed in real-time via live or “in-play” betting.

But is it legal to bet on sports from your smartphone or tablet? And if so, where and how can you take advantage of the apps that allow you to bet real money on sports? We provide an overview of legal mobile sports betting below and list the best legal sports betting apps we recommend for use in the United States for 2019.

Best Legal US Sports Betting Apps For 2021

Mobile Gambling Laws California

1. Gambling (also known as betting) is the wagering of money or something of value (referred to as 'the stakes') on an event with an uncertain outcome, with the primary intent of winning money or material goods. Gambling thus requires three elements to be present: consideration (an amount wagered), risk (chance), and a prize.
2. US Gambling Laws. Gambling is legal in some form across most of the USA. State-specific gambling laws regulate or restrict different types of gaming at the local level. The legislation varies around land-based casinos, charitable events, sports betting, lottery, keno, bingo, and skill games, depending on where you reside.

Are Online And Mobile Sports Betting Apps Legal In The United States?

Yes. Each of the sports betting apps listed above is legally sanctioned to use. American bettors are not violating any US gambling laws by placing bets at these destinations. The provider for these sportsbook applications are legally licensed in their jurisdiction or are owned by a parent company that holds legal licensing credentials, and all are located offshore.

State-licensed online and mobile sportsbook apps are currently not legal in the vast majority of states since most states have yet to legalize sports betting within their jurisdictions and even fewer have permitted online and mobile sportsbook apps to operate within state lines.

States That Have Launched Online and Mobile Sports Betting

After PASPA was overturned by the Supreme Court in May 2018, states were then granted the right to decide whether or not they wanted to legalize sports betting within their jurisdiction and begin the process of licensing sportsbooks to operate from inside state line. Below is a list of the states that have legalized and launched online and mobile sports betting within their jurisdiction.

Advantages of Using Mobile Sportsbooks

Land-based or “brick-and-mortar” locations - for sportsbooks or any kind of retail, honestly - are quickly becoming a thing of the past. Gone are the days where your only option was either hop on a plane to Las Vegas or find an illegal back-alley bookie just to put money on the Super Bowl or any sporting event for that matter.

The Internet is here to stay and smartphones and tablets allow us to be online from wherever we are, essentially becoming an extension of ourselves. In fact, I bet you are either reading this from a mobile device right now or are within arms reach of your smartphone or tablet. Apart from a smaller screen, there are no downsides to using a sportsbook app from a mobile device and even that may be a thing of the past soon with foldable screens.

Just like on desktop computers, mobile sportsbooks on smartphones and tablets allow bettors to sign up, manage their account, make deposits, request withdrawals and place bets on the odds across any college or professional sport. Some sportsbook apps even have access to advance statistics, stream live events, host chat rooms, and provide real-time scoring among other unique features.

However, the biggest advantage to using mobile sportsbooks is that you can now bet any time during a game whether you’re at home or on the go, and we’ll cover that in the section below.

Live In-Play Sports Betting From Your Smartphone and Tablet

Pretty much everyone is familiar with the traditional and most common way to place a bet, which was to put money on a team’s point spread, money line, total, etc. before the game began, and until recently, that was essentially the only time you could wager on a game.

However, that’s now a thing of the past thanks to live betting - or “in-play” betting - that is available from each of our reviewed online sportsbooks. With live betting, you can wager on the odds of teams and players while the game is currently in progress from your smartphone or tablet. Regardless of where you are or how much time is left in the clock, you can always put some skin in the game and get in on the betting action.

FAQs

Nope. All of our reviewed sportsbook apps utilize responsive technology to ensure compatibility across multiple devices. You simply add an icon to your home screen so they are just one touch away while being dynamically optimized to fit all of your devices. State-licensed sportsbook apps do require you to download their app to bet on sports and they require that you be located within the state's borders.

Yes. The mobile versions of the online sportsbooks we recommend are completely free.

Because each of our recommended sports betting apps is made with a responsive design and optimized for all major networks, brands and operating systems, you’ll have no problem launching the sportsbook from any device, regardless of whether it’s running on Apple iOS, Android, Windows, or even Blackberry. We give a slight edge to Bovada since we think they have a cutting-edge user interface, but it really comes down to your personal preference.

While there isn’t any conclusive nationwide data available, you only need to look at New Jersey to see the future of sports betting. New Jersey launched sports betting in June 2018 and by the end of the year, over $1 billion had been wagered on sports in a little over six months with 80% of total handle coming from online and mobile.

Mississippi sports betting is staying offline.

Three bills aiming to expand MS sports betting to mobile platforms in the state died in committee this week.

Mississippi was one of the first states to launch sports betting in 2018 but continues to be restricted to retail sportsbooks. Multiple mobile betting bills have failed in the years following legalization.

A seismic shift?

Currently, mobile betting is allowed on a casino’s property in the state. None of the state’s commercial casinos are using the so-called “Mississippi mobile” option though.

The three failed bills would have altered the betting landscape by bringing sports betting in Mississippi online:

• SB 2396 would have allowed each casino operator an online sportsbook.
• SB 2732 and HB 1042 proposed expanding existing legislation to carry online betting statewide.

Gambling Mobile Phone

Mississippi sports betting revenue hamstrung

Since launching in August 2018, Mississippi has generated $103 million in sports betting revenue, and $12.4 million in taxes on $890 million wagered.

In 2020, the state’s wagering created more than $43 million in revenue and $5.2 million in taxes. Unless the state’s 24 casino operators can open up statewide mobile, a wealth of potential tax revenue will continue to go into the illegal market.

Mobile Gambling Laws Definition

“Every day millions of Americans in 15 states have access to state-of-the-art mobile sportsbooks, allowing them to place bets on their favorite teams and leagues at home while fostering much-needed tax revenue,” Sen. Philip Moransaid in a release introducing SB 2732. “Unfortunately, Mississippi law does not authorize online sports betting, but this bill seeks to change that.

“Mississippi has been leaving money on the table by not authorizing online sports wagering, and it is time to modernize Mississippi’s gambling offerings and do what’s best for Mississippians.”

Maturing MS sports betting market

Even without the extra betting mobile would bring, Mississippi is watching its monthly handle grow, hitting an all-time high of $61.1 million in October 2020.

The first half of 2020 was slowed because of COVID-19. As sports returned in August, however, the state’s monthly handles continue to grow year-over-year.

Both November and December 2020 revenues more than doubled compared to 2019, drawing $8.1 million and $7.7 million respectively. Those numbers pale in comparison to markets with mobile wagering however.

Neighboring state potential

Neighboring Tennessee launched mobile-only betting in late 2020, while Alabama and Florida offer untapped potential. Arkansas has retail betting and Louisiana voters approved sports betting in November 2020.

In November and December, Tennessee brought in $5.4 million in taxes through its mobile betting.

The ability to draw potential customers from neighboring states is dwindling, however. Multiple states legislatures are looking at legalizing sports betting.