May 3, 2022
How Old Do You Have To Be To Gamble in the U.S.?
- In most states, you have to be at least 18 years old to do any form of gambling.
- Many states require you to be at least 21 years old to participate in certain types of gambling, like sports betting or playing at a casino.
- You can typically play the lottery or bingo at age 18.
In the U.S., you have to be 18 years old to vote and 21 years old to drink alcohol. But how old do you have to be to be able to legally gamble in the United States? Well, it depends on where you’re gambling.
Unlike the voting and drinking age limits, there is no national age limit for gambling in the U.S. Each state determines what kinds of gambling it allows within its borders and how old you have to be to wager and play. The variety of games and gaming locations in any given state can make determining the minimum gambling age very challenging. Some states only offer the lottery and bingo and set the minimum age to 18 years old, while many others have more gambling options with varying ages.
Here’s a breakdown of how old you have to be to gamble at your favorite games in every U.S. state.
How Old Do You Have To Be To Gamble at a Casino?
Most states that have legalized casino gambling require you to be 21 years old to play. However, other states set the minimum playing age to 18. There are also some states where the minimum age depends on the casino, where one casino’s minimum age is 18 and another casino’s minimum age is 21.
The age variance typically depends on the types of games available at that casino. Some casinos may only have electronic slots, keno, and horse or dog racing, but no table games. Others may have everything. In addition, some casinos may require you to be 21 to enter if they serve alcohol. If you’re between the ages of 18 and 21, you should always check with the casino to confirm the minimum age.
The minimum age can also depend on whether the casino is a tribal casino, which may have its own minimum age requirements. Another thing to consider is that some states only allow cruise casinos, like riverboat casinos. Both Georgia and South Carolina allow casino gambling on cruises.
Always check with the state’s law enforcement agencies for age limits and legal gambling activities.
Here’s a breakdown of each state’s minimum age for legal casino gambling:
| Age Requirements for Casinos | |
| State | Age |
| Alabama* | 21 |
| Alaska* | 21 |
| Arizona | 21 |
| Arkansas | 21 |
| California | 18/21 |
| Colorado | 21 |
| Connecticut | 21 |
| District of Columbia (D.C.)* | n/a |
| Delaware | 21 |
| Florida | 21 |
| Georgia | 18 |
| Hawaii* | 21 |
| Idaho | 18 |
| Illinois | 21 |
| Indiana | 21 |
| Iowa | 21 |
| Kansas | 21 |
| Kentucky* | n/a |
| Louisiana | 21 |
| Maine | 21 |
| Maryland | 21 |
| Massachusetts | 21 |
| Michigan | 18/21 |
| Minnesota | 18 |
| Mississippi | 21 |
| Missouri | 21 |
| Montana | 18 |
| Nebraska | 21 |
| Nevada | 21 |
| New Hampshire | 21 |
| New Jersey | 21 |
| New Mexico | 21 |
| New York | 21 |
| North Carolina | 21 |
| North Dakota | 21 |
| Ohio | 21 |
| Oklahoma | 18 |
| Oregon | 21 |
| Pennsylvania | 21 |
| Rhode Island | 21 |
| South Carolina | 21 |
| South Dakota | 18 |
| Tennessee* | n/a |
| Texas | 21 |
| Utah* | 21 |
| Vermont* | 21 |
| Virginia* | 21 |
| Washington | 18 |
| West Virginia | 21 |
| Wisconsin | 21 |
| Wyoming | 21 |
*These states either have no legal casinos due to state gambling laws, limited casino operations, or tribal casinos with limited casino operations. The minimum ages presented reflect possible legal limits per our research, but these numbers should not be relied on for legal use.
How Old Do You Have To Be To Play at an Online Casino?
In all states that allow online casino gambling, you must be 21 years or older to play. Online casinos are currently legal in the following six states:
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Michigan
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- West Virginia
Many other states are considering legalizing online casinos, especially considering there are many that have legalized online sports betting.
How Old Do You Have To Be To Play Poker?
