North Dakota Betting Sites: Legal Options and Future Sports Betting Outlook

If you’re interested in getting the most out of your North Dakota online sports betting experience, then look no further. Here on this page, our readers will find all of the essential information you need to know to make informed decisions about legal North Dakota sports betting.

Here, we’ve provided an extensive list of information about current laws, the future potential and alternative betting options available to North Dakota players. We’ll cover the ins and outs of where you can place sports bets in North Dakota, in addition to delving into what’s to come in terms of legislation and future betting options.

It’s important for residents and visitors to the state of North Dakota to be familiar with what legal betting options are available for players within the state. While a search for the best betting sites in North Dakota will come up empty, there are some great alternatives to North Dakota online sports betting.

These options include the likes of race track betting, charitable bets, casinos on tribal land, and the state lottery.

Is Daily Fantasy Sports Betting Legal in North Dakota

There are many states which prohibit betting online when it comes to real life sporting events and casino gambling, but make an exception for Daily Fantasy Sports betting as it is considered a game of skill and not chance. This is not technically the case in North Dakota at this stage, as Daily Fantasy Sports is in a grey area in the state for the time being.

So what does this mean for bettors in the state? Well, it means that lawmakers in North Dakota do not regulate or prohibit betting on Daily Fantasy Sports. But it also means that it hasn’t been signed in as expressly legal yet.

Bettors may be able to access DFS sites like FanDuel and DraftKings from North Dakota, and when the timer comes, these operators may well provide the best betting sites North Dakota gamblers can enjoy, too.

Are there Legal Offshore Sites for North Dakota Players

In states which are either slow to update legislation or simply strict about online betting conditions, it’s no great shock that players find themselves drawn to the multitude of offshore gambling sites which offer sports betting to players from all over the globe. While this may be appealing, there are some conditions to consider before placing a bet.

Because these offshore sports betting sites are not licensed to provide betting in the state of North Dakota, they can’t be considered strictly legal or safe for play, and they aren’t regulated. This means that although you aren’t likely to encounter any legal issues when betting with the likes of MyBookie and Bovada and BetOnline in North Dakota, there are no guarantees of fairness or safety as there are in regulated states.

Land-based Casinos in North Dakota

North Dakota provides its players with somewhat limited options in terms of the variety of sports betting choices available. However, this is not the case when it comes to casino gambling in North Dakota, and players will find that there are plenty of excellent casino gaming locations to choose from.

While there are no online casinos in the state of North Dakota, players will discover no less than 27 casinos statewide. At these locations players will find the likes of over 4,000 slots, over a hundred table games, featuring card rooms and fully-fledge poker betting facilities. Many of these casinos are owned and operated by North Dakota native American tribes.

Racetrack Betting in North Dakota

Another great option with fully-functional gambling features in North Dakota is horse racing. The state provides players with the ability to place bets on horse racing at many licensed facilities, including several of the excellent race tracks which call the state home.

Among these tracks players will find the likes of Chippewa Downs and North Dakota Horse Park. Players will also find that there are even some legal online parimutuel North Dakota betting sites available in the state. To bet at a horse racing North Dakota sportsbook, players must be at least 21 years old.

Closest States to North Dakota with Legal Online Sports Betting

If the plethora of non-sports betting options available to players in North Dakota doesn’t quite scratch your itch, don’t worry. In the absence of North Dakota sportsbook betting options, players will find that there are several nearby states to North Dakota offering sports betting, giving you plenty of choice.

To make things easy for our readers, we’ve provided a list of the closest states to North Dakota which provide these features. Each of these locations also provides online betting options, so check out the best betting sites North Dakota’s neighbors have to offer.

It would be difficult even for lawmakers to determine what the future of North Dakota sports betting may hold, however there are a few signs that point in certain directions for the state. In the event that North Dakota were to introduce legal sports betting options, here’s a look at what that could look like.

For one, the state would likely take a leaf out of its neighbour South Dakota’s book, and allow for land-based sportsbooks first. However, it’s just as likely that the state may also immediately allow for North Dakota betting sites, providing highly regulated sports wagering, featuring North Dakota sportsbooks with guarantees of fair payouts, age verification, and assistance with problem gambling.

There’s no telling what exactly the state will allow in terms of the exact markets that may be provided. But the majority of states which have legalized sports betting provide players with the ability to bet on the likes of most major leagues such as the NFL, NBA and of course, MLB, so it’s likely that we’ll see these options available at the best betting sites in North Dakota.

What are the Current North Dakota Gambling Laws

If you’re eager to jump right in on the action and get started with some of the current betting options which are available in North Dakota, you’ll first want to learn about the North Dakota gambling laws. We’ve provided a concise overview of what is and isn’t legal in the state at the time of writing below.

Those players who are looking to place bets on sports in North Dakota will unfortunately not find any sports betting options available in the state. This includes both land-based North Dakota sportsbooks and online betting. There are however plenty of legal land-based casino options in North Dakota, however there aren’t any North Dakota betting sites for casino games.

