Idaho

For those hoping sports betting will be legal in all 50 states one day, we would not recommend holding your breath when it comes to Idaho. Interest in legalizing sports betting has been nonexistent since PASPA was overturned in 2018, and that doesn’t seem to be changing.

Betting options are pretty limited in Idaho. The only thing residents can legally bet on is horse racing. A few racebooks are available in the state, but that is about as far as it goes. Horse racing bets can also be placed at the three racinos that are located throughout the state.

Idaho also prevents users from using daily fantasy apps, so fast-growing DFS apps like Underdog, PrizePicks, and OwnersBox cannot be accessed.

Online sports betting in The Gem State

Idaho is not entirely opposed to gambling, as there are multiple tribal casinos and horse tracks scattered throughout the state. However, even with that, the state’s interest in sports betting since PASPA was overturned in 2018 has been minimal. Since the Supreme Court overturned PASPA, many states jumped at the opportunity to capitalize off sports betting. Yet, Idaho has not even had a sports betting bill created by state legislators.

Interest in the state just does not seem to be present despite multiple surrounding states joining the rapidly growing list of locations with legal sports betting. In 2017, a lawmaker attempted to pass a bill that allowed tribes to offer video gaming machines, but it was shot down, which does not bode well for a more prominent topic like sports betting.

In 2016, when the state’s attorney general decided to outlaw DFS products, resulting in DraftKings and FanDuel leaving the state, everyone got a pretty good idea of how far ID was and is from passing any sort of sports betting legislation.

Many states with active tribal casinos also encounter many issues when attempting to legalize sports betting. One of the biggest reasons California sports betting legislation has remained illegal is the state's tribal casinos, so that is an entirely different factor that could come into play if Idaho decides to start the legalization process.

Sports betting & gambling legislation in ID

Unlike Utah, gambling is present in Idaho, just not sports betting. The tribal casinos and race tracks throughout the state do allow for gambling to take place legally in ID, but that is the full extent of it. Horse racing is also kept relatively simple in the state. Residents can use mobile racebook apps but can no longer use machines to place wagers after lawmakers overturned the machine horse racing law in 2015. To place a bet on one of these races, customers must be at least 18 years old.

One of the biggest laws surrounding horse racing was approved in 2011, and it allowed for wagers to be placed in areas outside of racetracks, which sparked the introduction of the aforementioned racebooks. If horse racing doesn’t interest residents when it comes to gambling, then those individuals are left with two options, which are to either visit one of the tribal casinos in the state or they can partake in the state lottery.

Most recent updates from the ID sports betting & gambling scene

• May 5, 2023: PointsBet introduces its New Horse Racing App in multiple states, including Idaho. This launch coincides with the Triple Crown, enabling customers in these states to place wagers on the prestigious event.

• November 8, 2022: Scientific Games, a prominent lottery solutions provider, extends its partnership with the Idaho Lottery. This agreement allows Scientific Games to continue supplying the lottery with its popular instant scratch games.

• October 14, 2022: Jackpocket, a lottery ticket-selling app, has expanded its services to Idaho. The mobile app offers Idaho residents a convenient and secure way to purchase official state lottery tickets for popular games like Powerball and Mega Millions, making it easier for players to participate in various lottery games in the state.

In-person sports betting sites and locations

While Idaho does have seven tribal casinos, due to the state of sports betting legislation, those locations do not have the option to accept wagers. If the state ever decides to move forward with a sports betting bill, then these tribal casinos would likely be the perfect place for retail betting to start since they are already established.

In-person betting in Idaho is limited to horse racing, as there are currently five places in the state that host races. While five tracks host races, only Greyhound Park & Event Center is a simulcast facility. Each facility requires bettors to be at least 18 years of age.

Sports betting in neighboring states

With their disregard for a sports betting bill, Idaho has fallen behind its surrounding states significantly on the matter. Of course, Nevada is close by, but that gambling layout is nearly impossible to replicate. At the same time, a state like Oregon has operated strictly with mobile betting and has been successful.

Five of Idaho’s six surrounding states all have some form of legalized sports betting, so while residents have options all over the place, the state will continue to lose potential tax dollars by bettors traveling outside of the state to place wagers. Just Oregon alone, which has had legal betting since October of 2019, has made over $80 million in tax revenue.

What’s Next For ID Betting Apps?

Currently, there isn’t much optimism about legalized sports betting in ID. There have been no rumors or talks of a sports betting bill being created anytime soon, and even if it does, it doesn’t necessarily mean it will be passed.

Racebooks remain the only betting apps that Idaho residents can download and use within the state. Additionally, after DraftKings and FanDuel were forced to stop offering DFS contests in the state, it’s hard to know if they would attempt to reenter the market if sports betting became legalized.

Potential sports betting revenue impact on Idaho's economy

Due to the current state of sports betting legislation in Idaho, there are no handle, revenue, or tax numbers to report. While it is tough to speculate what sports betting would bring to the state, we know how much of an impact the tribal casinos alone make. According to the American Gaming Association, tribal casinos have an estimated economic impact of $353.5 million.

As far as sports betting alone goes, we can look at Oregon again to see what a strong comparison could be for Idaho. In nearly four years of legal sports betting, Oregon has produced over $1 billion in handle and $160 million in revenue, so the potential is certainly there for the Gem State.

In terms of population, West Virginia is a good state to look at for comparison. Since legalizing sports betting, the state has made over $2 billion in the handle and $211.3 million in revenue. Of course, plenty of factors contribute to these numbers, including the number of licenses the state allows.