Oregon

From 1989 to 2007, Oregon was offering a form of legal sports betting, but it wasn’t until 2019 that sports betting would see the light of day again in the state. Now, the Beaver State has a partnership with DraftKings to run its mobile sports betting scene.

Oregon has some interesting rules when it comes to wagering on collegiate sports. Any bettor using a mobile app to place a wager cannot bet on an in-state college, but if a bettor is located at a tribal casino, then they are free to wager on local colleges. The three things that cannot be wagered on, regardless of whether online or retail, are politics, entertainment, and eSports.

Daily fantasy sports apps can be downloaded in OR; however, DraftKings does not provide fantasy contests in the state. Instead, other operators are available. Betting on horse racing is also legal in the state, and wagers can be placed at either one of the five racetracks or online using a racebook.

Online sports betting in The Beaver State

Oregon is one of those rare states that did offer some form of sports betting prior to the introduction of PASPA. In 1989, the state lottery came out with a lottery game called “Sports Action,” which allowed residents to place a wager on specific NFL games. Shortly after this was introduced, PASPA was formed in 1992, which made sports betting illegal in the U.S. However, Oregon and Sports Action managed to secure an exemption.

Because of this exemption from PASPA, Oregon ran a version of sports betting without problems until 2005. By this point, the NCAA was adamant that sports betting must be outlawed, and as a result, Beaver State passed a bill stating that Sports Action would be officially put to rest by 2007.

Quickly after PASPA was overturned, Oregon was able to launch sports betting again in 2019. Not only were residents able to place legal wagers at select tribal casinos, but they could also use the Scoreboard app, which was run by the state lottery. The app itself was run by SBTech, which was acquired by DraftKings in late 2019.

Due to a lack of results from the Scoreboard app, the Lottery would then make a deal with DraftKings in 2021 to become the sole mobile online operator in the state. The online operator would not fully take over mobile sports betting operations in the Beaver State until January 18, 2022.

This deal set up a betting landscape similar to New Hampshire's, as they also partnered with DraftKings to set up a monopoly on mobile sports betting in the state. While there has been a push to expand the mobile sports betting scene in the state, especially by a group called “Sport Oregon,” discussions around the topic have not yet led anywhere.

All legal OR sports betting apps in 2024:

Sports betting & gambling legislation in OR

Although the Oregon sports betting scene may not be large, it is still important for bettors to follow the rules and regulations surrounding it. For starters, bettors must be at least 21 years old to place a legal wager in the state. Bettors do have the option for remote registration on DraftKings, but they still must be in state lines to place a bet on the app. DraftKings uses geofencing software to ensure that this remains the case.

The Oregon Lottery oversees all sports betting in the state and enforces these rules and regulations. The only thing that may be equally as important to the state's gambling age is the tax rate. In OR, all gambling winnings over $1,500 are subject to an 8% tax rate, and all winnings over $5,000 are also subject to an additional tax rate of 24%.

There is still work to be done regarding betting bills in the state, such as the legalization of iGaming; however, discussions on this topic have not been pressing. With online casinos and online poker still prohibited, social sportsbooks, DFS apps, and the lottery are the only gambling markets offered outside of tribal casinos and sports betting.

Most recent updates from the OR sports betting scene

• May 3, 2024: Following the conclusion of spring ball, new Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel currently has the third-best odds to win the Heisman Trophy at (+1000).

• April 26, 2024: The Denver Broncos selected former Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix and wide receiver Troy Franklin in the 2024 NFL Draft. Following the draft, Bo Nix is (+2800) to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.

• August 24, 2023: Michael Wells has been chosen as the permanent director of the Oregon Lottery, pending confirmation by the Oregon Senate. Governor Tina Kotek announced this appointment around eight months after Wells was appointed interim director.

• June 28, 2023: In partnership with DraftKings Sportsbook, the Oregon Lottery plans to offer unique and unconventional betting markets this summer. One notable option is betting on Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, where participants aim to consume as many hot dogs as possible on July 4th.

• March 29, 2023: DraftKings extends its horseracing product, DK Horse, to Oregon and 11 other states. The app enables pari-mutuel wagering on horse races, including Churchill Downs events like the Oaks and Derby. Users can also stream race videos on the platform.

• January 12, 2022: DraftKings is set to become the exclusive sportsbook provider for the Oregon Lottery, replacing the existing Scoreboard app. Scoreboard users can transfer funds to DraftKings, but the Scoreboard app will lose functionality while retaining transaction history and account data.

In-person sports betting sites and locations

They aren’t in the most populated areas, but Oregon residents have four retail locations that can take legal sports wagers, all of which are tribal casinos. These casinos were in the fold long before PASPA was overturned, and they are the only way bettors can wager on in-state colleges.

Despite DraftKings having complete control over the online betting scene in OR, Spirit Mountain Casino customers can use the BetMGM mobile sportsbook while on the casino's premises, thanks to a partnership. This is the only location in the state where another mobile betting app can be legally accessed.

Sports betting in neighboring states

Outside of Nevada, the West Coast sports betting scene is not exceptionally strong. If Oregon residents were to head over the border to any bordering state other than Nevada, they would find either no legal sports betting or heavily restricted sports betting.

Both Idaho and California look to be years away from passing sports betting legislation, and in Washington, bettors only have one location where they can place a legal wager. To find out more about all three of these states, you can click on them in the info box down below.

Sports betting revenue impact on Oregon's economy

Only four casinos in Oregon have a sports betting license, and the actual licensing fee they paid is unknown. Currently, the tax rate is 2.3%, which is the lowest rate in the country amongst states with legal sports betting.

Despite only having one active mobile sportsbook and three retail betting locations, Oregon still produces a strong sports betting handle on a monthly basis. The state dipped below $50 million in handle in only four months during 2023. However, the lack of sports betting options can be seen in the state’s monthly revenue, as it is still in search of its first month with $10 million in revenue.

New Hampshire also has a monopoly on sports betting through DraftKings, and they have had a very similar economic impact to Oregon. Since legalizing sports betting, NH has seen $2.9 billion in handle and $107.3 million in tax income, while Oregon has seen $1.9 billion in handle and $101.8 million in tax income.

Oregon sports betting record months:

• Sports betting handle: December 2023 ($73,219,596)

• Revenue: January 2024 ($9,898,882)

• Tax income: January 2024 ($4,949,441)

OR sports betting revenue in 2024