Sports Betting Laws in North Dakota (2025)

Sports betting is illegal in North Dakota as of 2025. No commercial sportsbook, online or retail, operates legally in the state.

Quick Answer: Is Sports Betting Legal in North Dakota?

No. Sports betting is not legal in North Dakota in 2025. There are no licensed commercial sportsbooks, no state-authorized online betting platforms, and no tribal casino in the state offers sports wagering. The statutory framework does not authorize it.

Residents can and cannot do the following:

Legal: Participate in charitable games of chance (bingo, pull tabs, poker, raffles, sports pools) run by licensed nonprofit organizations. Visit tribal casinos for slots and table games. Bet on horse racing via simulcast. Play daily fantasy sports on platforms like DraftKings or FanDuel, though the legal basis for DFS in North Dakota is ambiguous (no explicit statute authorizes or bans it). Drive to South Dakota, Montana, Iowa, or Wyoming and bet legally there.

Illegal: Place a sports bet with any bookmaker, online or in person, operating without state authorization. Use offshore sportsbook sites. Operate any sports wagering business in North Dakota.

The federal prohibition on state-authorized sports betting ended when the Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in Murphy v. NCAA, 138 S. Ct. 1461 (2018). That ruling gave states the choice. North Dakota has not exercised it.

North Dakota Gambling Law: The Statutory Framework

North Dakota's constitution is restrictive. Article XI, Section 25 of the North Dakota Constitution prohibits lotteries and gift enterprises but carves out an exception for "games of chance" conducted by qualified nonprofit or public-spirited organizations. That exception is the entire legal foundation for gambling in the state. There is no constitutional authorization for commercial gambling.

Games of Chance: NDCC Title 53, Chapter 53-06.1

NDCC § 53-06.1-01 through § 53-06.1-15 govern games of chance in North Dakota. Only licensed nonprofit or public-spirited organizations may conduct games of chance. Commercial operators are not eligible for a license.

Permitted games under NDCC § 53-06.1-03 include:

• Bingo
• Raffles
• Pull tabs (including electronic pull tab devices under NDCC § 53-06.2)
• Poker
• Twenty-one (blackjack)
• Paddlewheels
• Sports pools

Sports pools require clarification. A "sports pool" in North Dakota law is a charitable game of chance, typically a grid or bracket contest run by a licensed nonprofit. It is not commercial sports betting. It does not involve a sportsbook, odds, or wagering on live sporting events as legal sports betting operates in other states. The reference to "sports pools" in SB 2189 (69th Legislative Assembly) and in NDCC § 53-06.1-03 and § 53-06.1-11.1 is strictly within the nonprofit charitable gaming context.

The North Dakota Gaming Commission

The Gaming Commission administers and enforces the games of chance statutes under NDCC § 53-06.1-15. It licenses nonprofit organizations, audits their gaming operations, and sets rules. It has no authority to license commercial sportsbooks because no statute grants that authority.

Tribal Gaming

Five federally recognized tribes operate gaming facilities in North Dakota under compacts negotiated pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), 25 U.S.C. § 2701 et seq. IGRA authorizes Class II gaming (bingo-based games) and Class III gaming (casino-style games including slots and table games) where the state permits such games for any purpose. Tribal compacts in North Dakota cover Class II and Class III games but do not include sports betting. Sports wagering is not among the authorized games in the Five Nations Gaming Compact. Consult the North Dakota Attorney General's office for compact details.

No State Lottery

North Dakota does not have a state lottery. The constitutional prohibition on lotteries (Article XI, Section 25) has not been amended to permit one.

Failed Attempts to Legalize Sports Betting: Legislative History

Two bills represent legislative attempts at sports betting legalization. Both failed decisively.

HB 1254 (66th Legislative Assembly, 2019)

HB 1254 would have created NDCC § 53-06.1-10.3 to authorize sports betting as a game of chance and amended NDCC § 53-06.1-03 and § 53-06.1-12 to incorporate sports wagering into the existing charitable gaming tax structure. Proponents framed sports betting as a game of chance, attempting to work within the existing constitutional framework rather than pursuing a constitutional amendment.

The House rejected it on second reading (7 yeas to 38 nays), reflecting constitutional skepticism and a lack of political will.

HB 1234 (67th Legislative Assembly, 2021)

HB 1234 proposed regulating sports wagering, including criminal history background checks, and called for a legislative management study. It failed even more decisively: 1 yea to 46 nays on second reading.

Why These Bills Failed

The constitutional barrier is Article XI, Section 25, which limits games of chance to nonprofit and public-spirited organizations. Authorizing commercial sports betting by statute without a constitutional amendment is legally questionable. Legislators were unwilling to pass a law likely to face immediate constitutional challenge.

No Bills in the 68th or 69th Sessions (2023, 2025)

No sports betting bill was introduced in the 68th Legislative Assembly (2023) or the 69th Legislative Assembly (2025). Gaming-related legislation in those sessions focused on electronic pull tabs, commission structure, and raffle rules, not sports wagering.

What Legalization Would Actually Require

Legal sports betting in North Dakota likely requires a constitutional amendment. Under the North Dakota Constitution Article XI, Section 25, an amendment must be referred to voters by the Legislative Assembly and approved by a majority of voters at a general election. Without that, any commercial sports betting statute faces a strong constitutional challenge. A voter-initiated constitutional measure is also possible under North Dakota's initiative process.

What Changed Recently: 2023–2025 Legislative Session Activity

The 69th Legislative Assembly (2025) introduced no sports betting legislation. Gaming-related bills addressed narrower issues, and most failed.

