North Dakota bettors were late to join the party – but better late than never. North Dakota sports betting was officially legalized at the start of December in 2021 – with a launch date announced shortly afterwards.
Currently, legal sports betting in North Dakota can only happen in the state’s tribal casinos – with no official or legal mobile sports betting sites. The state has three tribal casinos that are owned and operated by the Dakota Nation Gaming Enterprise. So, for now, in-person retail sports betting is all that has been authorized. However, in answer to the question Is online sports betting legal? For now, no. However, hopefully, they will move towards legalizing sports betting on mobile at some time in the near future.
North Dakota Sports Betting Timeline
2018
This was the year that SCOTUS overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Acts (PASPA). This revoked the federal ban on sports gambling, allowing each state to independently decide whether or not to make sports betting and online sports betting legal.
2019
North Dakota introduced HB 1295 which would authorise sports betting as a game of chance. However, it failed to make it past the house.
2021
Four sports betting bills were introduced in 2021. However, all of these failed to pass the House. HCR 3032 did come close to making it but missed out by one single vote. Yet again they failed to authorize sports wagering outside tribal casinos.
North Dakota Betting and Gambling Tax
Because sports betting isn’t officially launched in North Dakota outside of tribal casinos, there is currently no need to pay tax on any sports betting wins. In terms of state revenue – North Dakota still earns around $13 million each year through gambling taxation. Much of this is earned through electronic pull-tab gaming, which took in bets of around $711 million in 2020.
However, in terms of lottery wins, North Dakota bettors are required to pay 3.22% in tax on any win over $600. This is just a small amount in comparison to the amount taken by the federal government – coming in at 24% In addition, North Dakota also takes 1% from charitable wins up to $1.5 million. Obviously, with new sports betting legislation, this may change.
Sports You Can Bet on in North Dakota
If and when legal sports betting includes online sports betting, then there will be the ability to bet on numerous sports – including major league sports such as NBA betting and college basketball. Even more popular with North Dakota residents is NFL betting. Other popular betting markets in ND include NHL and MLB, with MLS and soccer tournaments also growing in popularity across the US.
Other sports that you will be able to wager on at top North Dakota sports betting sites will include MMA, tennis, NASCAR, golf, boxing and more. In addition, horse racing betting is also available at major US sports betting sites. Other online sportsbooks that will likely offer legal sports betting in North Dakota in the future will also offer sports such as cricket, rugby, Aussie Rules and more.
North Dakota Esports Betting
Another betting market that is becoming increasingly popular in the US is eSports betting in North Dakota. If and when this is legalized, options available will include FIFA, League of Legends, CS:GO, Dota 2 and more. Moreover, many of the top sportsbooks will also offer a whole variety of betting options on major tournaments – including prop bets and more.
Popular Betting Markets
Already available at tribal casinos in North Dakota – and hopefully coming soon to North Dakota sports betting mobile apps, here are the most popular types of bets available to North Dakota bettors and US customers:
Moneyline Bets
This is the simplest type of wager. You simply have to bet on which team will win – or whether it will end in a tie.
Totals: Over/Under
This type of bet requires you to place a wager on whether you think the total number of points will be over or under a line set by the North Dakota sports betting site. For example, you might bet on whether an NFL match will have a combined number of points that is over or under 35.5 points.
Against the Spread
This is a wager on the margin of victory – and the game underdogs will effectively be given a head start. So, it could be that the Bucks have a spread of -3.5 against the Suns – who have been given a spread of +3.5. If you bet on the Suns, then it will be a winning one if they either win or lose by 3 points or less. If you bet on the Bucks, it will only win if they win by 4 points or more.
Futures
This is when you place a bet on something you believe will happen at some point in the future. This could be a bet on who will win the Super Bowls at the start of the NFL season, or who will win the NBA Championship at the start of the NBA season.
Parlays
This is a combination of two or more bets combined into one. So, you could bet on the Lakers to beat the Warriors and the Wizards to beat the Raptors. You will only win your bet if both parts of that bet come in.
Prop Bets
This is a wager on something that doesn’t necessarily affect the outcome of the game overall. It could be betting on an NBA player to score over 28 points – or whether another might get more than 7 rebounds.