You can play poker in casinos at the tables or in poker rooms. While some states may allow you access to the casino at 18 years old, you may have to be older to sit at the tables. Here are the minimum age requirements to legally play poker in the following states:
| Age Requirements to Play Poker | |
| State | Age |
| Alabama* | 21 |
| Alaska* | n/a |
| Arizona | 21 |
| Arkansas | 21 |
| California | 18/21 |
| Colorado | 21 |
| Connecticut | 21 |
| Delaware | 21 |
| Florida | 18 |
| Georgia | 18 |
| Hawaii* | 21 |
| Idaho | 18 |
| Illinois | 21 |
| Indiana | 21 |
| Iowa | 21 |
| Kansas | 21 |
| Kentucky* | n/a |
| Louisiana | 21 |
| Maine | 21 |
| Maryland | 21 |
| Massachusetts | 21 |
| Michigan | 18/21 |
| Minnesota | 18 |
| Mississippi | 21 |
| Missouri | 21 |
| Montana | 18 |
| Nebraska | 21 |
| Nevada | 21 |
| New Hampshire | 18 |
| New Jersey | 21 |
| New Mexico | 21 |
| New York | 21 |
| North Carolina | 21 |
| North Dakota | 21 |
| Ohio | 21 |
| Oklahoma | 18 |
| Oregon | 18 |
| Pennsylvania | 21 |
| Rhode Island | 21 |
| South Carolina | 18 |
| South Dakota* | n/a |
| Tennessee* | n/a |
| Texas | 21 |
| Utah* | 21 |
| Vermont | 21 |
| Virginia* | 18 |
| Washington | 18 |
| West Virginia | 21 |
| Wisconsin | 21 |
| Wyoming | 21 |
*These states either have no legal casinos due to state gambling laws, limited casino operations, or tribal casinos with limited casino operations. The minimum ages presented reflect possible legal limits per our research, but these numbers should not be relied on for legal use.
How Old Do You Have To Be To Play Online Poker?
Many online poker sites allow players 18 years and older, but some may require you to be 21 years old. The age requirements can depend on the individual site and your state’s age requirements for playing poker.
Online poker is currently allowed in the following six states:
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Michigan
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- West Virginia
How Old Do You Have To Be To Play Bingo?
Most states require you to be at least 18 years old to play bingo, while a few require you to be 21 years old. There are a few that even let you play if you’re 16 years old!
Bingo is commonly played at bingo halls, community centers, churches, and other brick-and-mortar locations, and the profits typically go to local nonprofit causes. You can also play bingo online at some New Jersey-based online casinos, too.
Here’s a breakdown of the age requirements to play bingo in various U.S. states:
| Age Requirements to Play Bingo | |
| State | Age |
| Alabama | 18 |
| Alaska | 19 |
| Arizona | 18 |
| Arkansas | 18 |
| California | 18 |
| Colorado | 18 |
| Connecticut | 18 |
| Delaware | 18 |
| Florida | 18 |
| Georgia | 18 |
| Hawaii | 18 |
| Idaho | 18 |
| Illinois | 18 |
| Indiana | 18 |
| Iowa | 21 |
| Kansas | 18 |
| Kentucky* | 18 |
| Louisiana | 18 |
| Maine | 16 |
| Maryland | 18 |
| Massachusetts | 18 |
| Michigan | 18 |
| Minnesota | 18 |
| Mississippi | 18 |
| Missouri | 18 |
| Montana | 18 |
| Nebraska | 18 |
| Nevada | 21 |
| New Hampshire | 18 |
| New Jersey | 18 |
| New Mexico | No Limit |
| New York | 18 |
| North Carolina | 18 |
| North Dakota | 18 |
| Ohio | 16 |
| Oklahoma | 16 |
| Oregon | 18 |
| Pennsylvania | 18 |
| Rhode Island | 18 |
| South Carolina | 18 |
| South Dakota | n/a |
| Tennessee | 18 |
| Texas | 21 |
| Utah | 21 |
| Vermont | n/a |
| Virginia | 18 |
| Washington | 18 |
| West Virginia | 18 |
| Wisconsin | 18 |
| Wyoming | 18 |
Note: Since bingo is often played to help nonprofits raise money, states that typically don’t allow gambling may have legal bingo games. However, the age minimums presented reflect possible legal limits per our research, but these numbers should not be relied on for legal use.
How Old Do You Have To Be To Play the Lottery?
In most U.S. states, you have to be 18 years old to play the lottery, including in-state lotteries and multi-state lottery drawings like the Powerball. However, there are three states that do not have an in-state lottery or participate in multi-state lottery drawings:
- Alabama
- Alaska (no official lottery)
- Hawaii
- Nevada
- Utah
Both Arkansas and Mississippi established an in-state lottery and started participating in multi-state drawings, like Powerball and Mega Millions, in the past few years after being some of the few hold-outs. States like Alabama and Hawaii have recently attempted to start their own lotteries, but the legislation failed.
