Is Online Sports Betting Legal in Idaho?

Sports betting is not legal in Idaho, regardless of whether you want to do it online or at a land-based casino.

Idaho has shown little or no interest in legalizing sports betting, with pretty much radio silence on the subject from legislators since the removal of PASPA in 2018. The situation could change in the future, but for now, it’s a case of nothing to see here as regards Idaho sports gambling.

Best Social Sportsbooks in Idaho

Have a look at sweepstakes-style sportsbooks, available legally in Idaho. Our selection can be seen below, and if you'd like to have more info on the subject, check out our in-depth reviews of Fliff Social Sportsbook and Sportzino.

Idaho Sports Betting Overview

What Is The Current Sports Betting Landscape In Idaho

Sports betting is not legal in Idaho and that doesn’t look like changing any time soon. The removal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act by the Supreme Court in May 2018 meant that each state in the US was free to decide its own sports betting laws. Since then, at least 38 states have introduced some form of legal sports betting.

In most of the states that haven’t, the debate rages on, with various sports betting bills introduced all around the country, some making progress and some falling away.  

And then there is Idaho, which is in a very small minority of states where the idea just hasn’t made any traction whatsoever. So for now, nothing to report. 

When Is Sports Betting Expected To Launch in Idaho?

Not any time soon, realistically. If you’re looking for positives, Idaho lawmakers at least haven’t come out strongly in opposition to sports betting (as is the case in Utah, for instance), nor has the public registered their disapproval at the ballot box (like in California). Instead, it’s just not really an issue. 

There is a long way to go before sports betting lands in the Gem State, with 2025 or 2026 being the earliest realistic possibilities.

Idaho Sports Betting Updates

Check out our timeline of the main events in Idaho’s journey towards potentially legalizing sports betting. Spoiler alert: there’s not much to report.

• May 2018: The Supreme Court removes the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, meaning states like Idaho can create their own sports betting laws. 

• May 2016: Daily Fantasy Sports are officially outlawed in Idaho.

• November 1992: Idaho amends its constitution to ensure that most forms of gambling remain illegal in the state, with 57.9% approval at the ballot box. The state lottery and pari-mutuel betting are exempt, as is charity gaming. 

Legal Betting States Near to Idaho

Six states border Idaho: Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming and Montana. Of those, only Utah has continued to totally outlaw sports betting. All of the other states allow some kind of legal sports betting, offering opportunities for Idaho residents to bet if they want to cross the border. 

Washington has retail sports betting in tribal casinos only. Both DraftKings and Caesars have brick-and-mortar sportsbooks in the state, but online and mobile betting aren't available statewide. 

Online sports betting is legal in Oregon, with DraftKings the sole online sportsbook that can be used anywhere in the state, thanks to an exclusive agreement with the Oregon state lottery. BetMGM also exists in Oregon, but the app can only be used while physically present in a BetMGM retail location. 

Sports betting is legal in Nevada, although, perhaps surprisingly for some given its reputation as the gambling capital of the world, there are certain restrictions for online betting. The main hurdle is that to sign up for an online book in Nevada, you need to visit a retail location with your ID. Remote registration is not possible. Nevada also has the highest number of retail books in the country. 

In Montana, sports betting is legal online and in-person, but exclusively through the Montana state lottery. 

Full scale legal sports betting arrived in Wyoming in September 2021, and there are four sportsbooks currently up and running in the state: ​​BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings and FanDuel. 

What Sports Will You Be Able To Bet On in Idaho?

All the nearby states to Oregon support a wide range of betting markets that will also be of interest to Oregon bettors. Here’s what you can expect:

NFL

The NFL is the most popular sports league in the US and the number one sport at US sportsbooks, culminating in the Super Bowl, which is the most bet-on event in the country. The NFL is big business in US sports betting. So big, in fact, that many states intentionally timed the launch of their sports betting industries to coincide with Week 1 of the season in September. There are a host of promos and bonuses available on the NFL, pretty much every single week of the season and they only ratchet up at the post-season. Likewise, every single sportsbook in the country comes up with interesting bets and offers for the Super Bowl. For all the latest updates, head over to our NFL promotions page.

NBA

The NBA is another massive draw at US sportsbooks. The NBA runs from October through April and sparks all kinds of offers, from odds boosts to the latest props on superstar players like LeBron James and Steph Curry. Some sportsbooks even host competitions to let bettors win courtside tickets to NBA games. To stay up to date with the latest basketball offers, head over to our NBA promotions page. 

MLB

The MLB has the longest season of all the major leagues, which makes it an ideal sport for any bettors who like to really get into the weeds with their data and analysis. With 162 games per team in the regular season, plus the postseason, it’s an extremely deep pool of data. There’s a reason why this is the sport of moneyball. You’ll find plenty of interesting offers throughout the MLB season, including moneyback specials on things like the first strikeout. The winner of the World Series is a huge futures market too. Check out our MLB bonuses page for more details. 

