Wager on World Cup games in the U.S? Don't Bet on It
Wagering on sporting events has been legal in most of the world for decades.
But it wasn't true in most of the U.S. until the Supreme Court in 2018 opened the door for any states to mirror the sports betting that was a virtual monopoly in Nevada for generations.
And while nearly 80% of the states now have legal, regulated sports betting, an unwelcome surprise is in store for many visitors from all over the world who converge in 11 U.S. cities for the World Cup, with matches beginning on June 11 and concluding with the championship match on July 19.
Only 34 World Cup stadium sites where legal betting will be an option
playboycasino.com has found that of the 78 matches that will be held in the U.S., sports betting is legal at only 34 of the stadium sites.
(This includes describing Miami as legal even though it has only one mobile sports betting app - Hard Rock - and Seattle as not legal because Washington State only allows retail sports betting at tribal casinos, none of which are within 25 miles of Seattle's Lumen Field soccer site.)
As FIFA was planning out the 11 U.S. locations for games several years ago, it does not appear that the presence or absence of legal sportsbook options for ticket buyers was any factor at all.
The three largest states that have yet to legalize sports betting - California, Texas, and Georgia - are playing host to a combined 38 matches, while Seattle was awarded six contests.
Which fan bases fare the best for World Cup betting
The good news, if one can call it that, is that each top 10 team in the current FIFA rankings will play at least one match at a legal sports betting site.
Even so, only 17 of the 30 matches to be played by those betting favorites will take place in a location where wagers can be made.
Only the backers of the top-ranked France squad and No. 6 Brazil will be able to attend all three group stage matches in legal sports betting states like New Jersey and Massachusetts for France, while Brazil has a match in Florida but not Massachusetts.
Supporters of England and Morocco get two group stage matches in legal betting locations, while Spain, Argentina, Portugal, The Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany are left with just one such match (not including Belgium's contest in Seattle).
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Mexico, Canada matches are clear sailing for World Cup gamblers
The news is better for supporters attending one or more of the 13 matches in Mexico or the same number in Canada.
The Mexican federal government oversees legal sports betting, including at the Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey match sites.
The "catch," however, is that visiting bettors to Mexico from the U.S. won't be able to use their familiar sports betting apps such as FanDuel, or Caesars.
Instead, they will need to learn unfamiliar legal options such as Caliente, Codere, or Betcris. It is worth noting that minimum legal age for sports betting in Mexico is 18, not 21 as in most of the U.S.
Not all of Canada's provinces authorize sports betting, but Ontario - location of six World Cup matches - and British Columbia - where seven matches will be played in Vancouver - are two provinces that do permit it.
Toronto visitors from the U.S. will be able to place wagers on most of the leading American sportsbook names. In Vancouver, however, PlayNow Sports is the only legal option for those age 19 and up.
The most realistic result for World Cup betting in the U.S.
Globetrotting World Cup soccer fans - a significant number of whom likely are extremely wealthy, given the sky-high ticket prices - who hit unexpected roadblocks in terms of betting on the games aren't very likely to simply "give up."
Instead, they presumably will search for other mobile sportsbook options on their smartphones. Those searches certainly will turn up numerous, illegal, unregulated offshore sportsbook options instead.
Those fans will have no consumer protections with state regulators, and they will contribute no state tax revenue from their sports betting losses.
And for those who also enjoy playing online casino games in their spare time, there are only two states where such iGaming is legal, and that includes New Jersey, which is the location of the World Cup championship match.