Here are the age requirements to play the lottery across the U.S.
| Age Requirements to Play the Lottery | |
| State | Age |
| Alabama | n/a |
| Alaska | n/a |
| Arizona | 21 |
| Arkansas | 18 |
| California | 18 |
| Colorado | 18 |
| Connecticut | 18 |
| Delaware | 18 |
| Florida | 18 |
| Georgia | 18 |
| Hawaii | n/a |
| Idaho | 18 |
| Illinois | 18 |
| Indiana | 18 |
| Iowa | 21 |
| Kansas | 18 |
| Kentucky | 18 |
| Louisiana | 21 |
| Maine | 18 |
| Maryland | 18 |
| Massachusetts | 18 |
| Michigan | 18 |
| Minnesota | 18 |
| Mississippi | 21 |
| Missouri | 18 |
| Montana | 18 |
| Nebraska | 19 |
| Nevada | n/a |
| New Hampshire | 18 |
| New Jersey | 18 |
| New Mexico | 18 |
| New York | 18 |
| North Carolina | 18 |
| North Dakota | 18 |
| Ohio | 18 |
| Oklahoma | 18 |
| Oregon | 18 |
| Pennsylvania | 18 |
| Rhode Island | 18 |
| South Carolina | 18 |
| South Dakota | 18 |
| Tennessee | 18 |
| Texas | 18 |
| Utah | n/a |
| Vermont | 18 |
| Virginia | 18 |
| Washington | 18 |
| West Virginia | 18 |
| Wisconsin | 18 |
| Wyoming | 18 |
Note: Be sure to check your state’s official lottery site to verify your state’s minimum age.
How Old Do You Have To Be To Play Online Lottery?
In the states that offer online lottery, you have to be at least 18 years old to play. There are eight states that have online lottery:
- Illinois
- Michigan
- Georgia
- Kentucky
- Pennsylvania
- North Dakota
- North Carolina
- New Hampshire
How Old Do You Have To Be To Bet on Horse & Dog Racing?
In most states that offer horse and dog racing, you have to be at least 18 years old. However, some states do require you to be 21 years or older.
Among the states listed below, some may offer only horse racing, while others allow horse and greyhound dog racing. Many states have outright banned dog racing due to inhuman practices.
In addition, some states may only allow you to bet on horse and dog racing via pari-mutuel betting, which is covered later in this article. If you see a state with “n/a” next to it, you may be able to find the legal betting age for horse and dog racing in the “How Old Do You Have To Be To Do Pari-Mutuel Betting?” section below.
Here’s a breakdown of age requirements for horse and dog racing in the U.S.:
| Age Requirements to Play Poker | |
| State | Age |
| Alabama | 18 |
| Alaska | n/a |
| Arizona | 21 |
| Arkansas | 18 |
| California | 18 |
| Colorado | 18 |
| Connecticut | 18 |
| Delaware | 18 |
| Florida | 18 |
| Georgia | 18 |
| Hawaii | 18 |
| Idaho | 18 |
| Illinois | 18 |
| Indiana | 18 |
| Iowa | 21 |
| Kansas | 18 |
| Kentucky | 18 |
| Louisiana | 18 |
| Maine | 18 |
| Maryland | 18 |
| Massachusetts | 18 |
| Michigan | 18 |
| Minnesota | 18 |
| Mississippi | 18 |
| Missouri | 18 |
| Montana | 18 |
| Nebraska | 19 |
| Nevada | n/a |
| New Hampshire | 18 |
| New Jersey | 18 |
| New Mexico | 18 |
| New York | 18 |
| North Carolina | n/a |
| North Dakota | 18 |
| Ohio | 18 |
| Oklahoma | 18 |
| Oregon | 18 |
| Pennsylvania | 18 |
| Rhode Island | 18 |
| South Carolina | n/a |
| South Dakota* | n/a |
| Tennessee | n/a |
| Texas | 18 |
| Utah | n/a |
| Vermont | 18 |
| Virginia | 18 |
| Washington | 18 |
| West Virginia | 18 |
| Wisconsin | 18 |
| Wyoming | 18 |
Note: Always check with your state’s law enforcement agencies or with the casino/sportsbook/race track operators for official age requirements. Legislation is still active in many states.
How Old Do You Have To Be for Sports Betting?
Most states that allow sports betting require you to be at least 21 years old, though there are a few states that allow those who are 18 and older to place bets. What’s more, there are many states that have passed legislation to allow sports betting, either in-person or online through mobile sportsbooks.
The states that currently do not allow sports betting are:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- California
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Wisconsin*
* Has limited number of in-person sports books at tribal casinos, but no legal official online sportsbooks
Some states may allow you to make wagers on legally operated offshore sportsbook sites, while others prohibit all forms of sports wagers.
