State Advocacy Efforts

Advocates for sports betting in the state gathered sufficient signatures in 2024 to have a Constitutional Amendment to legalize sports betting placed on the ballot for voters to pass or reject. This allowed them to bypass the legislature by having the voters vote directly on the issue at the voting booth. The initiative passed by the narrowest of margins in November 2024 (50.05% For—49.95% Against). NCPG took an active role assisting in the drafting of this constitutional amendment, and it includes significant funding for problem gambling.

The Amendment as passed requires 10% of sports betting tax revenue be devoted to problem gambling prevention and treatment. NCPG is neutral on legalized gambling and took no stance on whether the amendment should pass. Sports betting went live in the state in December 2025. NCPG is continuing to monitor updates in the state and will continue educating lawmakers on the importance of including responsible and problem gambling provisions in legislation and constitutional amendments.

A sports betting legalization bill was introduced in Alabama in 2025, but it did not have a legislative hearing and did not make any significant progress before the conclusion of the legislative session.

A sports betting legalization bill was introduced in Alaska in 2025, but it did not have a legislative hearing and did not make any significant progress before the conclusion of the legislative session. The bill can be taken up again in 2026.

Once again, the Georgia legislature considered multiple bills to legalize sports betting in the state. Still a point of debate is whether legalizing sports betting requires a constitutional amendment, with legal scholars in the state split on the issue. Most of the gambling industry’s lobbyists take the stance that a constitutional amendment is not necessary, and worked with legislators to introduce bills that would legalize sports betting absent one. Another group of lawmakers believes a constitutional amendment is required and introduced bills that included an amendment. Although that is an open debate, it is not debated that absent a constitutional amendment, revenue from legalized sports betting could only go to education according to the Georgia Constitution, and not to problem gambling prevention, research, or treatment. Therefore, given that obstacle, the bills without a constitutional amendment have been extremely weak on preventing and treating gambling addiction.

Unlike 2024, no bill received a hearing in 2025, but the legislature did commission a committee that worked throughout the Summer and Fall of 2025 to study the issue of legalizing sports betting. NCPG submitted written testimony to the study committee in September 2025. Although the study committee issued a final report in October 2025 without any recommendations, the Chairman of the study committee resigned from the state legislature at the same time, further complicating sports betting’s future in the state. He had also been the lead sponsor of one of the bills to legalize sports betting. The Georgia Legislature will surely take up sports betting again in 2026.

A sports betting legalization bill was introduced in Hawaii in 2025, and made significant progress. The bill had hearings and passed both the House and Senate, but in different forms which required reconciliation. Ultimately, lawmakers could not iron out the differences between the Senate and House bills and they died without final passage. Both bills included funding for problem gambling prevention and treatment. Lawmakers continue to show more and more interest in legalizing sports betting in the state. The opposition in the state is fierce. Many believe the activity will prey on native Hawaiians and are opposed to Hawaii bringing sports betting to the state as the state’s first legalized form of gambling. NCPG submitted testimony in the state and plans to monitor it closely in 2026.

In 2025, Minnesota made another attempt at passing a sports betting legalization bill. At the very beginning of the session, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on the potential harms of legalizing sports betting in the state. Both NCPG and its state affiliate, the Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling, submitted testimony. Although both the House and the Senate seriously considered bills to legalize sports betting in the state once again, neither passed their respective bills. Just like in the previous 3 years, lawmakers could not agree on whether sports betting licenses should be held entirely by the state’s Indian tribes and how the tax revenues should be divided. Lawmakers will surely make another attempt at legalization in 2026. The Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling led the charge in the state for ensuring the legislation included resources for problem gambling treatment and services.

Once again, multiple sports betting legalization bills have passed one chamber or various committees in the Oklahoma legislature. However, there continues to be a dispute between Oklahoma’s tribes and the Executive branch on how sports betting would operate in the state and which entities would get licenses. There is also an effort to legalize sports betting by passing a legislatively referred statute that would be brought before the voters in 2026 allowing them to pass the bill at the ballot box. That effort to allow the statute to appear on the ballot has not been successful as of yet. The legislature will likely take up the issue again in 2026. NCPG’s state affiliate, the Oklahoma Association of Problem Gambling and Gaming, is leading the advocacy efforts in the state, with NCPG assisting where requested.

