Online Gambling in Nevada: Quick Facts
- Legal Nevada online gambling options? Sports and Poker.
- Legal gambling age: 21
- Who regulates Nevada online gambling? The Nevada Gaming Commission and the Nevada Gaming Control Board
- Legal mobile gambling? Yes
- Do I need to be physically located in Nevada to gamble online? Yes
- Do I need to be a resident of Nevada to gamble online? No
- Sports available to bet on: NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB and more.
A Brief History of Nevada Online Gambling
Nevada has always had a long history of gambling, but it was clearly done in-person for the first few decades. Once the internet really started to take off in the 2000s, that was when lawmakers started to explore online gambling.
Sports betting was only available in Nevada at the time. It was therefore the primary area of focus when it came to legalizing online gambling. The first online sportsbook app made its debut in 2010. That started a rapid succession of online sportsbooks to hit the market.
The first online poker site was able to launch after statute AB 114 was passed in 2013. Despite that form of online gambling being legal, there is just one option at this time.
Online casino gambling has never been included in any online gambling expansion. The commercial casinos in the state are the biggest reason why. These casino properties needed the revenue from in-person gambling and were unwilling to risk giving that up.
There has been some discussion about changing the current laws, but nothing appears imminent at this time. For now, gamblers in Nevada will have to stick to online sportsbooks and online poker sites.
Online Gambling in Nevada: The Current Law
- The legal gambling age in Nevada is 21 years of age.
- Online sports betting is allowed, but only retail sportsbooks can apply for a license.
- Online poker is legal, but there is only one option at this time.
- All account registrations must be made in-person
- You do not have to be a resident of Nevada to gamble online.
- Online casino gambling is not legal or offered in Nevada.
Legal Online Sportsbooks in Nevada
In order to offer online sports betting in Nevada, companies have to be offering retail betting or casino gambling. This still leaves a number of options. But it does limit some of the companies that are able to launch in the state.
There are a handful of Nevada casino companies that have a handful of retail sportsbooks and also control the online sports betting scene. Nevada continues to see a number of new retail sportsbooks launch in the state, but it is rare to see many new online sports betting sites.
MGM Resorts, Caesars, William Hill, Wynn Resorts, and Westgate are some of the top companies with online sportsbooks in Nevada. You can sign up for an online sportsbook account by visiting any of the retail sportsbooks offered by these companies.
One thing that you will not see in Nevada is sites such as DraftKings or FanDuel being an option. These are two of the top sports betting sites in the US. But without a retail presence in Nevada, they cannot operate in the state.
Sports Betting in Nevada
Not only does Nevada have some of the most established online sportsbooks in the United States, but it also has a sports betting industry that is full of options. Since Nevada was the first in the US to offer this form of gambling, other states tried to copy what this state was doing well.
The National Football League is by far the biggest betting market in Nevada. That is common throughout the rest of the country. There are some major contests offered at sportsbooks in Nevada when the NFL season comes around each year.
The other top professional sports in the US are also big betting markets, including the MLB, the NBA, and the NHL. You can also bet on international sporting events at online sportsbooks in Nevada, including the Olympics.
Here are some of the top betting options you will find at online sportsbooks in Nevada. Most of these will be found for all of the available betting markets. Knowing the different types of bets and how to use them is extremely important for all sports bettors.
Moneyline
A moneyline bet is a great bet for beginners to make because it is easy to understand. A moneyline bet simply involves picking the team that will win a certain game based on the betting lines that are set. You will not usually win a ton of money when betting on a favorite, but you could have a nice payday if you wager on an underdog.
Points Spread
Points spread bets, or betting against the spread, is probably the most common wager placed at Nevada online sportsbooks. This is especially the case when the betting market is either the NBA or the NFL. With a points spread bet, you not only have to pick which team will win the game but will also have to determine by how much.
Totals (Over/Under)
An over/under bet is another popular wager on NBA or NFL games, but you can find this one in most markets. It might look different depending on the market you are betting on, but the basis is still the same. With a totals bet, you are focusing on the combined number of points, runs, goals, or anything else that occurs in a game.
Prop Bets
Prop bets became famous at Nevada online sportsbooks during the Super Bowl. But these are now offered on other betting markets as well. Most people enjoy making prop bets because it takes some of the focus off of how the total game will go and instead focuses on team or individual statistics.
