Land-Based Sportsbooks

Help finding legal land-based sportsbooks is at hand, as this page will educate readers all about the real-world wagering options that are out there for American sports fans. Many people do not realize how many viable options there are out there for wagering real money on sports. The majority of U.S. residents use online resources, which we review elsewhere on this site, but some players prefer the more social side of sports betting.

This page will go over the legal landscape of land-based sports betting in the states, as well as show you where you can play for real money safely. By the end of this article you will know the where’s why’s, and how’s about land-based sports betting in America. LegalBettingUS.com will also review one of our favorite online sportsbooks for those that that prefer to play from home.

Are Land-Based Sportsbooks Legal?

The answer to this question all depends on your location. Some state betting laws allow land-based sports betting events, while others don’t. In fact, the states don’t decide whether they can allow it or not, the federal government does. A law entitled the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) regulates land-based sports betting in America. If you are in a state that allows sports wagering, then you will be able to find a land-based establishment to serve most of your needs. The catch to this is that very few states actually do allow it. This is why many U.S. residents choose the legal online sportsbooks that accept players from every state. You can read much more about the online options by visiting our long reviews, homepage, or our many other pages that have to do with the online sports betting world.

What Is PASPA?

In 1991, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Patents, Copyrights and Trademarks deliberated on Senate Bill 474. Because of the criminal elements that pervaded the sports wagering world, congress found that "sports gambling is a national problem.” The result of this spawned the PASPA, which regulates land-based sports betting in the nation. The PASPA outlaws land-based sports wagering events from every state accept for those that were grandfathered in by hosting wagering events at least ten-years prior to the law being passed. These states are Delaware, Nevada, Montana, and Oregon.

Out of the four states that PASPA allows to host land-based sports betting, only two actually have any real options. Nevada and Delaware are the only states in the nation where you will find legal land-based sports wagering opportunities. You can learn more about the laws that regulate sports betting on our law pages.

What States Have Land-Based Sportsbooks

Unfortunately, if you don’t live in Delaware or Nevada, you will not find a legal land-based sports betting establishment. This is why there are so many criminal bookies around, because the real-world options are very limited. We recommend staying away from these people as most of them have ties to the mafia. The majority of sports bettors in America use the legal online sportsbooks for their betting needs, which we highly recommend. You can read more about these sites at our long review pages.

If you live in Delaware, you will find that the land-based sports betting options are quite limited. Sports betting is only available during the pro football season, so if you are interested in any other sports, you are out of luck. The state only allows parlay cards and limited straight wagers with low limits. Many online sports betting sites accept Delaware residents, and we would recommend checking them out because they offer fully realized sportsbooks.

Nevada residents are in luck, as the state offers many sports betting opportunities for professional and amateur sports of all kinds. There is a reason Nevada is the wagering capitol of the nation, and the sports betting options add to it. If you are an American that likes to bet on sports, the only place to find great land-based action is Nevada. For everyone else, the legal online sportsbooks that accept US players are the places to go.

Legal Sports Betting Sites For US Players

As you have read, there are not many options for land-based action in the U.S. of A. This is not much of a hindrance for anybody with access to the internet, as there are many legal and safe online sports betting sites that accept U.S. residents. We will review a site below that we believe offers the best all-around sports wagering experience on the web. An added bonus is, anyone in the U.S. can join and wager legally!