This page is your ultimate guide to playing daily fantasy sports for real money legally in the US. Check the up-to-date table below to see in which states DFS sites like DraftKings, FanDuel, OwnersBox, Sleeper, Underdog Fantasy, and PrizePicks are legal.
Daily fantasy sports have exploded in popularity in recent years all over the United States, but the legal situation for DFS is different depending on what state you’re in. Laws and regulations in each state change all the time so it can be confusing. This guide makes it really easy by telling you exactly which states DraftKings and FanDuel operate in.
Where Can You Play on DraftKings and FanDuel?
DraftKings and FanDuel are the two most popular daily fantasy sports betting sites in the US.
We will explain more about the similarities and differences between them further down the page, but in this section, we are going to focus on the US states where betting real money on daily fantasy sports is legal.
Fantasy sports gambling laws vary by state. This table doesn’t necessarily reflect whether DFS is explicitly legal in each state. It shows which states DraftKings and FanDuel have chosen to operate and accept players from.
It should be noted that when a state creates new laws on DFS, or takes a stance against it, DraftKings and FanDuel have both amicably agreed to stop operating there. In some cases, when the laws change for the better the DFS sites have been able to return to those states.
Is Daily Fantasy Sports Legal in the United States?
The short answer is that playing daily fantasy sports, for free or real money, is available legally in the majority of states in the US. It’s also expected to become even more widely available in the months and years to come.
The long answer is a little more complicated. Daily fantasy sports sites in the US have surged in popularity in the last ten years – in large part filling the hole created by the federal ban on sports betting that was in place from 1992 to 2018.
DFS has existed in a legal grey area. The most common deciding factor on its legality is whether a state believes it to be predominantly a game of skill or a game of chance.
States that consider DFS betting to be skill-based are far more likely to also consider it to be legal. Jurisdictions that have found DFS to be more like gambling are the ones that have taken a position against it
As DFS betting grew in popularity, this led some states to introduce legislation designed to control and regulate sites like DraftKings and FanDuel. Others have decided to ban fantasy sports betting entirely.
However, over the years more states have moved towards a relaxed stance on betting on fantasy sports, especially after the federal ban on traditional sports betting was struck down in 2018.
Today, online fantasy sports betting is legal in 80% of US states, with legislation on the horizon for some of the remaining 10% too.
Check back on this page regularly for updates on the legal situation in each state.
FanDuel and DraftKings – Daily Fantasy Sports for Cash
Betting on fantasy sports in the US really comes down to two main options – DraftKings and FanDuel. Think of them as the Coke and Pepsi or the Apple and Android of DFS. There are other options but they’re nowhere near as good.
These two competitors are by far and away the biggest fantasy sports betting sites, and they both have far and away the best daily fantasy sports betting apps.
Both sites share a number of other similarities that make them the best choice for DFS players in the US.
DraftKings and FanDuel both have:
- The highest number of users in the US.
- The best bonuses and deals for new and existing users.
- Cutting-edge software on websites and apps.
Both DraftKings and FanDuel have also opened traditional sportsbooks in some states, meaning users who intend to play both daily fantasy games and bet on sports can use the same log-in and account for both, as long as both are legal in their state.
Ultimately there isn’t a huge difference between these two daily fantasy sports sites, but depending on your specific requirements you might find one to be a better fit than the other.
To get a comprehensive understanding of each site, check out our reviews before signing up. Each review comes with sign up links to get the most valuable bonus.
