Oregonians Legally Wager on Favorite Sports

Online betting provides a fun & secure way to try your luck without leaving home

Photo: RODNAE Productions, Pexels

(SALEM, Ore.) - Many people are wary of the mere thought of sports betting online. Is it legal? Well the details depend on where you live in the United States, but the simple answer may be: Yes.

If you are from Oregon, yours is one of the growing list of states with legal online sports betting and retail sportsbooks at tribal casinos. Shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court changed a ruling, the Chinook Winds Casino was the first book in the state to accept sports bets, and is currently one of two Oregon tribal casinos offering in-person sports betting.

The Scoreboard sports betting app which is run by the Oregon Lottery launched in October 2019, allowing Oregonians to wager statewide via a mobile phone. The Scoreboard app allows customers 21 or older in Oregon to bet on pro sports via Android and iOS or any desktop at the Oregon Lottery website.

But, it wasn’t always this easy.

Sports Betting Outlawed Temporarily

At the same time, Congress provided a one-year window (from January 1, 1993) for individual states to pass laws permitting sports wagering, but only if they had operated licensed casino gaming for the previous ten-year period.

Because they were already “ahead of the game” with true single-game sports betting, Nevada was the only state where legal sports betting functioned as we know it today.

The other three exempt states were limited to sports-themed lotteries and bingo-style pub games and because they were so limited and unpopular, all three stopped operations after PASPA became law.

This meant that Nevada was the only place in the US where land-based sports betting could be enjoyed legally, and that stuck for 25 years.

From 1989 to 2007, Oregon Lottery offered a parlay form of sports betting, called Sports Action. In 2007, the NCAA threatened to withhold championship sports events from taking place in the state, and Oregon stopped all state-regulated sports betting.

U.S. Supreme Court Rules Against PASPA

As Oregon was one of four states grandfathered into legal sports betting prior to the passage of PASPA, they made haste to offer legal sports wagering, the 12th state to do so in the country, Aug. 27, 2019.

Today, adults 21+ in Oregon can bet on professional sports like football, soccer, MLB, NASCAR etc., but not on college football and horse races like Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. They offer live betting odds for golf, tennis and other sports.

There are many new online casinos, so be cognizant of your options and legalities. Though online wagering is legal in Oregon for sports betting and pari-mutuels, online casino gambling other than social casinos is forbidden.

Oregonians who want to play online slots and table games such as blackjack, roulette and baccarat can play at a growing number of social casinos. New online casinos deliver at-home excitement through gaming entertainment. To learn more, check out this online casino library by Casinofy.

All of the major Daily Fantasy Sports operators accept Oregon customers, though the state does not formally regulate DFS. Oregon is not expected to legalize all online gambling anytime soon. The subject is a low priority to lawmakers, and so far, expansion beyond tribal casinos has been unpopular with Oregon residents.

There are nine tribal casinos spread across the state, many of which offer a wide selection of Las Vegas-style games. They are responsible for a substantial line of revenue for Oregon.

Last year, the Super Bowl game was “a win for Oregon taxpayers”, according to Oregon Lottery officials. The state brought in approximately $150,000 in revenue from bets placed through Scoreboard.

“We are pleased so many players enjoyed using the Scoreboard app during the Super Bowl,” Oregon Lottery Director Barry Pack said in a statement.

“This game reaches new players and keeps sports betting dollars in Oregon for important state programs.”

The 2021 Super Bowl is just a few hours away, so get your thinking cap on. To place your bets via the Scoreboard sports betting app you have to be located within the state of Oregon. There’s no fooling the Oregon Lottery, the sportsbook uses geo-location technology, and remember....the House always wins.

Source(s): Oregon Lottery; Gambling.com; Salem-News.com Special Features Dept.