The state of Nevada remains the Mecca of legal gambling stateside, as millions flock to Las Vegas every year to try their luck. It is a legendary place in the minds of Americans; a 24-7 wagers paradise – both on and off-strip—from casinos to truck stops; grocery stores, airports, and other public places.
But all is not perfect in the state of Nevada. The laws regulating the state of NV can be a little tricky to understand. This review is here to clear all of that up for you.
NV State Gambling History
In 1931 Nevada became the first state in the U.S. to legalize gambling and for a long time, it stood alone in its glory. Until 1972 when Atlantic City, New Jersey legalized gambling.
In February 2013, Nevada lawmakers signed AB 114 into effect, which made online poker completely legal. However, this did not make online casino’s in NV legal. As it still stands, online casino games aside from poker are still illegal in NV.
NV Gambling Legal Status
The state of Nevada’s gambling laws is a little bit goofy. There’s plenty that you can do – as one would imagine–but conversely, there is plenty that you can’t do. The “can’t do’s” may seem strange, because some of them are things people in other states take for granted; that one would naturally assume would be legal in Nevada. For instance, there is no NV state lottery. In the protection of the casino industry, the lottery in NV is non-existent. The state of NV figures that there is enough gambling already and that the booming casino industries already substitute a state lottery.
- Betting at casino’s in NV is 100 percent legal just as long as you are 21 or older.
- Online casinos are still illegal in the state of NV, but online poker is legal.
- Sports betting is legal in NV, both for retail and online sportsbooks. Players must be at least 21 years of age to wager. For online sports betting, players need not be Nevada residents, but they must be located within the state to play.
- Horse track betting is legal, but the state of NV doesn’t have a state lottery.
NV Physical Casinos
The Las Vegas strip houses 40 different casinos alone. Citywide it’s more like 122. But make no mistakes, legal betting is a statewide affair in Nevada. Other hot spots in NV include Reno, Henderson, and Lake Tahoe.
NV Online Social Casinos and Mobile Apps
Online casino operations are currently illegal in the state of Nevada – facing the same laws that kept it illegal in other states previously (and currently). To make up for their lack of online casinos, NV has social casinos in place, which are online and 100% free play. To compensate further, some social casinos are operated through NV retail casinos and offer bonuses and rewards that can be used at the physical locations; saving it from being a complete bummer for the people of NV.
MyVegas is one social casino app that’s worth checking out, made available through the NV land-based MGM Mirage.
NV Online Video Poker
The fact that there are only 2 online poker sites in Nevada might paint a pretty baron landscape for such a fertile state. Not to worry, the online poker rooms in NV are solid, with more are expected to come.
Ultimate Poker was the first site to go live in NV, while the World Series of Poker awaited its take off. WSOP.com, in a calculated move, thought that it would be best to lay-low and perfect its software; and also to see what would become of Ultimate Poker’s attempt at online poker. The move paid off, as Ultimate Poker eventually faded away; allowing for WSOP.com to make its move to center stage.
Since that time one other online poker site has launched: Real Gaming Online. It is expected that other online poker sites will follow suit.
In 2015 the states of Nevada and Delaware signed into effect the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement, which allows players from both states to sit at the table together. In 2017 New Jersey’s governor signed on board. When you play poker online in the state of NV, you might be playing along with people in NJ and DE. This also increases the pool.
NV Online Sportsbooks and Sports Betting
Online casinos in the state of NV may remain illegal, this doesn’t stop players from laying their bets down online for sports. Some sportsbook and sports betting apps in the state of NV include:
- Station Casinos
- MGM Sportsbook
- William Hill
- NV Sports
- CG Technology
- West Gate SuperBook
- Treasure Island
- South Point
- Wynn
- B-Connected Sports.
FanDuel and Draftkings will most likely not enter Nevada. There are plenty of factors but this could be a good business decision.
NV Legal Gambling FAQ
What can I and what can’t I bet on legally in the state of NV?
Legally, you can bet on the following: Retail casino games (including slots, poker, and table games), sports (online and in-person), horses, and online poker. Charitable gambling, household gambling, and bingo are also legal as long as the host doesn’t take any money from the wages.
It is illegal to bet on?
Online casino games (aside from poker).
The state of Nevada doesn’t have a state lottery.
Will Online Casinos be opening in the state of NV any time soon?
Anything can happen. But right now it’s not looking good, as the attempts to lift the ban on online casino gambling doesn’t seem to be making any real headway. But what may happen in the future for the state of NV is that there should be more casino’s going live with their online poker offerings.
What are the age requirements for legal gambling in the state of NV?
In the state of Nevada, it is legal for those 21 up to gamble at casinos and to bet on sports online. In the state of NV, the law states that a person must be at least 21 years of age even to enter into a casino. You can not play DFS at this time in the state.
