With the 2026 legislative sessions under way across the country, lawmakers are introducing and preparing to discuss a flurry of gambling bills.
Already this month, Maine Governor Janet Mills let a tribal online casino bill go into law, setting the table for potential online casino discussions elsewhere. Likewise, multiple states are looking at possibly taking sports betting online, while lawmakers across the US are also proposing various laws to tighten the guardrails on the online gambling industry.
While bills are already in motion proposing major changes, including one in Georgia to legalise sports betting and another in Virginia to create a gambling commission – which is largely deemed necessary before any further expansion in that state – there are also plenty of nuanced bills that would create minor changes.
New Jersey sports betting bills
New Jersey has a loaded agenda of gambling bills, ranging from advertising to sweepstakes casino regulation.
Last year, New Jersey lawmakers banned sweepstakes casinos. This month, Senator Joseph Cryan introduced a bill, S1500, that would allow sweepstakes casinos to obtain licences with the Division of Gaming Enforcement.
Cryan is also sponsoring S2160, a bill that would ban in-play microbetting. Another bill, S1170, has been introduced to ban player-specific college prop bets.
There are also advertising bills related to gambling. One bill, S2356, would require the DGE to study sportsbook and casino advertising language and give the regulator more authority to limit ads targeting vulnerable populations. Another, S1444, would strengthen rules against deceptive marketing related to gambling advertising.
Maryland lawmakers target sweepstakes
Last year, the Maryland Senate passed a sweepstakes casino ban, but ultimately the House did not take it up. This year, both chambers already have hearing dates scheduled for a similar proposal.
Multiple states outlawed sweepstakes casinos last year, including California and New York.
Lawmakers also could discuss a bill, SB102, that would allow the Maryland Lottery & Gaming Control Agency the ability to limit the number of free bets a sportsbook can offer.
West Virginia tax hike
A West Virginia proposal, HB4398, would increase the sports betting tax from 10% to 25%.
Multiple states have raised taxes since launching sports betting, including Ohio and Illinois, which has added multiple layers to sportsbooks’ tax burden the past two years. Maryland, New Jersey and Louisiana all raised their taxes last year.
Industry sources expected there would be proposals to increase tax rates in the 2026 legislative sessions.
Missouri lawmaker looks to eliminate licence
With the Kansas City Chiefs announcing a move last month to build a new stadium over the border in Kansas, a Missouri senator aims to strip them of their Missouri sports betting licence. In Missouri sports betting law, the state can issue licences to professional sports teams, including the Chiefs.
Senator Nick Schroer introduced a constitutional amendment, SJR109, that would strip the team of its ability to secure a licence. The team has not applied for a licence, but it does have partnerships with BetMGM and DraftKings.
Sweeps ban bills galore
Along with Maryland, multiple other states have introduced bills aiming to ban sweepstakes casinos.
Mississippi lawmakers will discuss the idea again. Last year, the Mississippi Senate became the first chamber in the US to pass a prohibition bill, although it failed to see final passage. The proposal died in conference committee after the House amended it to include a component to expand sports betting online.
Other states with active sweepstakes prohibition bills include:
- Florida
- Indiana
- Maine
- Virginia
Pat Evans
Pat covers the legislation and regulation of online gambling in North and South America, having covered the US sports betting industry extensively since 2019.
With 2026 legislative sessions under way, lawmakers in various states are pushing gambling reforms, including microbetting bans and ad rules in addition to sweeps prohibitions.