NHL

The NHL is another big draw at US sportsbooks and the Stanley Cup is an extremely popular futures market. The season runs from September to April with plenty of promotions and betting opportunities, including odds boosts, Same Game Parlays and tons of props on every single game. Head over to our NHL betting promotions page to check out the latest offers. 

UFC

The UFC is one of the fastest growing sports at US sportsbooks, with its explosion in popularity coinciding with the arrival of legal sports betting in many states after 2018. Betting on the UFC and MMA in general is an extremely exciting way to bet. It’s a brutal and absorbing sport and ideal for betting live while you see how a fight is panning out. You can bet on straight up winners but also on things like the method of victory, the round and other prop bets. To discover more about all the ways you can bet on the UFC, head over to our UFC betting guide. 

What Kind of Bets Will Be Available in Idaho?

If legal sports betting does ever make it to Idaho, it will probably launch with the wide range of betting markets available in other states around the US. Below, you can see the most common ways to bet.

Moneylines

A moneyline bet is simply a bet on which side will win a single game or event. The sportsbook assigns odds to each side that reflect their chances of winning, which determine the potential payout. Here’s how it might look:

• Minnesota Timberwolves: +180

• Denver Nuggets: -225

To understand odds, it’s easiest to think in terms of $100. In this case, the Nuggets are the favorite. In order to win $100, you would need to bet $225 for a total payout of $325. The Timberwolves are the underdogs, which is always the side with positive odds. A winning $100 bet on them would win $180 for a total return of $280. Check out our moneylines betting guide.

Point Spreads

Point spread bets are all about the margin of victory, rather than simply the winners and losers. It’s a great way to bet if you like betting on outcomes around -110, since the point spread is set to make up for the difference in ability between the teams. To win a bet against the spread, your chosen team needs to win the game with the spread of points set by the sportsbook taken into account. Here’s how it might look:

• Minnesota Timberwolves (+5.5) +110

• Denver Nuggets (-5.5) -110

Here, to win a bet on the Timberwolves, they simply need to avoid losing by 6 points. Even a 4 or 5 point loss would be enough for your bet to win. On the other hand, to win a bet on the Nuggets, they need to win the game by 6 points or more. See our points spread betting guide for more info.

Totals

A totals bet is a bet on the total number of points scored in the game by both teams combined. It’s a great way to bet if you want to avoid thinking about the winners and losers, but you think you can predict whether the game will be high scoring or more defensive. The sportsbook sets a line of points and you can either bet on the Over or the Under. Here’s how it can look:

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets

• Over 212.5 (-110)

• Under 212.5 (-110)

Totals are also known as over/under betting and there is more to it than just guessing. Check out our over/under betting guide to find out more.

Prop Bets

Props or proposition bets are bets on incidents that happen in a game, most commonly how either a player or the team as a whole performs in certain statistical categories. Examples include betting on throwing yards by a QB in the NFL, layups or rebounds in the NBA or yellow or red cards in soccer. These are all things that can affect the outcome of the game, but don’t actually determine the result. There are novelty props too, like the outcome of the coin flip or what songs are played in what order at the Super Bowl halftime show. Check out our tips and tricks outlined in our prop betting guide.

Futures

A futures bet is a bet on an outcome a long way in the future, normally the winner of a championship like the Super Bowl or the Stanley Cup. Futures bets can be very profitable when they hit, since a lot of things need to go your way over the course of many weeks or months to pick a winner. Bettors often place futures at the start of the season or a competition, but they are available at any point throughout the season. Some legendary futures bets managed to net their punters quite a hefty sum. Read about them and more in our futures betting guide.

Parlays

A parlay is simply a combination bet. You add multiple bets onto a single bet slip and in order to win, all the outcomes must be correct. The odds of each selection get multiplied together, meaning you can get some pretty attractive payouts pretty quickly once you start stacking up your parlays. A Same Game Parlay is a popular variation, where all your selections come from the same game, like combining a moneyline winner in the NFL with some prop bets on passing yards and rushing yards. Parlays can be quite tricky but they won't be after you read our parlay betting guide.

Live Betting

Live betting is simply betting on games as they happen live. Pretty much all US sportsbooks have dedicated live sections where you can get minute by minute updates from the games while you bet on them. Some even allow you to stream the games live, right there on the platform. Live betting means you can use your real-time analysis of how a game is progressing to inform your betting strategy. You can place live props too, like the next player to score or assist, or the winner of the second quarter only. You shouldn't go into live betting without a plan. Check out our live betting guide and formulate a game plan before you start betting.

Expected Betting Restrictions in Idaho?