A sports betting legalization bill was introduced in South Carolina in 2025, but it did not have a legislative hearing and did not make any significant progress before the conclusion of the legislative session.

A sports betting legalization bill was introduced in Texas in 2025, but it did not have a legislative hearing and did not make any significant progress before the conclusion of the legislative session. The Texas Legislature only meets in odd years, meaning a bill will not be considered again until 2027.

Like last year, the Georgia legislature considered multiple bills to legalize sports betting in the state. Still a point of debate is whether legalizing sports betting requires a constitutional amendment, with legal scholars in the state split on the issue. Most gambling industry lobbyists argue that a constitutional amendment is unnecessary. Lobbyists worked with legislators in 2024 to introduce bills that would legalize sports betting absent a constitutional amendment. Another faction of lawmakers believes a constitutional amendment is required and introduced bills that included one. Absent a constitutional amendment, revenue from legalized sports betting could only go to education, according to the Georgia Constitution, and not to problem gambling prevention, research, or treatment.

Given that obstacle, the bills without a constitutional amendment were extremely weak in preventing and treating gambling addiction. Legislators supporting the constitutional amendment were very open to including NCPG’s suggestions on how to improve their legislation for those who may develop or have developed a gambling problem. Senator Bill Cowsert led this effort, crafting bills with significant problem gambling protections that, if passed, would have made Georgia a leader in funding problem gambling and responsible gambling efforts among states. Senator Cowsert should be commended for his excellent work in this field, even if the bills did not ultimately become law. NCPG submitted multiple rounds of written testimony as the bills were being considered. Ultimately, one of the bills that required a constitutional amendment passed the Senate and was extremely close to passing in the House. The bill was ready to be taken up on the last day of the legislative session but remained unpassed. The Georgia legislature will surely take up sports betting again in 2025.

A sports betting legalization bill was introduced in Hawaii in 2024 and had a substantive hearing. The bill ultimately died, but lawmakers seemed more interested in sports betting than ever. NCPG submitted testimony in the state and plans to continue outreach this fall in preparation for 2025.

Although both the Minnesota House and the Senate seriously considered bills to legalize sports betting, neither were able to pass their respective bills. As in 2022 and 2023, lawmakers could not agree on whether sports betting licenses should be held entirely by the state’s tribes and how the revenue should be divided. The negotiation continued until the end of the session, but a consensus could not be reached. Lawmakers will likely make another attempt at legalization in 2025. NCPG’s state affiliate, the Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling, led the charge in the state to ensure the proposed legislation included resources for problem gambling treatment and services.

The Missouri legislature again introduced bills to legalize sports betting in the state in 2024. However, most in the state remained wary after last year’s session, when a lone Senator filibustered the legalization bill because it did not include money for veteran services or address the legalization of video lottery terminals (VLTs). VLTs function like slot machines and are currently found in convenience stores across Missouri. VLTs operate in a legal gray area, and other gaming entities in the state oppose them, given that they are not regulated and may poach customers from other gaming establishments. Given the Senator’s opposition and willingness to filibuster, no one thought the bills introduced this year had a chance because they did not include the Senator’s demands. Lobbyists for sports betting in the state have instead launched a Constitutional Amendment ballot initiative to legalize sports betting, allowing them to bypass the legislature by having the voters vote directly on the issue at the voting booth. The initiative has received the necessary number of signatures to be placed on the November ballot this year. NCPG took an active role and assisted in drafting this constitutional amendment, including significant funding for problem gambling. NCPG is neutral on legalized gambling and takes no stance on whether the amendment should pass. NCPG continues to monitor updates in the state and will continue educating lawmakers on the importance of including responsible and problem gambling provisions in legislation and constitutional amendments.

