Nevada is a centerpiece of gambling in America. Despite that, their online gambling laws are not as developed as other US states, as the land-based casino industry doesn’t want competition from online casinos.
Here, you will learn everything about NV gambling legislation, find the best online casinos available for Nevada residents and get tips for spotting the safest and most reputable sites.
Summary of Nevada Gambling Laws
Nevada sets the tone for many states with land-based casino gambling. From regulations to tax rates to innovations, the Silver State is the standard.
It legalizes most forms of online and land-based gambling, but lottery betting is the one major exception. The state has in-state online poker but not real money online casinos, so players turn to offshore casino sites.
| Gambling | Nevada |
|---|---|
| Is Gambling Legal? | Yes |
| Playing at Online Casinos | Gray Area |
| Legal Age Online | 21+ |
| Land-Based Casinos | Yes |
| Legal Age Land-Based | 21+ |
| Online Sports Betting | Yes |
| Charitable Gambling | Yes |
| State Lottery | No |
| Social Gaming | Yes |
Is Gambling Legal in Nevada?
Nevada is synonymous with gambling. Despite that, it is one of only five US states with a ban on lottery betting. They want their visitors’ gambling bankrolls to be spent in Nevada’s billion-dollar resort casinos.
| Gambling | Nevada Legal Status |
|---|---|
| Casino Gambling | Land-based casinos are legal in Nevada. There’s an extensive selection, with more than 350 casinos across the country. |
| Poker | Land-based casinos boast prestigious poker rooms. Nevada also embraces online poker, allowing licensed sites to share player pools with other states. |
| Horse Race Betting | Horse races are legal, and you can bet on them. Currently, Nevada has two racetracks. Pari-mutuel betting on simulcasts is popular, with top casinos offering racebooks for off-track betting. |
| Dog Race Betting | Dog racing is strictly prohibited in the state. |
| Lottery | Nevada does not permit lottery betting, aiming to keep gambling spending within the state’s billion-dollar resort casinos. |
| Daily Fantasy Sports | Daily fantasy sports are not explicitly allowed in Nevada, unlike in many other states. |
| Sports Betting | Online and retail sports betting is legal. Nevada boasts numerous retail sportsbooks and online options from well-known brands like MGM and Caesars. |
| Charitable Gaming | Charitable gaming is legal, with specific regulations depending on prize amounts, requiring approval or registration by the Gaming Control Board. |
| Social Gaming | Private home games are legal, provided no fees are charged, and no house edge games like blackjack or roulette are offered. Social gaming sites are legal but not widely popular. |
| Online Gambling | Online sports betting and online poker are legal, and residents can play at state-licensed sites. However, online casino gaming (slots, blackjack, craps, and so) is only available at offshore casinos. |
Best Online Casinos for Nevada Players in 2024
Nevada players must play at offshore online casinos. Luckily, you have a lot of solid options. It’s a matter of finding the site with the best combination of games, deposit methods, and bonus offers for your playing needs.
Take a look at the best online casinos in NV.
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Where to Gamble in Nevada
The problem with gambling in Nevada isn’t the lack of options. It has so many alternatives that picking just one venue is hard.
The Battle Born State provides a comprehensive gambling niche unless you want to play the lottery.
Visit the Vegas Strip casinos for luxury, great shows, and many casino games. Or go to the off-the-strip casinos for slots and video poker machines with better odds.
Land-Based Casinos in Nevada
Nevada is home to some of the world’s most famous casinos: MGM Grand, Caesars Palace, Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, Wynn Las Vegas, the Venetian Las Vegas, and many others.
In total, there are more than 350 options in the state.
Las Vegas, in particular, is famous for three types of casino resorts: Vegas Strip casinos, Downtown Vegas casinos, and Off-the-Strip casinos.
You will notice many big casino brands that are based in Nevada offer an online gaming platform with sports betting, poker, and casino games.
However, Nevadans can only access to their sportsbook and online poker sections because online casino games are yet to be legalized in the state.
Only states with legal online casinos have complete access to these sites.
Horse & Dog Tracks
These days, you can watch horse races and bet on them at the Elko County Fair each August. White Plain Fairgrounds in Ely is also available.
On the other hand, dog racing is prohibited under Nevada law, governed explicitly by NRS 207.235. Conducting dog races for gambling purposes is deemed a misdemeanor.
