Tennessee is unlike any other US betting market in two ways: it has no casinos and no retail sportsbooks at all, so it was the first online-only state, and it is the only state that taxes betting handle rather than revenue. Launched in November 2020, the market is a busy one, with more than $500 million wagered in peak months. This Tennessee guide covers what’s legal and how to start.
Is online gambling legal in Tennessee?
Yes. Tennessee legalized online sports betting in 2019 and launched on 1 November 2020. Because the state has no casinos, there are no retail sportsbooks — everything is mobile. The market is overseen by the Tennessee Sports Wagering Council (SWC). You must be 21 or older and physically located in Tennessee to bet, confirmed by geolocation. Real-money online casino is not legal (and, with no casinos, isn’t on the near-term agenda).
What you can play in Tennessee
- Sportsbooks: mobile betting on every major sport and league.
- Daily fantasy sports: legal in Tennessee through DraftKings, FanDuel, PrizePicks, Underdog and Sleeper.
- Horse racing: pari-mutuel wagering for Tennessee bettors via licensed ADW apps.
- Online casino: not yet legal in Tennessee — see the outlook below.
Online gambling in Tennessee by the numbers
| Metric | Latest figure |
|---|---|
| Launched | 1 November 2020 (online-only) |
| Tax rate | 1.85% of handle (unique — taxes wagers, not revenue) |
| 2025 handle | More than $500 million wagered in peak months |
| Operators | Around 11 mobile sportsbooks |
| Online casino | Not legal |
| Minimum age | 21+ |
Online-only, and a one-of-a-kind tax
Tennessee’s tax is genuinely unique. It started at 20% of revenue, but in July 2023 the state switched to a flat 1.85% of handle — taxing every dollar wagered rather than operator winnings, the only state to do so. For the state it means steadier, more predictable receipts; for operators the burden is broadly similar. Tennessee also requires licensed books to meet a minimum hold, a rule that has drawn debate. College betting, including on in-state teams, is permitted.
The best Tennessee sportsbooks
We only feature operators we work with and can verify, and all four of our sportsbook partners operate in Tennessee: FanDuel (best app and same-game parlays), bet365 (strong live betting and a win-or-lose welcome offer), Hard Rock Bet and BetRivers (iRush Rewards). Because everything is mobile, the app experience matters even more here — the offers on this page show what’s live now.
See terms and codes on our promo codes page or the full Tennessee sportsbook guide.
Popular bets and Tennessee sports
Tennessee bettors play the standard markets — moneylines, point spreads, totals and parlays/same-game parlays. Local action runs across the NFL’s Titans, the NBA’s Grizzlies and the NHL’s Predators, but college football is king: the Tennessee Volunteers drive huge autumn handle, and since the state allows in-state college betting, the Vols are fair game. The NFL and college football lead overall.
Choosing a Tennessee sportsbook
Because Tennessee is mobile-only, the app itself is the entire experience — so prioritise the books with the smoothest interfaces and fastest withdrawals. Compare the welcome offer (safety-net first bet versus bonus bets), the depth of Volunteers and Titans markets, live betting and same-game parlays, and ongoing odds boosts. With around eleven apps competing and no retail fallback, it pays to keep two or three accounts and take the best available price on the games you follow.
Bet types explained
The betting menu in Tennessee comes down to essentials. Start with the Tennessee moneyline, a clean pick of who wins — the Titans to take it. Add the point spread, which handicaps the favorite, and the total, a bet on combined scoring rather than the Tennessee winner. For bigger swings, Tennessee bettors use parlays (several legs, all must win), same-game parlays from a single the Titans matchup, futures on the season, and live in-play markets that track the Titans in real time.
Tennessee’s market by the numbers
Tennessee’s online-only market is busier than its lack of casinos might suggest. Bettors regularly push monthly handle past $500 million, and the American Gaming Association estimated the state’s sportsbooks took in around $356 million in revenue across the first seven months of 2025 alone. Under the 1.85%-of-handle tax, the state collected more than $100 million in a single fiscal year and over $210 million since the changeover in July 2023 — steadier money than a revenue tax would deliver, because it doesn’t swing with how often bettors win.
The handle tax has trade-offs the state is still debating. Because operators pay on every dollar wagered regardless of whether they win it, Tennessee also imposes a minimum-hold requirement on its books — a rule unique enough that it has drawn industry pushback. For bettors, the upshot is a fully mobile market with around eleven competing apps and no in-person option at all. With college football — above all the Tennessee Volunteers — driving the calendar, autumn weekends are the heartbeat of betting in the Volunteer State.
