01
Virginia VA
Virginia launched sports betting in January 2021 with a 15% tax rate. Operators can deduct promotional credits from taxable revenue.
Topic Cluster 9 states Updated 2026-04-30
Sports Betting in the Southeastern United States
A regional snapshot of sports-betting law and market structure across the Southeast — Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Kentucky, and others.
Editorial Angle
Why This Group Of States Matters
The Southeast is the most regionally fragmented US sports-betting cluster: monopoly markets (FL), aggressive multi-operator markets (VA, NC, TN), and entirely-illegal holdouts (GA, SC, AL) all coexist. State-line proximity creates real bettor-arbitrage between markets.
9 States
States In This Category
02
North Carolina NC
North Carolina launched online sports betting in March 2024. After Underdog Sports closed in December 2025, NC has 7 active licensed operators. ESPN BET rebranded to theScore Bet in December 2025. NC …
03
Florida FL
Florida has a unique monopoly model. Hard Rock Bet is the only legal sportsbook, operated by the Seminole Tribe under a compact running through 2051.
04
Kentucky KY
Kentucky launched sports betting in September 2023. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission regulates the industry with 9.75% online / 14.25% retail tax.
05
06
West Virginia WV
West Virginia was an early mover launching retail betting in August 2018 and online in December 2018. The market grew to 7 active online sportsbooks by 2026 (DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, Fana…
07
Mississippi MS
Mississippi has legal retail sports betting at casinos since 2018, but mobile betting is only permitted when physically on-site.
08
Arkansas AR
Arkansas has a unique 51% revenue-share rule that kept major operators out until 2026. DraftKings and FanDuel finally launched in March 2026 after receiving approval.
09
Louisiana LA
Louisiana has a parish-by-parish approval system. 55 of 64 parishes allow sports betting. The online tax was raised to 21.5% in 2025.
Related
Related Topic Clusters
FAQ
Common Questions
What states are in this category?
9 states currently fall in this category: Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana. The list updates whenever a state's market structure changes (operator count, tax rate, or legal status).
Why does this category matter for bettors?
The Southeast is the most regionally fragmented US sports-betting cluster: monopoly markets (FL), aggressive multi-operator markets (VA, NC, TN), and entirely-illegal holdouts (GA, SC, AL) all coexist. State-line proximity creates real bettor-arbitrage between markets.
How were these states selected?
States are grouped by US Census Bureau geographic region.
Where can I see the underlying data?
Each state has a dedicated guide page (/states/[slug]/) with the full operator list, tax history, regulator information, and timeline. For aggregate fiscal data across all 38 legal jurisdictions, see our /research/sports-betting-tax-revenue/ analysis.