Winnemucca held mule races, but were cancelled in 2011.
While horse racing has a small footprint in Nevada, pari-mutuel betting on simulcasts is a huge part of Nevada’s gambling culture.
Top land-based casinos have their racebooks, which act as off-track betting facilities. Visit the sportsbooks at Bellagio, Wynn Las Vegas, and MGM Grand to bet on horse races in Nevada.
Online Sports Betting
Currently, Nevada is home to 176 retail sportsbooks. William Hill alone boasts 108 Nevada sports betting venues at the last count.
It’s the same when it comes to online sports betting.
Famous Vegas brands like MGM and Caesars have online and mobile sports betting apps. Combine the traditional casino operators with world-famous bookmaker brands like William Hill, and bettors have a ton of online sports betting options.
Bingo Halls and Charitable Gambling
Charitable gaming is legal in Nevada if conducted by a “qualified organization.”
These organizations must be “bona fide charitable, civic, educational, fraternal, patriotic, political, religious, or veterans’ organizations.”
Charitable bingo games with total cash prizes of less than $2,500 per calendar quarter do not require an application, though they should notify the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
Bingo games over $2,500 per calendar quarter but less than $50,000 in the calendar year should register with the Gaming Control Board.
Those who have more than $50,000 in a calendar year but less than $500,000 require approval by the Board.
Social Gaming at Home
Nevada does not regulate social gaming. Private home games are legal so long as the organizer does not charge a door fee, a seat license fee, or collect a rake.
Also, the host cannot offer games that give the house an edge, such as blackjack, roulette, or craps. Skill games are allowed.
Those wanting to play poker with friends can take their game to a local casino’s poker room if the betting stakes are high enough that the rake pays for a dealer.
Social gaming sites are legal in Nevada, though not popular.
Poker Rooms and Clubs
Nevada has 38 land-based poker rooms and poker clubs. These include 19 poker rooms in Las Vegas and 12 combined between Reno and Tahoe.
In Vegas, you’ll find poker rooms at popular casinos like the Venetian, Aria, and MGM Grand.
On the less famous side, you’ll find Carson Valley Inn in Minden and Silver Legacy Casino in Reno.
Online poker rooms are legal in Nevada, too. Nevada is a Multi-State Internet Gaming Association (MSIGA) member, also known as the Interstate Poker Compact.
MSIGA allows Nevada to share poker liquidity (player pools) with four other states: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Michigan.
Other states can join if they agree to the MSIGA’s regulations.
Eight-Liners
Nevada does not have Eight-Liners. Instead, it allows grocery stores, convenience stores, bars, and restaurants to house a small number of slot machines.
Airports also have legal land-based slot machines. These offer real money payouts, unlike Eight-Liners.
Real Money Online Casino Games for Nevada
While Nevada was one of the first states to allow online poker, it does not regulate online casino gambling. If you want to play real money online casino games, offshore online casinos are your only option.
Here are some examples of the games you’ll find.
Online Slots
Online slots are identical to live ones and secured by ultra-safe random number generators.
These slot games won’t have the same names or be produced by the same game providers as the ones you find in a land-based casino.
However, you will find titles by reputable providers like RTG, Rival Gaming, Betsoft, Nucleus Gaming, and Dragon Gaming.
These online slots are entertaining and feature big prizes.
Online Poker
Real money online poker is legal in Nevada. There are a ton of options, so you are likely to find your favorite poker version.
Offshore sites feature popular games like Texas Hold’em and Omaha. You will find tables with entry bets as low as $1, including satellite tournaments and cash games.
Blackjack
Online blackjack is available only in offshore online casinos. These sites have much better blackjack rules. Games have 3:2 blackjack for $5 or $10 a hand.
Online casinos also have a wide variety of blackjack variants available.
Live Dealer Games
Those who enjoy the social aspect of table games should try live dealer casinos.
Real-life dealers deal cards in a casino studio while the game is streamed to your computer screen in real-time.
Live Blackjack and Live Baccarat are $5 a hand, while Live Roulette is $1 a spin. Live casino providers host games by Visionary iGaming (ViG) and Fresh Deck Studios.
Other Available Games at Online Casinos in Nevada
Casino sites accepting Nevada players provide a full range of online table and specialty games. Most have multiple online keno and bingo versions. Check all the games available below.