Here are the states that do legally offer sports betting, the age requirements to do so, and whether they have online and/or in-person sports betting opportunities.
| Age Requirements for Sports Betting in States Where Sports Betting Is Legal | |||
| State | Age | In-Person Sports Betting | Online Sports Betting |
| Arizona | 21 | Yes | Yes |
| Arkansas** | 21 | Yes | No |
| Colorado | 21 | Yes | No |
| Connecticut | 21 | Yes | Yes |
| Delaware** | 21 | Yes | No |
| District of Columbia** | 18 | Yes | Yes |
| Florida | 21 | Yes | Yes |
| Illinois§ | 21 | Yes | Yes |
| Indiana✝✝ | 21 | Yes | Yes |
| Iowa✝✝ | 21 | Yes | Yes |
| Louisiana | 21 | Yes | Yes |
| Maryland | 21 | Yes | Launches pending |
| Michigan | 21 | Yes | Yes |
| Minnesota | n/a | Legislation pending | Pending |
| Mississippi | 21 | Yes | Only when at a B&M casino |
| Montana | 18 | Yes | No |
| Nebraska✝ | n/a | Yes – Pending | No |
| Nevada | 21 | Yes | Yes |
| New Hampshire** | 18 | No | Yes |
| New Jersey✝ | 21 | Yes | Yes |
| New Mexico** | 21 | Yes | No |
| New York** | 21 | Yes | Pending |
| North Carolina | 21 | Yes | No |
| North Dakota | 21 | Yes | Unknown |
| Oregon** | 21 | Yes | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | 21 | Yes | Yes |
| Rhode Island** | 21 | Yes | Yes |
| South Dakota | 21 | Yes | Only when at a licensed tribal casino |
| Tennessee | 21 | No | Yes |
| Virginia** | 21 | No | Yes |
| Washington§ | 21 | Yes | Only when at a licensed tribal casino |
| West Virginia | 21 | Yes | Yes |
| Wisconsin* | 21 | Yes, at some tribal casinos | No |
| Wyoming | 18 | No | Yes |
* Has limited number of in-person sports books at tribal casinos, but no legal official online sportsbooks
** Cannot make bets on in-state college teams or teams based in the district
✝ Cannot make bets on in-state college teams or collegiate events taking place in the state
✝✝ Cannot make prop bets on in-state college athletics
§ Cannot make bets on minor league games or in-state college teams
How Old Do You Have To Be To Do Pari-Mutuel Betting?
Pari-mutuel, or pool betting, is a common betting practice for dog and horse racing. There are 10 states that do not allow this type of gambling:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
Of the 39 states that do allow pari-mutuel gambling, most require you to be at least 18 years old to participate, though other states make the minimum age 21. Here’s a breakdown of the age requirements for pari-mutuel gambling in the 39 states that allow it:
| Age Requirements for States That Allow Pari-Mutuel Gambling | |
| State | Age |
| Arizona | 21 |
| Arkansas | 18 |
| California | 18 |
| Colorado | 18 |
| Connecticut | 18 |
| Delaware | 17 |
| Florida | 18 |
| Idaho | 18 |
| Illinois | 18 |
| Indiana | 18 |
| Iowa | 21 |
| Kansas | 21 |
| Kentucky | 18 |
| Louisiana | 18 |
| Maine | 18 |
| Maryland | 18 |
| Massachusetts | 18 |
| Michigan | 18 |
| Minnesota | 18 |
| Mississippi | 18 |
| Missouri | 18 |
| Montana | 18 |
| Nebraska | 18 |
| Nevada | 21 |
| New Hampshire | 21 |
| New Jersey | 18 |
| New Mexico | 18 |
| New York | 18 |
| North Dakota | 18 |
| Ohio | 18 |
| Oklahoma | 18 |
| Oregon | 18 |
| Pennsylvania | 18 |
| Rhode Island | 18 |
| South Dakota | 18 |
| Texas | 21 |
| Washington | 18 |
| West Virginia | 18 |
| Wisconsin | 21 |
| Wyoming | 18 |
Note: The age minimums presented reflect possible legal limits per our research, but these numbers should not be relied on for legal use. Always check with your state’s law enforcement agencies or with the casino/sportsbook/race track operators.
In New Jersey, you typically have to be 21 years of age to play at your favorite New Jersey online casino or make a wager at an online sportsbook. You can read our reviews of the best welcome bonus offers for new players to find the best online casino or sportsbook for you.
