You’d think in an era where every third commercial features a celebrity pitching a parlay, you could place a bet anywhere in America. Not quite. Despite the massive wave of legalization following the 2018 Supreme Court decision on PASPA, a few holdouts remain. Finding states with no gambling is getting harder, but for a couple of specific places, the "No Vacancy" sign for casinos and sportsbooks is basically a permanent fixture of their identity.
It’s honestly fascinating.
We live in a country where you can literally pull out a smartphone in a Buffalo Wild Wings in Ohio and bet on a Bulgarian table tennis match. Yet, if you cross the wrong state line, even a simple scratch-off ticket could be a legal impossibility.
The Hawaii and Utah Anomaly
When people talk about states with no gambling, they are almost always talking about Hawaii and Utah. These are the two "true" zeros. They don't have a state lottery. They don't have "charitable" bingo nights that function like mini-casinos. They don't have horse racing. They certainly don't have DraftKings or FanDuel.
Utah is the most obvious one. It’s written into the DNA of the state. Because of the heavy influence of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), the moral opposition to gambling isn't just a political stance; it's a cultural cornerstone. Article VI, Section 27 of the Utah Constitution is pretty blunt about it. It says the legislature shall not authorize any game of chance, lottery, or gift enterprise. They don't mess around. If you live in Salt Lake City and want to play a slot machine, you’re driving across the border to West Wendover, Nevada. It’s a trek. But for many Utahns, that distance is a necessary moral buffer.
Hawaii is a different story entirely.
There’s no religious monolith driving the ban in the Aloha State. Instead, it’s about "Island Values" and protecting the tourism brand. Local leaders, like those in the Hawaiian Homes Commission or various community advocacy groups, often argue that casinos would bring crime and social decay that would ruin the family-friendly, pristine image of the islands. Plus, there’s a massive concern about "leakage"—the idea that local money would be sucked out of the economy by mainland casino corporations.
People try to change this every year. Every legislative session, someone introduces a bill for a lottery or a single casino on Oahu. And every year, it dies. It’s a tough sell.
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The Nuance of "No Gambling"
Now, if we are being pedantic—and in the world of gaming law, you have to be—the list of states with no gambling gets a bit blurry depending on how you define "gambling."
Take Alaska.
Alaska has no "commercial" casinos. It has no state lottery. You can't bet on the NFL from your couch. But they have "pull-tabs." If you've never seen a pull-tab, it's basically a paper lottery ticket. You'll find them in bars and dedicated parlors from Anchorage to Juneau. Is it gambling? Yes. Is it a "gambling state"? Most experts say no.
Then there’s the tribal factor.
States like Texas are often called "no gambling" states because the legislature is notoriously hostile to the industry. However, thanks to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) of 1988, tribes have certain rights. The Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas operates the Lucky Eagle Casino in Eagle Pass. So, while Texas technically bans most forms of betting, you can still lose your shirt on a Class II gaming machine if you’re willing to drive to the Rio Grande.
Why Some States Refuse to Budge
The money is the big argument for legalization. Billions in tax revenue. It sounds great on a PowerPoint slide in a state capitol. But the "no gambling" holdouts look at the social costs.
They look at problem gambling rates.
They look at the cost of regulatory oversight.
For a state like Utah, the revenue from a lottery is seen as "regressive taxation"—basically a tax on people who are bad at math or desperate for a win. They’d rather keep their tax structure as it is than rely on the losses of their citizens.
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The Grey Market and the Internet
Even in states with no gambling, people are still gambling. That’s the open secret.
Offshore websites operating out of Costa Rica or Curaçao don't care about Utah's constitution. They will take a bet from a zip code in Provo just as fast as one from Las Vegas. This creates a weird vacuum. State regulators in these "prohibition" states are essentially playing whack-a-mole with sites they have no jurisdiction over.
And then there's sweepstakes casinos.
This is the newest loophole. Sites like Chumba or McLuck use a "sweepstakes" model where you buy "Gold Coins" (worthless) and get "Sweeps Coins" for free, which can then be redeemed for cash. Because they aren't technically "real money" gambling at the point of entry, they operate in a legal grey area in almost every state, including some that claim to have no gambling. It’s a headache for lawmakers who want a clean, gambling-free environment.
The Realities of Living in a "Dry" State
What does it actually look like to live in one of these states? It means your "entertainment" dollars go elsewhere.
- Border Hopping: Residents of Hawaii frequently fly to Las Vegas. In fact, Las Vegas is often jokingly called "The Ninth Island" because of the sheer volume of Hawaiians who visit (and eventually move there).
- The Powerball Run: When the jackpot hits a billion dollars, you will see lines of cars crossing from Utah into Idaho or Arizona. People will drive two hours just to buy ten pieces of paper.
- Charitable Loopholes: In some "no gambling" states, you can still find high-stakes Bingo or "Casino Nights" for charity, but the regulations are so tight it hardly feels like a night at the Bellagio.
The Future of Gambling Prohibition
Is the list of states with no gambling going to stay this short? Probably.
But it's unlikely to hit zero.
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The political will in Utah is ironclad. There is no significant movement to change things there. In Hawaii, the opposition is more about local control and cultural preservation, which is equally sturdy. While states like Georgia or Alabama might eventually cave and launch a lottery to fund education, the "True Two" are likely to remain gambling deserts for the foreseeable future.
Actionable Steps for Navigating These States
If you find yourself living in or visiting one of these "dry" states, here is what you need to know:
1. Check the Tribal Status
Before you assume a state has zero options, look for tribal land. Federal law often supersedes state law on reservations. Even if the state says "no," a local tribe might have a Class II facility (mostly bingo-based machines).
2. Watch the "Social Gambling" Laws
In some states with no commercial gambling, a private poker game in your basement is still a felony. In others, it's totally fine as long as the "house" doesn't take a cut (a rake). Don't host a game until you know the local penal code.
3. Respect the Border
If you are buying lottery tickets in a neighboring state, remember that you generally have to be physically present in that state to claim the prize. You can't buy a ticket in Idaho, go back to Utah, and expect to manage everything via mail if it's a major win.
4. Understand the App Limits
Your Sportsbook app will use "geofencing." The second you cross into a state where it's illegal, the app will lock you out. Using a VPN to bypass this is a great way to get your account banned and your funds frozen. Don't risk it.
The map of America is turning "green" with gambling legalization, but the holdouts prove that local culture still carries more weight than potential tax revenue in some corners of the country.