Top Bonuses at Gambling Sites for Nevada Players
Nevada players who choose gambling sites based on bonuses should consider these two promos.
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Nevada Online Gambling Laws
Of all US states, Nevada has one of the most permissive views toward gambling.
The state has had legal brick-and-mortar gambling since 1931, so its gaming regulators have generations of experience in oversight. That does not mean all forms of gambling are regulated.
Both lottery betting and online casinos do not fit into the regulatory framework.
This section provides an overview of Nevada’s gambling laws. It provides access to the forward-looking 21st-century laws on online poker and skill-based gambling but also discusses why online casinos are not licensed within the state.
Is Online Gambling Legal in Nevada?
Online gambling is legal in Nevada to some extent.
Online poker and online sports betting are handled much differently than online casinos. While the Nevada Gaming Control Board and Nevada Gaming Commission license and oversee poker sites and online sportsbooks, they do not regulate online casinos.
Nevada residents who want to play for real money at online casinos must sign up at offshore online casinos.
Casino Gambling Was Banned and Later Legalized in 1931
Assembly Bill 98 of 1931 re-authorized casino gambling in Nevada, which had been banned in 1910.
The new law described which games and gambling machines were legal.
It also described how to obtain a license, what fees operators incurred, and what penalties violated would face.
Organizations That Regulate Gambling in Nevada
Legislators created the Nevada Gaming Commission in 1955. To do so, lawmakers added a passage to the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS).
Four years later, Nevada’s leaders created the Gaming Control Board. A new section of the NRS set down the Gaming Control Board’s members’ qualifications, eligibility, appointment, and removal.
It also discussed the Executive Secretary, employment of consultants, meetings, and investigative hearings.
Legalization of Online Poker and Skill-Based Gaming
Nevada legalized online poker in 2013, as stated in the Bill 114.
It defined and described which land-based operators could obtain an online poker license. A year later, it would sign an interstate poker compact with Delaware.
Two years later, Nevada legalized skill-based gaming machines and further defined what a game of skill is. One lawmaker stated that skill-based gaming machines are similar to video games.
In the wake of this new law, game designers continue experimenting with skill-based gaming machines.
*Please be advised that the information provided on this page does not constitute legal advice. Our team strongly recommends you seek professional counsel from a qualified attorney regarding your specific questions or concerns on the topic.
Nevada Online Gambling vs. Neighboring States
Nevada gambling laws are starkly different from those in nearby states like Utah and California. However, online casino legislation is pretty much like its neighbors.
| US State | Playing at Online Casinos | State Regulated Casinos | Social Casinos | Online Sports Betting | Lottery | Fantasy Sports | Charitable Gaming |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | Gray Area | Not Legal | Legal | Legal | Not Legal | Not Legal | Legal |
| Arizona | Gray Area | Legal (Tribal Only) | Legal | Legal | Legal | Legal | Legal |
| California | Gray Area | Legal (Tribal Only) | Legal | Not Legal | Legal | Legal | Legal |
| Oregon | Gray Area | Legal | Legal | Legal | Legal | Legal | Legal |
| Idaho | Gray Area | Legal | Legal | Not Legal | Legal | Not Legal | Legal |
| Utah | Not Legal | Not Legal | Not Legal | Not Legal | Not Legal | Not Legal | Not Legal |
Nevada and Utah have a much different approach to gambling but are two of the five states that ban lottery gambling.
Oregon allows social gambling, but the local county or city must approve those activities. Fantasy sports are legal in most US states, but Nevada, Utah, and Idaho do not allow the big DFS companies to operate inside their borders yet.
Playing at online casinos remains in a gray area in these states.
Though some might ban operators from offering online casino games for real money, none of the states above prosecute individuals who play at offshore online casinos.
Tips When Playing at Online Casinos in Nevada Safely
Take Advantage of a Bonus
Accept an online casino’s welcome bonus but get familiar with the terms of use. Accepting bonus cash helps your overall odds of winning.
Knowing the terms helps you avoid having the winnings from your bonus cash voided.
Choose the Right Game to Start
Play blackjack and video poker if you prefer learning strategy tips to keep the house edge low.
Or choose baccarat or craps if you don’t like strategy or memorization. However, if you love big jackpots, slots are your best shot!