Multiple sports betting legalization bills were introduced in Oklahoma in 2024, with one passing the Oklahoma House before making minimal progress in the Senate. According to one legislator, the bill had significant support but will not have the votes to pass until an agreement with Oklahoma’s tribes on how sports betting would operate is in place. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt supported one of the introduced bills but did not get buy-in from the tribes, and that bill failed as well. The legislature may take the issue up again in 2025. The NCPG state affiliate, the Oklahoma Association of Problem Gambling and Gaming, is leading the advocacy efforts in the state, with NCPG assisting where requested.

A sports betting legalization bill was introduced in South Carolina in 2024, but it did not have a legislative hearing and did not make any significant progress before the legislative session’s conclusion.

On March 23, 2023, Governor Andy Beshear signed HB 551 into law, making sports betting legal in Kentucky. Although the bill does include some important problem gambling provisions, such as 2.5% of tax revenue dedicated to a problem gambling assistance fund, the bill also has some shortcomings. For one, the bill sets the legal sports betting age as 18 rather than 21, like most states. Studies have shown that the younger a person begins gambling, the more likely they are to develop a problem. In addition, monies in the problem gambling assistance fund created by the bill are not earmarked strictly to prevent or treat gambling addiction, they can also be used to prevent and treat other addictions. Although an important cause, NCPG believes it is appropriate that gambling tax revenue be used to help prevent and treat only gambling addiction. Although NCPG did submit testimony on the bill, the bulk of the work was done by our state affiliate, the Kentucky Council on Problem Gambling. NCPG recognizes that through their hard work, Kentucky has established the first-ever state funding for gambling addiction. Legal sports betting is expected to launch in the state in December 2023.

Governor Roy Cooper signed House Bill 347 into law on June 14, 2023, legalizing mobile sports betting in North Carolina. The state had limited retail sports betting at tribal casinos in place already. The bill has some problem gambling provisions and funding but leaves much room for improvement. When introduced last session, the bill had $1,000,000 annually for problem gambling treatment and education. After NCPG explained to the proponents of the bill that that amount would not be enough given North Carolina’s large population, the bill that was introduced in 2023 included $2,000,000 a year for problem gambling treatment and education, and that amount was maintained in the final version of the bill. This is an improvement but still falls far short of ideal funding ranges for a state with over 10.5 million residents. The bill also includes self-exclusion and some basic advertising safeguards. Sports betting is expected to go live in the state sometime in 2024.

On June 14, 2023, Governor Phil Scott signed H.127 into law, legalizing sports betting in Vermont. NCPG testified in Vermont in writing and virtually multiple times over the last two years. NCPG was invited to give presentations to lawmakers on the basics of responsible and problem gambling and did so multiple times. NCPG successfully had amendments focused on problem gambling included in the legislation. Thanks to NCPG’s advocacy, Vermont’s legislation includes an annual report on problem gambling in the state, $250,000 for problem gambling treatment and research next year and a process by which that amount can be increased in future years, and common-sense advertising restrictions (including mandating a problem gambling helpline in advertisements). The legislation also includes a ban on most advertising on college campuses, self-exclusion, and the requirement that betting apps include tools to assist players in making responsible decisions such as setting limits on time and money spent betting. The state’s regulators expect sports betting to launch in January 2024.

The Georgia legislature considered multiple bills to legalize sports betting in the state this year. There is currently debate among legal scholars in the state whether legalizing sports betting requires a constitutional amendment. Most of the gambling industry’s lobbyists took the stance that a constitutional amendment is not necessary and worked with legislators to introduce bills that would legalize sports betting absent one. Although that is an open debate, both sides seem to agree that the tax revenue from legalized sports betting could only go to education and not problem gambling treatment, absent a constitutional amendment. This is because the state constitution says all tax revenue from legalized gambling must be used to fund education. Given this, from a problem gambling standpoint, the bills without the constitutional amendment were extremely weak on preventing and treating gambling addiction. Legislators supporting the constitutional amendment were very open to including nearly all of NCPG’s suggestions on how to improve their legislation for those who may develop a gambling problem. NCPG made multiple trips to the state to testify in person and submitted multiple rounds of written testimony as the bills were being considered. Ultimately, both sets of bills failed to pass both chambers, and the legislature is sure to take up the issue again in 2024.

