Where Can You Gamble Mines Games Tips At the Age of 18?
Gambling is in the middle of a renaissance thanks to the current sports betting boom. Poker is also experiencing a resurgence, and more people are gambling in the US than ever before.
With so many states changing their gambling laws in recent years, it can be hard to keep track of new regulations. One of the biggest questions is what age people have to be to gamble. Some states set their gambling age at 18, while others require you to be as old as 21 to start wagering legally.
States with a gambling age of 18 offer players the chance to join the action as soon as they reach legal adulthood. Knowing where these states are can be a huge help when planning your first casino trip.
Keep reading to see states with a gambling age of 18 at their land-based and real money online casinos.
Casino vs Lottery Games
Almost every state in the US offers legal lottery games. There are 12 states that do not offer a lottery, but the 38, as well as Washington DC, offer some form of legal lottery games. In most casinos, you only have to be 18 years old to play the state lottery.
Casino games, slot machines, and sports betting are different stories. Some states, like Hawaii and Utah, still do not allow any form of casino games or sports betting. The ones that do allow legal gambling have strict age limits about who can participate.
Another important question to ask when considering age limits is the type of casino. Some states with a gambling age of 18 require bettors to be 21 at tribal casinos.
States With Gambling at Age 18
Gambling, when done responsibly, can be a ton of fun. If you are lucky, you can also make a lot of money by winning your bets.
Each state is allowed to make its own laws, including age restrictions, concerning regulated gambling. Here are the states with a gambling age of 18. If a state is not listed, they do not allow pari-mutuel betting, casino gambling, or sports betting at the age of 18.
| State | Pari-mutuel betting at 18 | Sports betting at 18 | Casino Gambling at 18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | Yes | No | No |
| California | Yes | No | Yes |
| Colorado | Yes | No | No |
| Connecticut | Yes | No | Yes (keno) |
| Delaware | Yes | No | No |
| District of Columbia | No | Yes | Yes |
| Florida | Yes | No | Yes (only poker games) |
| Georgia | No | No | Yes (casino cruises) |
| Idaho | Yes | No | Yes |
| Illinois | Yes | No | Yes (charity games) |
| Indiana | Yes | No | No |
| Iowa | Yes | No | No |
| Kansas | Yes | No | No |
| Kentucky | Yes | No | No |
| Louisiana | Yes | No | No |
| Maine | Yes | No | No |
| Maryland | Yes | No | No |
| Massachusetts | Yes | No | No |
| Michigan | Yes | No | Yes |
| Minnesota | Yes | No | Yes |
| Missouri | Yes | No | No |
| Montana | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Nebraska | Yes | No | No |
| New Jersey | Yes | No | No |
| New Mexico | Yes | No | Yes (racinos) |
| New York | Yes | No | Yes |
| North Dakota | Yes* | No | No |
| Ohio | Yes | No | No |
| Oklahoma | Yes | No | Yes |
| Oregon | Yes | No | No |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | No | No |
| Rhode Island | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| South Dakota | Yes | No | No |
| Vermont | Yes | Yes | No |
| Virginia | Yes | No | No |
| Washington | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| West Virginia | Yes | No | No |
| Wisconsin | Yes | No | Yes (bingo) |
| Wyoming | Yes | Yes | Yes |
State laws regarding gambling are changing all the time. Make sure to check out our US gambling page to stay up to date on the latest gambling laws for your state.
Some states have complicated gambling laws, and even the legal age for gambling can be confusing. Let’s take a closer look at five states who fit that description.
California
The Golden State has the largest population of any state in the US. But, for now at least, regulated gambling is limited to in-person betting.
Californians had a chance to vote on new gambling laws last November. Props 26 and 27 would have created relegated sports betting in the Golden State.
- Prop 26: This prop, which was largely supported by the native tribes in California, would have allowed tribal casinos to open sportsbooks. However, only in-person wagering would have been allowed. Bettors would have needed to be at least 21 years of age to place sports wagers under this proposal.
- Prop 27: Commercial sports betting operators threw their support behind this proposal for online sports betting in California. Only online betting would have been allowed. Also, under this proposal, bettors would have been allowed to wager on in-state collegiate events.
In the end, neither measure gained enough support to pass. So, California still does not have regulated sports betting. Pari-mutuel betting on horse races is permitted for people over the age of 18.
Casino gambling is also permitted and the legal gambling age is technically 18. A large portion of the tribal casinos in the state, though, require bettors to be at least 21 years of age to play casino games.
Connecticut
Another state with complicated gambling laws is Connecticut. Some gambling options, such as pari-mutuel betting, keno, and lottery games are available to bettors at the age of 18.
However, the vast majority of betting options are restricted to only players above the age of 21. One notable exception is bingo, which you can play at the age of 18.
Because of this, players who are only 18 are permitted to be at the casino for bingo games. However, they will not be allowed to access the other areas of the casino gaming floor.
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont signed a new tribal gambling compact in 2021 that permits regulated sports betting in the Constitution State. But, as with casino games, most sports betting options are limited to players over the age of 21.
There are two exceptions to this rule. As I stated earlier, bettors who are 18 or older can participate in pari-mutuel betting. Also, daily fantasy sports (DFS) are open to bettors who are at least 18.
Michigan
The Wolverine State has also been making waves recently in the gambling world. Last year, Michigan joined the Multi-State Internet Gambling Agreement. This allows players to play regulated poker games with bettors from other states in the MSIGA.
Playing in person, though, can be a bit complicated. The three commercial casinos in Detroit all have a gambling age of 21.
But there are also numerous tribal casinos in the Wolverine State. Players only need to be 18 years old to enjoy the casino games at 10 of these establishments. These are the only Michigan casino with a gambling age of 18.
There is one tribal casino, the Odawa Casino in Petoskey, that requires bettors to be at least 19. The remaining four tribal casinos are only open to players 21 years or older.
Unfortunately for some players, the age limit for regulated online gambling is set by the state. So, bettors need to be at least 21 years old to join online casinos in Michigan.
Sports betting is also regulated by the state. This means that regulated sports betting options are only open to bettors over the age of 21.
New York
The Empire State has quickly become one of the biggest sports betting states in the US. New York launched regulated online sports betting in 2022 and started breaking records in no time.
Bettors can wager on horse races (pari-mutuel betting) at 18. Also, 18-year-olds can play real money poker, bingo, and the lottery in the Empire State.
Casinos are also technically open to players who are 18 years old. However, many casinos in New York choose to only allow players who are at least 21. This allows them to serve alcohol more freely this way.
Retail sportsbooks are also only available to be over the age of 21. The same goes for DFS betting operators as well.
Oregon
18-year-olds also have gambling options available in Oregon. The lottery is open to any over the age of 18.
Also, some casino games are open to players who are only 18. This includes options such as bingo and blackjack. Video poker machines, though, are not allowed for players who are not at least 21.
Sports betting is legal in Oregon, but the age restrictions vary. DFS and pari-mutuel betting are legal for bettors over the age of 18. All other types of sports betting are prohibited if you are not 21 years of age or older.
Is the Gambling Age 18 in Your State?
Many states allow players 18 and older to participate in lottery games. Casino games and most sport betting activities, though, are usually restricted to players at least 21 years of age. There are still some states with a gambling age of 18, though.
Check out our blog section to learn more about casino games and sports betting.