StateReg.Reference

Sports Betting Laws in Tennessee: 2024–2025 Guide

Tennessee sports betting is legal online-only. Learn the rules, licensed operators, tax rates, age limits, and 2025 regulatory changes under TCA Title 4, Chapter 49.

Verified April 26, 202610 statute sources
AI-drafted, human-reviewed

How we verify

Each guide is built from authoritative sources (state legislatures, FAA, IRS, DSIRE, OpenStates, etc.), drafted by AI, edited by a second AI pass, polished, then spot-reviewed by a human before publication.

TennesseeSports betting

Quick Answer: Is Sports Betting Legal in Tennessee?

Yes. Tennessee became one of the first states to authorize online-only sports betting when Governor Bill Lee signed the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act into law in 2019 (TCA Title 4, Chapter 49). The first legal bets were placed in November 2020.

The model has specific features:

  • Online and mobile only. No retail sportsbooks, casino floors, or in-person betting windows exist. Every legal wager in Tennessee happens through a licensed app or website.
  • Age and location. You must be 21 or older and physically located within Tennessee's borders when you place a bet. Geolocation technology enforces this in real time.
  • Minimum hold requirement. Tennessee is the only state that mandates operators retain at least 10% of total handle (the gross amount wagered).
  • Tax rate. Licensed operators pay 20% of adjusted gross income to the state.
  • Regulator. The Tennessee Sports Wagering Council (SWC) issues licenses, sets rules, and enforces compliance.

Currently Licensed Operators

The SWC maintains the official licensee list on its website.

Sources & Verification (10)
  • Lottery, Corporation - As introduced, vacates and reconstitutes the board of directors of the Tennessee education lottery corporation; requires certain information maintained by the corporation to be subject to a public records request; terminates the lottery corporation on June 30, 2030. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 10 and Title 49.
  • Lottery, Corporation - As introduced, vacates and reconstitutes the board of directors of the Tennessee education lottery corporation; requires certain information maintained by the corporation to be subject to a public records request; terminates the lottery corporation on June 30, 2030. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 10 and Title 49.
  • Appropriations - As enacted, makes appropriations for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025. -
  • General Assembly, Confirmation of Appointment - Mike Keeney, University of Memphis Board of Trustees -
  • State Government - As introduced, requires departments, agencies, and other state governmental entities to make information and records available, including by means of direct electronic access, to the staff of the general assembly's fiscal review committee; requires the department of finance and administration to provide the office of legislative budget analysis with access to applicable state budget formulation and management systems. - Amends TCA Title 3, Chapter 13; Title 3, Chapter 14 and Title 3, Chapter 7.
  • Gambling - As introduced, designates illegal gambling and related activities as a violation of the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act; expands the authority of the sports wagering council to investigate illegal gambling and gaming activity; expands the investigative authority of the attorney general and reporter to investigate unlawful activity within the purview of the attorney general and reporter. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 4, Chapter 49; Title 8, Chapter 6, Part 4; Title 40, Chapter 2 and Title 47.
  • Education, Higher - As introduced, creates the public institution athletic program fund, which consists of proceeds from a fee paid by vendors registered with the sports wagering council; authorizes the Tennessee higher education commission to award grants from the fund to public institutions to assist with expenses for recruiting intercollegiate athletes. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 49; Title 9 and Title 49.
  • Gaming - As introduced, requires a licensee offering interactive sports wagering in this state to restrict access to such wagering on certain campuses of public institutions of higher education; requires certain public institutions of higher education to restrict internet access to interactive sports wagering on campus. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 49, Part 1 and Title 49.
  • Gaming - As introduced, clarifies that a provision of law voiding wagering contracts does not apply to a transaction to make a wager under the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 29; Title 38; Title 39; Title 47; Title 49 and Title 67.
  • General Assembly, Confirmation of Appointment - Hanes Torbett, Fish and Wildlife Commission -

Generated by: sonnet+gemini-2.5-pro+flash-lite

Last verified: April 26, 2026

How we verify: 9 source adapters (FAA, DSIRE, IRS, OpenStates, etc.) → AI draft → AI editor → AI polish → spot human review.

Related guides

Compare other states
Decision guides
Comparison guides
Vertical hub

Gear & Tools for Tennessee Projects

Affiliate disclosure: some links below are affiliate links (Amazon and partner programs). If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Product selection is not influenced by commission — see our full disclosure.