How to start betting in Tennessee
Signing up in Tennessee is quick — be 21+ and inside Tennessee, pick a licensed Tennessee sportsbook, and create an account with accurate information for verification. After opting into the Tennessee promo and depositing, set your limits, place your first Tennessee bet, and cash out whenever the offer’s Tennessee conditions are satisfied.
Will Tennessee legalize online casino?
Not yet. Real-money online casino is not legal in Tennessee, and while sports betting’s success keeps iGaming in the conversation, no bill has passed. For now, sports betting, DFS and horse racing are Tennessee’s only legal online options — stick to licensed operators rather than unregulated offshore sites. We’ll keep this Tennessee page updated if that changes.
For the full picture, see our Tennessee online casino guide, which tracks whether and when real-money iGaming might reach Tennessee.
Is online gambling safe in Tennessee?
Yes, provided you use operators licensed by the Tennessee Sports Wagering Council — every book we list here is. Because the market is fully online, licensing matters even more: regulated apps are audited for fair pricing and payouts, secure your deposits and verify your identity, age and location before each bet. Unregulated offshore sites offer none of those safeguards, so always confirm a sportsbook is SWC-licensed before depositing.
Responsible gambling in Tennessee
The healthiest approach to Tennessee betting is a fixed budget and the mindset that it is fun, never income or a way to win back Tennessee losses. Licensed Tennessee books build in deposit and time limits, cool-offs and self-exclusion, so lean on them early. If gambling ever feels like a problem in Tennessee, support is one free, confidential contact away at 1-800-GAMBLER.
Tennessee sports betting FAQ
1. Is online sports betting legal in Tennessee?
Yes. Online sports betting launched on 1 November 2020, regulated by the Tennessee Sports Wagering Council. Tennessee is online-only (no retail sportsbooks). You must be 21+ and physically in Tennessee to bet.
2. Is online casino legal in Tennessee?
No. Real-money online casino games are not legal in Tennessee, and with no casinos in the state it isn’t on the near-term agenda. In Tennessee, only sports betting, DFS and horse racing are legal in Tennessee online.
3. Why is Tennessee’s sports betting tax different?
Tennessee is the only state that taxes betting handle (1.85% of every dollar wagered) rather than operator revenue — a switch it made in July 2023 for steadier, more predictable receipts.
4. Are there any retail sportsbooks in Tennessee?
No. Tennessee has no casinos, so it was the first fully online-only sports betting state. Every legal bet is placed through a mobile app.
5. Which sportsbook is best in Tennessee?
All four of our partners — FanDuel, bet365, Hard Rock Bet and BetRivers — operate in Tennessee, alongside DraftKings, BetMGM and Caesars. Since it’s mobile-only, the app experience matters most.
6. Are prediction markets like Kalshi legal in Tennessee?
Prediction markets like Kalshi reach Tennessee because the CFTC regulates them federally as event-contract exchanges rather than Tennessee-licensed sportsbooks. Their sports contracts behave enough like bets that Tennessee’s legal picture stays contested, and 2026 saw a federal appeals court side with Kalshi over state regulators while the fight continues. For Tennessee bettors the safe read is a separate, federally overseen category.
7. Are sweepstakes casinos legal in Tennessee?
Sweepstakes casinos like Chumba, LuckyLand and Stake.us reach Tennessee adults through a virtual-currency model designed to sit outside Tennessee gambling licensing. That leaves Tennessee players in a grey area with weaker safeguards than a regulated site, one regulators keep testing — so use them cautiously in Tennessee.
8. Is daily fantasy sports (DFS) legal in Tennessee?
Yes — daily fantasy sports operate in Tennessee as a contest-based activity separate from Tennessee sportsbook wagering. DraftKings and FanDuel lead the Tennessee field, joined by pick’em apps PrizePicks, Underdog and Sleeper.
9. Can I bet on horse racing online in Tennessee?
Yes — Tennessee bettors can wager on horse racing via regulated ADW platforms like TVG (FanDuel Racing), TwinSpires and AmWager, a separate product from Tennessee sports betting.
10. Where can I get help for a gambling problem in Tennessee?
Help in Tennessee is free, confidential and available 24/7 — call or text 1-800-GAMBLER, or use the deposit limits, cool-off periods and self-exclusion tools in every licensed Tennessee app. Nobody in Tennessee has to be in crisis to reach out.
21+. Must be physically located in Tennessee. Gambling problem in Tennessee? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.