Launched in 2012, DraftKings was originally meant to offer daily fantasy sports (DFS) gaming only. But as time went by, it expanded into traditional sports betting, quickly becoming one of the most popular sportsbooks. Not only is it liked by gamblers and fantasy players, but big teams like the New York Giants and Chicago Bears also associate with it as a site that’s safe for its users.
Because of its great reputation, most US states are rushing to legalize it within their boundaries. In fact, some like New Jersey made it available for their bettors as far back as 2018, paving the way for other states. Currently, the platform is legal in 45 states but is only licensed to offer its sportsbook in 24 states. These DraftKings sportsbook states include Arizona, New York, Illinois, Vermont, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Oregon. The site’s daily fantasy sports, however, is available in 44 states while the online casino operates in 5 states.States Where DraftKings Has Left The Biggest ImpactUsing DraftKings sportsbook is fun, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you can access it from everywhere. Even if it’s operating where you reside, it still depends on what kind of betting you’re partaking in since some features might not be available due to legal constraints.New Jersey- The First State to Legalize DraftKingsFor the longest time, New Jersey had been fighting to remove the ban on sports betting claiming that Nevada’s monopoly of the industry was unconstitutional. Finally, on May 14, 2018, the US Supreme Court allowed states to enact their sports betting legislation. Two months later, legal online sportsbooks, including DraftKings, started operating in the state.DraftKings starts providing mobile sportsbook services as well as retail sports betting in partnership with Resorts Casino. By 2023, the platform had already claimed New Jersey’s sportsbook top spot with wagers of over $56.9 million being made in August. That was the first time FanDuel and its partners, Meadowlands, were knocked off the number 1 spot as they had handled $25.7 million.DraftKings Took Over the Empire State’s Market in 2022New York is usually hesitant with matters regarding gambling in general, seeing as even land-based casinos weren’t allowed to operate there until 2013. Even when other places worldwide joined the sports betting bandwagon, the state refused to legalize it until 2019. DraftKings opened its doors to New York players in 2019, by launching a retail sportsbook in 2019 at Del Lago Resort & Casino.Eventually, DraftKings New York launched on January 8, 2022, and became one of the most popular online sportsbooks. So popular was the platform that from January 8 to February 13, it collected over $47 million in wagers. One of the major contributors to New York’s positive reception of the sportsbook was that it went live just in time for the Super Bowl LVI and NFL playoffs.Arizona’s Eventual LegalizationArizona was among the most reserved states when it came to online sports betting in the USA, having only legalized it in 2021. The overturn of the gambling ban happened after the state’s governor Doug Ducey signed House Bill 2772 into law. As a result, all major betting sites set up shop in 2021, including Caesars, FanDuel, BetMGM, and, of course, DraftKings.Since entering the Arizona market, DraftKings has managed to offer numerous innovative services to the state. These include its mobile apps for both iOS and Android devices, which you can download from Google Play Store and App Store. Apart from this, the company established a physical sportsbook at TPC Scottsdale in October 2023, increasing its availability.Michigan is Among the Biggest Market for DraftKingsAfter a long wait, Michigan passed bills H4311 and S4916 which led to Governor Gretchen Whitmer legalizing sports betting in December 2019. By March 2020, the state had decided to allow retail sportsbooks to launch, before temporarily shutting them down during the Covid-19 pandemic. Later in January 2021, online sports betting went live, attracting several leading sportsbooks like DraftKings.As of 2023, DraftKings had solidified its ground in the Michigan market with its share of the online sports betting traffic being more than 29% in June. According to stats released by the Michigan Gaming Control Board the gaming company took $66.4 million of the $227.9 million wagers made during the month. By the time the state implemented tax reductions in November 2023, DraftKings’ revenue soared to $10.6 million, which was the highest Michigan sports betting revenue that year.Where is DraftKings Not Legal?Even though some states were quick to allow online sportsbooks within their boundaries, many still won’t legalize it. Some of the states where you cannot access the platform include Alabama, Texas, California, Florida, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Vermont, Utah, and Wisconsin. Of these regions, a few like Florida and Texas are considering allowing online gaming in the near future.On the other hand, states like California have legalized online gambling at DraftKings for only daily fantasy sports but not its sportsbook. Now, all this might be confusing to players who don’t know if they’re allowed to access the site from their location. The best way to ascertain this is to check if your state has legalized it on the company’s site or contact its customer support.
