There’s not many gambling laws in Tennessee due to a number of restrictions the state has set forth. While TN sportsbooks are legal, casinos are not.
Learn more about gambling laws currently live in the Volunteer State below.
Tennessee Gambling Laws Quick Facts
| ✍️ Who Makes Tennessee Gambling Laws? | The Sports Wagering Council |
| đźš« Legal Gambling Age: | 21 |
| 🎰 Online Casinos Legal? | No |
| đź“… When Did TN Gambling Legalize? | 2019 |
Is Gambling Legal in Tennessee?
Yes, gambling is legal in Tennessee but only in specific forms. Sports betting, the lottery, and horse racing are legal examples of gambling while casinos or casino gambling of any sort is not legal.
Who Makes Gambling Laws in Tennessee?
The Sports Wagering Advisory Council (SWAC) is in charge of sports betting laws in TN while the Tennessee Governor appoints a seven-member Board of Directors that oversees the Tennessee Lottery.
Ways to Legally Gamble in TN
Below are some of the legal ways you can gamble in the State of Tennessee as of December 2024:
- Tennessee lottery
- Online sports betting
Tennessee State Laws on Gambling & Different Ways to Gamble
The State of Tennessee has a number of ways you can gamble. There are strict laws surrounding them, however, so you should be in the know before you start participating.
Tennessee Casino Laws
The State of Tennessee doesn’t allow any sort of casinos in the state, whether online or land-based casinos. At this time there is no current plan to legalize online or land-based casino gambling in the near future.
Tennessee Sports Gambling Laws
Tennessee was the first state to pass sports betting without casino gaming in place. There are no retail sportsbooks available so you’re not required to show up to one to sign up. All legal sports betting in TN is done online.
Sports betting laws in Tennessee a fairly straightforward. You have to be 21 years old and located within state lines to place bets online. And since Tennessee residents don’t have to pay state income tax, sports bettors just have to pay 25% of all gambling winnings.
Tennessee Lottery Laws
While Tennessee law requires you to be 21 to place sports wagers, you only need to be 18 to participate in the Tennessee lottery. And unlike sports betting, you can’t participate online; there are over 5,000 retailer outlets in the state.
Tennessee Horse Racing Laws
While the first recorded notable horse racing match took place in 1806, the state passed an anti-gambling law in 1905 making it illegal to bet on horse races. Still to this day, betting on horses is illegal in Tennessee even though residents in the state have tried multiple times to legalize, most recently in 2019.
Top Tennessee Gambling Laws to Know
- Online sports betting tax rate is 19.7%, ranking 10th in the United States.
- You must be 21 to gamble in any form with exception to the lottery (18 years old).
- Any form of online casino gambling is prohibited.
- You can gamble on Tennessee’s college sports games and prop bets.
- Only Tennessee sports betting apps are legal, no offline sports betting.
Tennessee Gambling Law FAQs
The Sports Wagering Advisory Council (SWAC) is in charge of sports betting laws in the state. For the lottery, a seven-member Board of Directors are in charge of setting forth laws and regulations you see today.
Gambling laws in TN say you must be 21 years old to place any sports wagers while you only need to be 18 years old to participate in the state lottery.
There are no casinos in Tennessee.
You can gamble at 18 with the Tennessee lottery. However, anyone under the age of 21 placing sports bets is an illegal act.
Author
Tyler Olson has worked in sports media for over a decade, writing, editing, and optimizing primarily NFL and sports betting content. His primary focus is giving users in Tennessee the most up-to-date information on operators and sharing the latest promo code offerings they have to offer.