HB 1525 (69th Assembly): Proposed restructuring the State Gaming Commission and revising administration of games of chance under NDCC § 53-06.1-01.1 and § 53-06.1-15.1. Failed on second reading, 13 yeas to 34 nays. This bill would not have legalized sports betting. Its failure indicates resistance to even modest gaming reform.

SB 2384 (69th Assembly): Addressed maintenance of electronic pull tab devices and eliminated dog racing from NDCC § 53-06.2-01, § 53-06.2-07, and § 53-06.2-10. Division B of the bill was lost.

HB 1342 (69th Assembly): Covered electronic gaming device sales and live or simulcast horse racing. Withdrawn from further consideration. The withdrawal meant simulcast horse racing provisions did not advance. Simulcast wagering authority under the North Dakota Racing Commission remains a separate question. Consult the North Dakota Racing Commission for current simulcast status.

SB 2189 (69th Assembly): Would have amended NDCC § 53-06.1-03 and § 53-06.1-11.1 to require reporting of prize values for raffles, bingo, sports pools, paddlewheels, twenty-one, and poker. Failed 2 yeas to 45 nays. The mention of "sports pools" here confirms the term refers to charitable nonprofit gaming only.

HB 1276 (69th Assembly): Narrow bill addressing raffle proceeds for political purposes under NDCC § 53-06.1-03. Failed 21 yeas to 72 nays. Not relevant to sports betting.

The 2025 session showed no legislative appetite for sports betting; even incremental gaming reforms struggled. The next scheduled session is the 70th Legislative Assembly, convening January 2027.

How North Dakota Compares to Neighboring States

Residents near state borders have legal options within driving distance.

South Dakota: Authorized by Initiated Measure 27 (2020 ballot), regulated under SDCL Title 42. Betting is limited to licensed establishments in Deadwood.

Montana: Authorized under the Montana Sports Wagering Act, MCA § 23-5-800 et seq. The state lottery runs the system through a single app (Sports Bet Montana). No private sportsbooks.

Minnesota: As of mid-2025, sports betting remains illegal in Minnesota. Bills have been introduced repeatedly, including tribal-focused proposals, but none have passed. Verify current status at the Minnesota Legislature website before traveling with the expectation of betting there.

Wyoming: Legal for online-only wagering. The correct statutory authority is the Wyoming Pari-Mutuel Act and the Wyoming Gaming Commission's sports wagering rules. Consult the Wyoming Gaming Commission for the current statutory citation, as W.S. § 17-4-101 may not be the operative provision.

Iowa: Regulated under Iowa Code Chapter 99F. This is a mature market in the region, with both retail and online options through licensed casinos.

Offshore sportsbooks: Technically illegal for North Dakota residents to use. Enforcement against individual bettors is rare, but using offshore sites carries legal risk and zero consumer protection. This page does not recommend them.

Daily fantasy sports: DraftKings and FanDuel accept North Dakota customers for DFS contests. No North Dakota statute explicitly authorizes DFS, and no statute explicitly bans it. The North Dakota Attorney General has not issued a formal opinion establishing DFS as legal or illegal. This is a genuine gray area. Consult the North Dakota Attorney General's office or a North Dakota gaming attorney for compliance questions.

What North Dakota Residents Can Legally Do Today

Charitable Games of Chance

Licensed nonprofit organizations conduct bingo, pull tabs, raffles, poker nights, twenty-one, paddlewheels, and sports pools across the state under NDCC § 53-06.1-03. Residents can participate as players. These are the only legal gambling options available without leaving the state or visiting a tribal casino.

Tribal Casinos

Five tribal gaming facilities operate in North Dakota under IGRA compacts (25 U.S.C. § 2703 defines Class II and Class III games). These casinos offer slots, table games, and other Class III games. Sports betting is not available at any of them. The five tribal nations with gaming operations in North Dakota are:

• Spirit Lake Nation (Spirit Lake Casino)
• Standing Rock Sioux Tribe (Grand River Casino)
• Three Affiliated Tribes (4 Bears Casino)
• Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians (Sky Dancer Casino)
• Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate (Dakota Magic Casino, located on the South Dakota border)

Confirm current operating status and compact details with the North Dakota Attorney General's office, which maintains tribal compact records.

Simulcast Horse Racing

Simulcast wagering on horse racing has been authorized in North Dakota. HB 1342 (69th Assembly), which addressed simulcast horse racing provisions, was withdrawn from consideration. Consult the North Dakota Racing Commission directly for current simulcast venue availability and wagering rules.

Daily Fantasy Sports

DraftKings and FanDuel operate in North Dakota for DFS. The legal basis is ambiguous. No explicit DFS statute exists. Proceed with awareness of that uncertainty.

Travel to Neighboring States

Iowa (retail and online), Wyoming (online), South Dakota (retail, Deadwood), and Montana (state lottery app) all offer legal sports betting. If near a border, this is the clearest legal option.

What Is Clearly Illegal

Placing a bet with an unlicensed bookmaker, using an offshore sportsbook, and operating any sports wagering business in North Dakota without authorization are all illegal under NDCC Title 53 and North Dakota's general gambling statutes. Consult the North Dakota Attorney General's office for specific enforcement questions.

Next Steps and Who to Contact in North Dakota

North Dakota Gaming Commission

The Gaming Commission licenses nonprofit games of chance, issues permits, and enforces NDCC § 53-06.1-15. Nonprofit organizations with questions about conducting games of chance, or researchers seeking