Betting Type Law
Sports Betting Soon to Be Legal
Online Sports Betting Not Legal
Land-based Casino Legal
Online Casino Not Legal
Poker Legal
Racetrack Betting Legal
North Dakota Gambling Age 21+, 18+ for Lotto and Charity Games

Players can observe here that there are legal gaming options for players who are interested in participating in poker and card games in the state of North Dakota, though again there aren’t any online options for these varieties. The same applies to almost all varieties of online betting. However, state lawmakers have signed in legal sports betting to take place at Tribal Casinos exclusively, but this is yet to become available.

There are exceptions however, as players can bet on horse races both at live tracks, simulcasts, and online betting facilities. In the state of North Dakota, players who wish to bet on horse races and most other betting types must be at least 21 years of age. However, those above 18 years are allowed to wager on the state lottery and some charitable games.

History of Sports Betting and Gambling in the State of North Dakota

In order to look forward with any reasonable expectations about North Dakota’s future of gambling, we must first take a look at the history of gambling law and sports betting in the state. North Dakota has taken a similar view of sports betting as its southern counterpart, however it seems to be even more staunchly opposed to sports betting.

North Dakota provides more casino gambling options than South Dakota, however this comes at a cost to players eager for sports betting, as there is currently no North Dakota sports betting available at all. The first North Dakota casinos were introduced in 1992, with the state’s five tribal casinos alongside slots gaming machines and tables.

History of Sports Betting in North Dakota
  • Moves towards Legal North Dakota Sports Betting A huge step in the direction towards expanded sports betting in North Dakota, lawmakers decided to make moves towards allowing legal sports betting to take place at North Dakota Tribal Casinos. However, no such sportsbooks are operating at the time of writing.
  • PASPA Legislation Overturned The most prohibitive Federal law against state-wide sports betting was lifted in 2018. This law, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, previously only allowed four states to hold legal sports betting operations.
  • First North Dakota Lottery Another crucial move towards the introduction of expanded legal North Dakota betting, the North Dakota Lottery was officially instated by lawmakers in 2003.
  • First North Dakota Casinos After years with very few legal gambling varieties available in the state, lawmakers moved to allow for legal casino gambling under the providence of Native American Tribal casinos in North Dakota.

After this, North Dakota introduced the North Dakota lottery in 2003, following an amendment to the state constitution. A landmark decision in 2021 led to legalized sports betting in North Dakota at land-based Tribal casinos exclusively, however there have been no facilities for sports betting launched at the time of writing.

Unfortunately for those players who are particularly eager to partake in online sports betting in North Dakota, things aren’t looking very progressive on that front for the foreseeable future. Lawmakers rejected a bill to propose an online sports betting ballot in 2021,

The frustration for North Dakota residents is several bills have failed to be approved by the state Senate. House Bill 1254 was the most recent bill that failed to pass. The bill aimed to authorize sports betting as a game of chance and outlined a gaming tax imposed on games of chance.

Locals will have to wait patiently for a new bill to come before the state Senate as, according to the experts, we aren’t likely to see any update to legislation until 2025.

What is the Future of Sports Betting in North Dakota

It’s hard to say exactly what the future of sports betting in North Dakota will hold for players. However there have been some major indications that the state is making positive moves towards more gaming expansion. With the legalization of sports betting in casinos in 2021, it should only be a matter of time before we see online sports betting in North Dakota.

However, there are efforts moving in the opposite direction. There are several lawmakers opposed to these developments, and recent moves in the house have not progressed in terms of online sports betting.

Only time will tell what the future holds for North Dakota. Visit any of these legal sports betting states to find alternative options. Rest assured, we’ll be here to bring you the 411 on the best betting sites in North Dakota if and when they arrive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Players who have been through all of the sections on this page will be ready to place safe and legal bets in the state of North Dakota. However, it’s common for players to have some lingering queries they’d prefer to have answered before jumping into placing first bets. If that’s you, we recommend reading the following list of answers to frequently asked questions.

⚖️ Is online gambling and sports betting legal in North Dakota?

Although there are some forms of legal betting in the state of North Dakota, there is currently no legal mobile sports betting in North Dakota. Players who are interested in finding alternative options and other great betting types which are available in the state of North Dakota are invited to visit our section on legal options.

🛡️ What is the North Dakota legal gambling age?

There are several different conditions for differing betting types when it comes to the legal age of gambling in North Dakota. Players will find that there are limitations of 21 and over for betting in land-based casinos and poker rooms. However, players over 18 can play bingo, horse races and lotteries. There are further details regarding North Dakota gambling laws here in the dedicated section above.

🚨 Are offshore betting sites such as MyBookie and Bovada legal and safe?

While it’s certainly appealing for players in the state of North Dakota where there aren’t online sports betting options, there are a few things to take into consideration when thinking of betting with an offshore sportsbook. These offshore sportsbooks aren’t licensed to individual states, so aren’t necessarily legal or safe. Check out legal markets for more details. 

🔎 Can I play at a North Dakota online sportsbook if I am not in the state?

We can’t advise players in the state of North Dakota to try to bet with an online sportsbook from another state. This is because you should only bet on sportsbooks which are licensed in your region. We recommend taking a look at our list of options in terms of neighbouring betting states if you’re looking for a nearby alternative.