North Dakota (ND)

Before 2021, North Dakotans were welcome to buy lottery tickets or bet on horse or dog races. Sports betting, however, was prohibited. In the fall of 2021, ND finally legalized gambling on professional sports, leading to Dakota Nation Gaming Enterprise offering sportsbooks in three casinos.

However, the state continues to deny mobile sports betting legal status, meaning players wishing to wager online must turn to offshore bookmakers. Though a state-regulated North Dakota sports betting app does not yet exist, the plethora of offshore options does not leave the state's residents hanging. It's likely any sort of bill pertaining to legalized mobile sports betting will not be voted on until 2024, leaving residents with a glimmer of hope that 2025 is the year they can download licensed betting apps.

Online Sports Betting in North Dakota

American voters have long remained torn over sports betting; many are supportive of the activity, and many others are not. In 1992, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act set a nationwide ban on wagering in all sports. 2018 saw the ban overturned, and states have been rushing to pass their legislation.

North Dakota joined their ranks in late 2021 when the government legalized betting on professional sports in person. In December that year, Dakota Magic Casino started accepting sports bets from the state's residents. Currently, 3 Indigenous casinos offer bookmaking services at their onsite casinos, but online sports betting in ND remains off of the law books. However, this simply means that the state doesn’t regulate online gambling and doesn’t offer any licensing to companies wishing to offer this activity.

Offshore bookmakers are readily available to North Dakotans looking to place wagers on any sporting activity. Aside from offshore sportsbooks, ND residents can travel to South Dakota, west to Montana, or even north to Canada if they are looking to play the odds.

Because offshore bookmakers are almost entirely online, their apps are typically very well-developed. Usually, these apps complement very robust sports betting websites that offer any number of professional and collegiate sports events. Any player looking to get in on the action will find the platforms easy to navigate and fun to use.

Sports Betting Legislation in ND

A look back shows the state slowly opening up to gambling on sports. Almost 50 years ago, in 1976, ND legislators banned all forms of gambling. However, they revoked the blanket ban a year later, permitting charitable wagering like bingo and raffles.

Almost 10 years later, lawmakers expanded these rules and suddenly ND led the US in charitable gambling. By allowing parimutuel sports gambling at horse and greyhound racetracks, the state was more permissive than most at the time. Coinciding with the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), which banned sports betting nationwide, five communities came to a mutual agreement with the state government in 1992 to open tribal casinos.

In 2004, the Flickertail State started its state lottery. When the US Supreme Court overturned PASPA in 2018, states began deciding on their gambling legislation. A year later, North Dakota lawmakers drafted two gambling bills — HB 1295 and HB 1254 — to legalize sports betting, but they failed to pass.

In 2020, COVID-19 drew away legislators’ attention, leading to minimal legalization efforts. Then in 2021, ND authorized land-based gambling at tribal casinos. Mobile betting remains unregulated in the state, leaving offshore bookmakers the only online option.

In-Person Sports Betting In North Dakota

Currently, the Dakota Nation Gaming Enterprise (DNGE) tribal casinos in the state offer sportsbooks to all residents over 21 years of age. These are the Dakota Magic Casino & Hotel, the Dakota Connection, and the Dakota Sioux. Following the state’s legalization of sports betting, this was the first group to be licensed by the state government, and so the first to offer a bookmaking service to clients.

As stated, 21 years is the minimum required age for bettors for gambling at casinos in North Dakota, and racetracks follow the same age requirement rule. In-person sports betting gives residents the chance to place wagers on both college and professional sports, including football, tennis, basketball, baseball, golf, and hockey.

Sports Betting In Neighboring States

Of North Dakota’s three neighbors, only one state regulates online gambling on sports. Minnesota outright prohibits both in-person and online sports betting, and South Dakota falls in the middle of the spectrum between the other two. The state has legalized wagering on sports, and even claims to have a limited online option. However, the mobile betting site turns out to only be available within the casino’s territory in Deadwood.

Montana is the only state bordering North Dakota where residents can wager in-person and online on their favorite teams. The only legal online sportsbook is SportsBet Montana, operated by the state’s lottery, as has been the case since online sports betting was legalized. Montana has seen significant revenue generated through its licensed online sportsbooks, which may lead other Midwestern states to consider a similar move.

How do mobile sportsbook apps work in North Dakota?

As we've already discussed, online sports betting is only available in North Dakota through offshore bookmakers. For those residents who don't mind doing their gambling on out-of-country sportsbooks, this is a boon. Not only do offshore sportsbooks provide a tremendous variety of national and international betting markets, but they also often offer the sharpest odds.

The market of offshore bookies is getting crowded, which works very much in the client's favor. To draw in more customers, the operators become more and more competitive with perks like enticing bonuses, great odds, and generous affiliate programs.

