As each new US state passes legislation legalizing sports betting as well as helping to offer the pastime to those within their borders, they are also giving players the opportunity to move away from potentially criminal entities that have been offering a way for them to place a sports bet in what has always been something of a legal gray area.

Sports betting becomes regulated the moment a state legalizes the activity and then licenses the relevant providers that battle for the players in that state. By doing so, a player can happily sign-up and provide critical information relating to their bank accounts and identity without fear of being scammed.

Unsafe and Potentially Criminal

The usage of offshore and non-licensed sports betting services is fraught with danger as you have little or no recourse if the site or provider you use doesn’t reimburse you for successful bets or is simply a fraudulent entity looking to mine your sensitive data.

Fortunately, more and more states are passing legislation, and you can see below the states which allow sports betting and therefore offer safe routes to do so.

Where is Sports Betting Legal 

Who’s Next?

A number of additional states are very much on the road to legislation, and massive regions such as California, Texas, and Florida are among those very much edging towards this status, and that is good news for players in those states who would clearly much instead use regulated options than any other less than ideal alternative.

What to Look for in a Sports Betting Provider

Once a state legalizes sports betting, a number of licenses will be handed out, and it is then your choice to pick one that suits your needs. The good news is that you can at least cross off any concerns you have about safety and instead look to see what each can offer you in terms of your sports betting journey.

Here are a few things to take into account.

• Size of Betting Market – In other words, how many betting options are available, from types of sport to depth of service in a particular discipline?
• Interface – This is in relation to how smooth and intuitive the site’s desktop and mobile services are in terms of your usage of them.
• Payment Methods – Here, you’ll want the chosen provider to accept the payment method of your choice. This might be a credit card or an e-wallet and many alternatives in between.
• Customer Service – Are they attentive to your needs? Does the brand respond swiftly to queries?

Clearly, much of this information will not be known to you before you sign-up, hence the need to take advantage of comparison sites that offer you crucial in-depth analysis of each option available in your state.