How Old Do You Have to be to Gamble?
Each state makes minimum age laws for gambling within its borders. For additional confusion, one state may also have different minimum ages for different types of activities, such as gambling in a casino or buying a lottery ticket. Generally, the legal gambling age in a state is either or mix of 18 and 21 years old. It is typical that if the location sells alcohol, like a casino or card room, the minimum age is 21, because that is the legal minimum for purchasing alcohol in every state. Below you will find a detailed description of gambling ages by state.
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Legal Gambling Age By State
Finding the legal gambling age in your state will depend on what type of activity you are looking for — and sometimes whether the location serves alcohol. Check out the table below for more on your specific situation and remember, a particular casino may require a higher minimum age than state law.
| State | Online | Casinos | Poker | Lottery | Horse Racing | Bingo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 18 | 21 | 21 | – | 18 | 18 |
| Alaska | 18 | 21 | – | – | – | 19 |
| Arizona | 18 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 18 |
| Arkansas | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| California | 18 | 18/21 | 18/21 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Colorado | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Connecticut | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Delaware | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Florida | 18 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Georgia | 18 | – | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Hawaii | 18 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Idaho | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Illinois | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Indiana | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Iowa | 18 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Kansas | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Kentucky | 18 | – | – | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Louisiana | 18 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 |
| Maine | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Maryland | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Massachusetts | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Michigan | 18 | 18/21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Minnesota | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Mississippi | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Missouri | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Montana | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Nebraska | 18 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 18 |
| Nevada | 18 | 21 | 21 | – | 21 | 21 |
| New Hampshire | 18 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| New Jersey | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| New Mexico | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| North Carolina | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| North Dakota | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Ohio | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Oklahoma | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Oregon | 18 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Pennsylvania | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Rhode Island | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| South Carolina | 18 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| South Dakota | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Tennessee | 18 | – | – | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Texas | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 21 |
| Utah | 18 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Vermont | 18 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Virginia | 18 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Washington | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| West Virginia | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Wisconsin | 18 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 21 | 18 |
| Wyoming | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
Types of Gambling Available for those of Gambling Age
ONLINE CASINOS
Play your favorite table games, slots, or video poker on your laptop, tablet, or phone for real money!
LIVE CASINOS
The gambling age in Vegas is 21, as it is for most commercial casinos across the country.
POKER
Even if you enjoy playing poker online, many states offer card rooms for you to hone your skills against in-person competition.
KENO
Many people enjoy playing scratch-off tickets, testing their luck in multi-state jackpot games, or wagering on keno from a restaurant or bar.
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Banking Options for U.S. Gambling
Once you’re old enough to gamble in your area, you’ll need to figure out how to fund your bankroll . . . and how to bank your winnings! The following are the most common deposit methods at the top online casinos reviewed.
Visa
The most popular credit card on the market, Visa is accepted at most online casinos.
MasterCard
Though not quite as popular as Visa, MasterCard is widely accepted.
American Express
Safe, secure and easy to use, many US casinos accept AMEX.
PaySafeCard
A quick and easy method, recommended for casual players.
Bitcoin and Crypto
Many online gamblers enjoy the anonymity that cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin provide.
Cash and Wire Transfers
Cash is always king, especially when buying local lottery tickets or playing at a brick-and-mortar casino. But cash transfers can work just as well!
Legal Gambling Age FAQs
How Old Do You Have to Be to Go to a Casino?
Many casinos will require you be to the legal minimum age before letting you in. Typically, this is 21 years old. However, some resorts allow guests of any age to walk through the casino, especially during the day. Gambling at a table or slot machine is a different matter.
I Want to Learn to Gamble Before I Hit the Legal Gambling Age
Great! Understanding casino games before you play is smart and will help you once you are old enough to gamble. You can find many tutorials on various casino games online, like free online blackjack explainer. Just be sure the teaching games don’t require you to run afoul of your state’s gambling laws.
What Can Happen if I Get Caught Gambling Underage?
If you are not old enough to legally gamble, please do not. Especially if you are not legally a minor (i.e., 18 and up), you can face serious criminal charges. Additionally, using a fake ID to gamble can create a whole different slew of legal problems.
What Is the Legal Gambling Age in Vegas?
Las Vegas casinos, like all of Nevada, require you to be at least 21 years of age to participate in any gaming. Though there is plenty to do for minors in the City of Sin, you must be 21 before throwing the dice or pulling the arm of a slot machine.
Why Are there so Many Different Casino Age Limits?
Each of the 50 states is responsible for creating its own gambling laws. This includes the minimum age for going to a casino. So, each state could come up with its own rules. Most places require casinos that serve alcohol to also have a 21 year old minimum for gambling.
Are Gambling Ages Different for Online Casinos?
Each online casino site can set its own requirements for registration. Some may require you to be 21 or up to start playing for real money. It can also depend on the law where you are located, as casinos avoid allowing underage gaming. However, most online casinos have a minimum age of 21.
Do You Have to be 21 to Enter a Casino?
Not necessarily. Some casinos, especially those that don’t serve alcohol, will allow patrons 18 and up. It depends on state law and the casino’s choice. Check out a casino’s website before traveling there to ensure you will be allowed in.
What Happens to Underage Gamblers?
It is against the law to gamble when you are underage. The penalty will depend on the severity of any offense, but you can be assured you will forfeit any winnings and face a citation, fine, or even jail time.