Signing up to these platforms is pretty similar to their operations is easy. Once a punter has chosen their sportsbook, they need to register, provide a few personal details, create a username and password, and decide on their deposit method. Almost all offer welcome bonuses, though these vary in detail. For example, some are 'free bet' styles, while others will double a player's initial stake on a bet.

Regardless, finding a betting market and choosing from a wager option is the same across all platforms, and things like live wagering and paying in crypto are standard features now. Users will see differences in features such as the quality of a service's customer support or VIP programs, but they will find the basics essentially the same.

Getting started - Step-by-step

Bettors with experience in gambling sites will find signing up a familiar process. Because these are offshore, the process is the same for residents of North Dakota as it is for those of other states. We outline them here:

1. Sign up and register with the bookmaker of choice. This means players must provide their names, date of birth, address and email, and a username and password.

2. Download the preferred sports betting app. They are almost all available on Android and iOS operating systems and are easy to find in the App Store and Google Play Store.

3. Make a deposit. Various options for funding players’ accounts include eCheck, eWallets, wire transfers, and cryptocurrency transactions.

4. Claim any welcome bonus. This is often automatic to all newly registered players but sometimes requires an opt-in at this point.

5. Place bets. Now users can get gambling! It’s simple: finding a match, choosing a betting option, and waiting for the results.

Bonuses and ND sports betting offers

A distinct benefit to patronizing offshore bookmakers is the range of bonuses. Residents of North Dakota signing up to offshore sportsbooks will find that each app has its unique welcome offer to new registrants. For example, BetOnline offers up to $1,000 as a deposit bonus.

Bovada allows new players to choose from several welcome bonuses for cryptocurrency, poker, casino games, and sports betting. These are all variations on the theme of matching initial deposits and can be worth up to $3,750.

Meanwhile, BetUS offers a welcome gift of a 150% match (capped at $3,000). The best sportsbooks offer incentives to existing players, such as MyBookie, which provides weekday reload bonuses and Free Spin Wednesdays.

XBet offers a highly generous Casino Weekend Reload Bonus up to $1,000 and a Sports Reload Bonus worth up to $250.

Payment methods for depositing

Aside from steadfast favorites like credit cards, most offshore bookies also provide support for various other payment methods. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted, as are bank wire transfers and eChecks. We also found cashier's checks, money orders, and Person to Person capability almost across the board.

Cryptocurrency has made a splash on the gambling scene, with most sportsbooks accepting a selection of coins, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Cardano, and Ripple. Withdrawal methods also run the gamut. Although trade time will not be equal for all, most North Dakota bettors will find their transactions completed within 3 to 5 days.

What is legal to bet on in North Dakota?

The current status of sports betting means that casinos provide only in-person bookmaking services to clients. However, unlike other states, North Dakota has not kept college-level sports off the books, meaning that in North Dakota, you can legally bet on college football, basketball, and baseball, as well as NFL, NBA, and MLB games. Pro tennis and golf are represented, as are NHL hockey games.

The state does not currently license online, or mobile betting, which means that esports is unavailable for bettors in the state. However, offshore options provide a much wider field, including MMA, boxing, darts, cycling, cricket, and rugby.

Though age limits change between 18 and 21, this is not related to the sport but the platform: offshore bookies allow 18-year-olds, whereas in-person punters must be 21. The exact age limits apply even at the race tracks, where bettors have long been able to wager on their favorite horse or dog. Any punters of 18 wishing to try their luck at playing the odds can only do so by purchasing lottery tickets or bingo cards.

What’s Next For ND Betting Apps

Legislators have fielded several petitions to legalize online sports betting in recent years, and they will continue to do so until the lobbying effort is successful. The next vote on the subject won’t likely be until 2024, leaving 2025 to be the earliest mobile sports betting could be brought to the state.

The United States-based DraftKings will almost certainly be gunning for an exclusive deal with North Dakota if the legislation passes. This platform has expanded into several lucrative contracts with state lotteries across the US. FanDuel, already hugely popular in fantasy sports wagering, will also be eager to access this market.

Trusted North Dakota sports betting mobile apps in 2023

While the options are many, there are a few fan favorites here. BetOnline is one of the best North Dakota sports gambling sites currently available. It has a solid reputation and offers up to 20 betting lines so that players can enjoy extensive markets and unique bonus offers. The website supports several payment methods, like American Express and Bitcoin.

Xbet is another popular mobile betting app in ND, with golf, tennis, boxing, and horse racing. This app accepts crypto and offers 24/7 live chat support. Bovada is a sportsbook that promises North Dakota players a great gambling experience. The app is famous for live-streaming NFL betting. In addition, it has an impressive sports selection and offers generous sign-up bonuses.

MyBookie is a famous bookmaker in the Flickertail State, accessible via a mobile app and a website. Its sports selection includes national and foreign markets, and lets users play sharp betting odds here.

Another popular app in ND is BetUS. The app lets players enjoy free casino games and in-play betting on various sports events, including basketball, football, and even NASCAR and Formula 1.