Given that obstacle, the bills without a constitutional amendment were extremely weak in preventing and treating gambling addiction. Legislators supporting the constitutional amendment were very open to including NCPG’s suggestions on how to improve their legislation for those who may develop or have developed a gambling problem. Senator Bill Cowsert led this effort, crafting bills with significant problem gambling protections that, if passed, would have made Georgia a leader in funding problem gambling and responsible gambling efforts among states. Senator Cowsert should be commended for his excellent work in this field, even if the bills did not ultimately become law. NCPG submitted multiple rounds of written testimony as the bills were being considered. Ultimately, one of the bills that required a constitutional amendment passed the Senate and was extremely close to passing in the House. The bill was ready to be taken up on the last day of the legislative session but remained unpassed. The Georgia legislature will surely take up sports betting again in 2025.

A sports betting legalization bill was introduced in Hawaii in 2023, but did not make any significant progress and died with minimal consideration.

The 2023 Minnesota legislative session began with a lot of optimism that a sports betting bill would pass this year. However, the bill still had not passed when the legislature adjourned on May 22^nd. Just like in 2022, the state looked poised to legalize sports betting until lawmakers again began debating whether sports betting licenses should be held entirely by the state’s tribes or whether racetracks should also have a stake. The negotiation continued all the way until the end of the session. Lawmakers can pick up right where they left off in 2024 and are sure to make another attempt at legalizing sports betting at that time. NCPG’s state affiliate, the Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling, led the charge in the state for ensuring the legislation included resources for problem gambling treatment and services.

Missouri was once again on the cusp of legalizing sports betting when the deal fell apart after a Senator filibustered the bill due to it not including money for Veteran’s services and legalization of Video Lottery Terminals (VLTS) in the state. VLTs function like slot machines and are currently found in convenience stores in the state. VLTs operate in a legal gray area, and other gaming entities in the state oppose them given that they are not regulated and may poach customers from other gaming establishments. However, one Senator felt VLTs must be legitimized in law before sports gambling is legalized in the state. Similar to last year, this disagreement ultimately killed the bill in Missouri. NCPG testified in Missouri in writing and advocated in the state. We were successful in ensuring amendments that focused on problem gambling were included in later iterations of the legislation. In fact, the sports betting legalization bill that passed the Missouri House of Representatives included the vast majority of items NCPG requested in the bill. The only aspect that fell significantly short was the amount of funding for problem gambling, which was set at $500,000 rather than the $5,000,000 we requested. NCPG hopes to pick up where we left off in 2024 in Missouri when a sports betting bill is surely re-introduced.

A sports betting legalization bill was introduced in Oklahoma in 2023, but did not make any significant progress and died with minimal consideration.

A sports betting legalization bill was introduced in South Carolina in 2023, and although it did have a legislative hearing, the bill did not make any significant progress and died at the conclusion of the legislative session.

The Texas legislature considered multiple bills involving sports betting this year. One bill, with minimal problem gambling provisions, did pass the House. That bill would have brought a constitutional amendment initiative to the ballot for Texas voters to decide whether to legalize sports betting, something that is required of all changes to gambling laws in the state. To pass, the bill required two-thirds of both chambers. However, the bill died in the Senate after the Lieutenant Governor (who presides over the Senate) refused to consider the bill. He said that because the bill only passed the House with a majority of its supporters being Democrats, it was not a Republican bill and not something he wanted to consider as a Republican himself. He stated that he is only willing to consider bills carried by a Republican majority. NCPG worked hard in the state, submitting testimony multiple times in support of problem gambling provisions. Because the Texas legislature only meets in odd years, sports betting legalization will not be considered again in Texas until 2025.