Betting Bonuses at North Dakota Sportsbooks
When Legal sports betting in North Dakota launches online sportsbooks, there will no doubt be various bonuses, promotions and sportsbook bonus promo code offers available as they look to attract new players. There are a whole variety of bonus types available – here are the most popular you will come across…
Matched Deposits
A matched deposit bonus will be one of the most popular types of bonuses available when they legalize sports betting online. This type of bet works by matching a percentage of your deposit. An example could be 100% up to $250. So, if you deposit $250, then the betting site will give you $25990 in bonus funds.
One thing you need to look at is the bonuses terms and conditions, including wagering requirements. You will need to deposit some of your own money to claim it.
Free Bets
Another popular type of sports betting site promotion is a free bet – which lets you place the bet of your choice for free. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes – it might be a free bet for registering a new account or a free bet to compensate you for a lost wager.
Free bets are excellent, especially when they don’t ask you to spend any of your own money. You essentially get the chance to place a bet and get the winnings without risking anything. However, the sportsbook may add stringent terms and conditions to make it a little more expensive to withdraw your funds.
No Deposit Wagers
Saving the best for last, we have the No Deposit bonuses and wagers. These are awarded to players just for registering with a site -without the need to deposit any of your own money. This is generally considered a great way to attract new players to the site.
Just as with free bets, there are no risks at all attached to claiming your no deposit free bet. However, because they are free to get, there are often some very stringent terms and conditions attached which can make it tough to withdraw any money you win.
North Dakota Sports Betting FAQ
Is Sports Betting Legal in ND?
Yes, the laws came into place to legalize sports betting in December of 2021. However, legal sports betting in North Dakota can only take place in person at one of the state’s three tribal casinos.
Two sports betting bills were introduced in 2019 – one to authorize full legalized sports betting, whilst the other would allow it only for professional sports. None of these failed to gain any traction and it wasn’t for 2 years that it started to move forward.
Where Can I Find a North Dakota Sportsbook?
The only place you can find legal sports books in North Dakota is at the state’s three tribal casinos. These three are Dakota Nation Sportsbook sites and are both owned and operated by the Dakota Nation Gaming Enterprise. These are the Dakota Connection in Sisseton, The Dakota Magic Casino and Hotel in Hankinson and the Dakota Sioux in Watertown. To date, mobile sports betting hasn’t been legalized in North Dakota.
Are Mobile Sports Betting Apps Legal In North Dakota?
No, mobile sports betting is still illegal in North Dakota. It is only legal in person at one of the three tribal casinos.
What is the Legal Sports Betting Age in North Dakota?
The legal sports betting age in North Dakota is 21 – which is the same for all sports betting bills across the US. This is also the same for casinos as well as horse racing betting and dog racing. However, you only need to be 18 or older to buy a lottery ticket.
Who Can Offer North Dakota Sports Betting?
Sports betting in North Dakota can only be offered by tribal casinos that are operated by the Dakota Nation Gaming Enterprise – so they get to offer sports bets and casino games. They have three casinos including the Dakota Magic Casino and Hotel in Hankinson, the Dakota Sioux in Watertown and the Dakota Connection in Sisseton, so sports betting fans need to wager in person.
The HB1254 sports betting bill failed. This had proposed that legalized sports betting would be made available through any of North Dakota’s charitable gaming organizations. It may change at some point in the future though.
Who Regulates North Dakota Sports Betting?
As has been proposed in House Bill 1254, any organization that would like to offer legalized sports betting would be required to apply to the state attorney general, currently, the only way proposed to apply for a sports betting license.
There has been no specific mention as to whether all sports betting would be regulated by the attorney general or whether there will be another organization created in order to take care of this.
What Sports Will Be the Most Popular with North Dakota Sports Bettors?
Obviously, the most popular sports in North Dakota will very much be in line with other US states – the NFL, NBA , MLB and NHL. Although they don’t have their own professional sports teams, their neighboring state, Minnesota, does have the NFL’s Vikings, the NBA’s Timberwolves, the NHL’s Wild and the MLB’s twins. They will also likely bet on their hometown schools’ college teams such as the North Dakota State University Bison and the North Dakota Fighting Hawks.