Select Secure Payment Options
Play at online casinos that offer secure payment options such as credit cards, e-wallets, and cryptocurrency. Avoid websites that require third-party deposits or non-monetary options like online skins.
Report Your Gambling Winnings
If you win $1,200 or more during one session while playing in Nevada, report the winnings to state and federal authorities.
Be Mindful of Your Betting Strategy
Avoid progressive betting schemes like the Martingale technique when playing online.
The Martingale scheme leads to exponential increases in bet sizes, quickly leading to the risk of ruin.
Gamble Responsibly
Understand the concepts of responsible gambling. These include win goals, loss limits, shorter play sessions, and self-exclusion tools.
Pros & Cons of Gambling in Nevada
Nevada is one of the great destinations for gambling in the world.
The influence of the land-based casino industry causes issues for those who prefer online casino gambling.
Thus, even a gambling paradise like Nevada has its drawbacks.
Pros
- An immense number of land-based gambling options at Nevada’s 350+ casinos.
- Offshore online casinos offer big welcome bonuses and free spin offers.
- Land-based casinos have famous restaurants, retail chains, big shows, resorts, and other amenities.
- The latest casino game innovations include skill-based games and VR gaming.
Cons
- No state lottery.
- High taxes on gambling winnings.
Future of Online Gambling in Nevada: Our Prediction
Players should expect Nevada to remain on the cutting edge of gambling technology. Virtual reality technology will become a bigger part of slot and skill-based gaming machines.
This will attract players because land-based casinos can afford VR tech that’s far beyond what individual players can buy for their homes.
Land-based casinos will continue to focus on expanding non-gaming revenues, which appeals to casual gamblers and families.
Online gambling is likely to continue to be overlooked by Nevada officials, so offshore online casinos will continue to accept Nevada players.
Nevada will continue to streamline its land-based and online gambling laws. In April 2023, the Nevada Gaming Commission approved the study of 24 state regulations.
The study will examine 8 problematic regulations that could be altered and 16 outmoded laws that should be eliminated.
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Nevada Online Gambling FAQ
Here are the most popular questions about gambling in Nevada.
Online casino betting is not regulated and licensed in Nevada. Offshore online casinos are the only option for interactive gamblers in Nevada. Law enforcement does not prosecute online gamblers, because they do not have the resources to police such action. Just because they have never prosecuted players in the past, does not mean they won’t in the future. Keep reading our gambling laws updates for the latest news.
Yes. Players can play at offshore online poker rooms or play in the small regulated online poker industry. Regulated online poker is legal in Nevada, though players will find far fewer licensed online poker websites than they might expect.
WSOP.com, owned by Caesars Entertainment, is currently the only online poker site that operates legally in Nevada.
As it is, the offshore online poker sites are the best bet for Nevada cardplayers.
Absolutely. Nevada is the undisputed gambling capital of the United States. Las Vegas is the second-largest casino destination city in the world, behind only Macau. Online poker sites and sportsbooks are licensed and regulated, though online casinos are still unregulated. Oddly, not all forms of gambling are legal.
Nevada has no state lottery, so bettors cannot buy Mega Millions and Powerball tickets. If a gambler wants a chance at a life-changing jackpot, they’ll need to play IGT’s MegaBucks progressive slot machine. While online gambling is legal, offshore casino operators are Nevada gamblers’ only option to play table games or slots from the comfort of their own home.
The legal age for Nevada gambling is 21, which has been the age limit since gambling first passed in 1931. State Assemblyman Jim Wheeler (R-Gardnerville) proposed a bill in 2017 to lower the minimum age to 18, but AB 86 did not gain traction. Online gamblers must be 18 to play for real money at offshore unregulated casino sites, cardrooms, and sports betting sites.
Disclaimer
As part of our commitment to transparency, it’s important to disclose that this website engages in affiliate marketing. This means that when you click on our links to online casinos and make a purchase or sign up, we may earn a commission.
These commissions contribute to the upkeep of our platform and the creation of valuable content. While we aim to provide accurate and unbiased information, it’s crucial to note that our reviews are not influenced by affiliate partnerships.
Additionally, we advocate for responsible gambling practices and encourage users to gamble responsibly. If you believe you may have a gambling problem, please seek assistance from relevant support services.