Future Bets
Future betting odds are constantly being changed or updated as these odds are usually set weeks or months in advance. Betting on which team will win the upcoming Super Bowl is one of the top future bets that is made at Las Vegas online sportsbooks. This is a bet that has the potential to have a large payout. Especially if you make a bet when there is value in the odds.
Parlay Bets
Parlay bets are offered at all of the top online sportsbooks in Nevada. This type of betting continues to become more popular. You have all of the power with a parlay bet as you get to choose how many “legs” or bets you wish to include in your parlay. Building a large parlay could result in a massive payout, but there is also some added risk involved.
Legal Online Casinos
There is not much to talk about when it comes to Nevada online casinos, as they are not legal at this time and likely won’t be for the foreseeable future. Nevada gets enough business and revenue at its commercial casinos that there is simply no need for online casinos.
This is a state that is leaving money on the table by not legalizing online casino gambling. That means Nevada is no longer the leader when it comes to the iGaming industry. There just hasn’t been a big enough push from casinos or lawmakers to make a change to the current laws.
The biggest casino companies in Nevada: Wynn Resorts, Caesars, Westgate, William Hill, and MGM Resorts International, are all comfortable keeping the betting done on-site.
Legal Online Poker
Online poker is something that is legal and offered in Nevada. But again, there are some strange laws when it applies to this industry. Online poker sites are able to launch, but there is only one company that has received a license to do so.
The World Series of Poker hosts an annual tournament in Las Vegas each year. It is also the only company that is authorized to offer online poker in Nevada. WSOP.com is the only online poker site you will find in the state.
It is unclear if this is something that will change in the future. But for now, the World Series of Poker has a monopoly over the rest of the industry.
How to Set Up a Nevada Online Gambling Account
When you go to set up a Nevada online gambling account, you will first have to visit a retail location to do so. This is a strange law that is in place in Nevada, and it has definitely hurt the overall growth of online gambling.
Creating an online gambling account can be done in just a matter of minutes, but traveling to a retail or commercial site does make the process more challenging. You will still only be required to complete a handful of steps, and verifying your identity is one of the biggest parts of this process.
You will first need to provide the site with your full name, address, date of birth, and social security number. Some of the sites or gambling establishments will only require the last four digits of your SSN, while others will want the whole thing.
The sites or the establishment will then begin verifying your identity, and you will be pushed to the next step if you are good to go. The next step will be creating a username and password, and then you will use that information to log in to the site each time.
You are given the freedom to choose anything you want with this information, but it is best to choose a username and password that is unique to you. You will also want to choose something that you will remember, and you don’t ever want to share this information.
From there, you will be free to make your first deposit at the site so that you can begin playing poker or wagering on the sports game of your choosing.
Nevada Banking Methods
When Nevada online gambling sites first launched, you wouldn’t find very many banking options available to you. That is no longer the case, and the entire banking process has also improved tremendously.
Using a credit/debit card used to be the preferred method to fund an online gambling site in Nevada, but now there are better options. Some sites will even have their own prepaid card available for you, and that makes the process even easier.
PayPal and Neteller are two of the newer options you will find at Nevada online gambling sites, but these can work as both a deposit method and a withdrawal option. By linking your accounts, money can be sent back and forth quickly and easily.
Another option will always be to visit the casino cage as well, and you can make a payment with cash if you choose that option. If you are looking to request a payout, this is the best option to receive your money as well.
It’s important to remember that all of these banking processes are safe and secure. All of the online gambling sites in Nevada hold a license with the state, and that offers you even more protection.
The banking methods at Nevada online gambling sites will continue to improve in the future, and cryptocurrency could eventually be something that is offered. Be sure to check each online gambling site for a complete listing of the banking options.
The Future of Online Gambling in Nevada
Nevada online gambling is already a strong market, but there is still plenty of room for growth. The biggest growth could come in the form of online casino sites, but that doesn’t seem like a strong possibility.
Nevada could also remove the in-person registration requirement, which would allow it to compete with states such as New Jersey, Illinois, and Pennsylvania once again. Those changes could all happen in the future, but this will always be a huge source of revenue for the state.
