Official betting is made at sportsbooks, which are either retail locations that allow in-person bet placement or online/mobile platforms. They can be found at professional sports venues, casinos, racinos (combination race track and casino) or other facilities. Sportsbooks are also known as bookmakers.
Sportsbooks are the only legal places to place bets on sporting events. In the U.S., they may be licensed and regulated by state laws or private industry groups. Most states have legalized sportsbooks, and the industry has been growing rapidly since a 2018 Supreme Court ruling that allowed them to operate legally.
New Jersey was one of the first states to introduce legal sports betting following the Supreme Court ruling, and it has set records for wagering activity ever since. Its online sportsbooks have become the gold standard for other states, but it is the retail sportsbook market that has taken off the most.
The NBA has strict rules regarding sports gambling. Players, employees and associates are not allowed to bet on the NBA, WNBA, G-League or Basketball Africa League. The league collaborates with regulators, sportsbooks and integrity firms to monitor the betting market and catch offenders.
Missouri lawmakers have brought up two sports betting bills this year and could get a ballot measure in 2024. But the state has a long way to go to catch up with its neighbors, and a full mobile sports betting launch looks unlikely. A recent poll showed that more than half of college-age students have placed a bet on a game.