Yes — online soccer betting is legal in 38 states plus Washington D.C. as of heading into 2025, and that number has held steady into 2026. If you're in one of those states, you can open an account with a licensed sportsbook today and place bets on MLS, the Premier League, the Champions League, and international matches. If your state isn't on the list yet, you'll need to wait for local legislation to pass.
Which states allow you to bet on soccer games online?
The short answer: most of them. New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Maryland, Arizona, Connecticut, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Kansas, Vermont, and Tennessee all have legal online sports betting with licensed operators active right now. Minimum age is 21 in each of those states.
Montana, Wyoming, and New Hampshire are also legal but run through tribal compacts or the state lottery, so the operator options are narrower. The minimum age in those three is 18.
Online betting is still off the table in Utah, Idaho, Hawaii, Alaska, Georgia, Texas, California (online only), and Minnesota as of early 2025. Bills move slowly — RG.org's state legal guide is a reliable place to track changes.
Who regulates soccer betting in my state?
Every licensed sportsbook in the US answers to a state regulator. Here are the main ones you'll encounter:
- New Jersey: Division of Gaming Enforcement (gaming.nj.gov)
- New York: New York State Gaming Commission (gaming.ny.gov)
- Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov)
- Colorado: Division of Gaming (colorado.gov)
- Michigan: Michigan Gaming Control Board (michigan.gov/mgcb)
- Illinois: Illinois Gaming Board (igb.illinois.gov)
- Ohio: Ohio Casino Control Commission (casinocontrol.ohio.gov)
Before you deposit anywhere, check the sportsbook's footer for the state regulator logo and license number, then cross-reference it on the regulator's official site. If you can't find a license, walk away.
Which licensed operators can I use to bet on soccer?
DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, bet365, and ESPN Bet are among the major licensed operators offering soccer markets across most legal states. bet365 in particular is available in New Jersey, Colorado, Iowa, Ohio, Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, and North Carolina, and it's known for deep in-play soccer coverage. I cover all of them in detail on the best sportsbooks to bet on soccer games in the US page.
Avoid offshore and unlicensed books entirely. They operate outside US state regulation, your winnings can be withheld with zero legal recourse, and using them is illegal for US residents in most states.
Is soccer betting legal — do I need to pay tax on winnings?
Yes. All gambling winnings are federally taxable income regardless of the sport. Sportsbooks issue a W-2G when a single win reaches $600 and is at least 300 times the amount wagered. For a fuller breakdown, see the IRS rules on soccer bet winnings page, or go straight to IRS Topic No. 419.
What else should I know before placing my first soccer bet?
If you're brand new to soccer wagering, the Soccer Betting FAQ: Your Top Questions Answered page walks through how moneylines, totals, Asian handicaps, and parlays all work. It's the logical next stop after confirming your state is legal. And if you want live in-play markets specifically, check out the best apps for live in-play soccer betting — the experience on mobile is very different from pre-game wagering.
Must be 21+ (18+ in Montana, Wyoming, and New Hampshire). If gambling becomes a problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.