All the states that have legalized sports betting have done so with certain restrictions. If Idaho followed suit, they would likely ban the following activities:

• Betting on entertainment events like the Oscars

• Betting on election results and other political outcomes

• Betting on high school sports

Betting on eSports varies a lot state by state. Some outlaw it entirely, while others have designated it a sport just like any other that can be wagered on. 

College sports are another complicated one. Some states have banned it altogether, while others allow betting on out of state college teams and events only. Prop bets on college athletes are often banned too. 

Is Daily Fantasy Sports Legal in Idaho?

No, Daily Fantasy Sports is not legal in Idaho. The Gem State is one of the few US states to have explicitly banned the activity, which happened in May 2016 through an agreement with DraftKings and FanDuel. 

Best Social Sportsbooks in Idaho

While it doesn't look like sports gambling will be legalized in Idaho anytime soon, there is one alternative: social sportsbooks. Yes, social sportsbooks are legal in Idaho because they are classified as sweepstakes and, therefore, fall under sweepstakes law.

In sweepstakes, there are usually two kinds of currency: Gold Coins (GC) and Sweep Coins (SC). Sometimes, they might have different names, but they all work the same way. Both coins are used for playing games, but if you use SCs, you can win real-life prizes. However, in Idaho, it's a bit different because you only have access to GC, not SC. This means you can play games but won't be able to win anything from them. Which is fine by me. I can still play and have fun, which is the point of sweeps and social sportsbooks. Let's take a look at the best social sportsbooks available right now in Idaho

1. Fliff Social Sportsbooks

Let us first answer the most important question : is Fliff legal in Idaho? Yes, Fliff is legal in Idaho, but not in sweepstakes mode. Fliff is a social sportsbook that lets you play games online that mimic sports bets, based on real life sports events. It’s a little like using play money to bet on sports. 

All the games at Fliff are totally free to play using a virtual currency called Fliff Coins. It’s a great low-pressure alternative to sports betting in states like Idaho, which don’t allow the activity. No matter how many Fliff Coins you win, you can’t withdraw them or trade them in for any kind of prize. 

In the majority of states around the US, you can also play the games at Fliff in sweepstakes mode using a different currency called Fliff Cash. In this mode, you can redeem real cash prizes. However, this is not available in Idaho.

Try out Fliff Social Sportsbook.

2. Sportzino Social Sportsbook

Sports fans in search of a social betting site should look no further than Sportzino. The brand operates via sweepstakes rules, offering almost three dozen sports markets for wagering. Easily select from NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and other leagues to place your sports picks. The options include US-based sports and international leagues. The brand features mobile and desktop gaming for easy access. Find boosted odds for some matchups and live options for picks as a match is taking place. Pick types include Moneyline, Spread, and Totals for a quality prediction experience. 

The site includes a welcome bonus, helping you get started for free. Use your Gold and Sweeps Coins to play sports games, make picks, and explore various casino gaming options. Sportzino offers something for everyone, from beginners to seasoned players. Idaho residents can create an account in less than five minutes and start playing immediately.

Just like Fliff, it's fully legal in Idaho and it only operates in GC mode.

Check out Sportzino social sportsbook.

Sports Teams in Idaho

Idaho has no major league sports teams, but you can find support for neighboring teams like the Mariners and Seahawks from Seattle. The Idaho Steelheads are a pro minor league hockey team based in Boise. They are an affiliate of the Dallas Stars in the NHL. 

There are also three NCAA Division 1 programs in Idaho:

• Boise State Broncos

• Idaho State Bengals

• Idaho Vandals

Why You Should Trust Us

Here at WSN.com, we are committed to bringing you original, insightful and honest coverage of sports and gambling in the US. All the information that appears on our site comes from original research and first hand engagement with legal and regulated US sportsbooks. Our rating process consists of signing up, claiming the bonuses, making the bets and cashing out the winnings so that we can share the experience with our readers. If there’s something we think can be improved, we highlight it so you know exactly what to expect. 

Our team is made up of regular sports fans, first and foremost. We’ve been a part of the US sports betting industry since the early days, and we’ve documented and participated in the growth of legal gambling around the country since 2018. Even if we weren’t being paid to write about this stuff, we’d still be betting on these sites. 

Getting Help: Responsible Gambling in Idaho

Even though Idaho has some pretty restrictive gambling laws, there are still lots of resources in the state for anyone struggling with gambling or online gaming. That goes for friends and family too, or anyone who is looking for more information on how to play safely. 

Here are some resources for Idaho residents:

• The Idaho Council on Problem Gaming offers advice and support for anyone in the area, as well as raising awareness and promoting healthy education around gambling. They can be contacted at  801-839-5167

• The National Council on Problem Gambling is a nationwide organization dedicated to helping problem gamblers, and they can be contacted by calling or texting 1-800-GAMBLER and using the live chat.

• Gamblers Anonymous hosts meetings in Idaho, where you can find support from other people in recovery from gambling addiction. 

Legal and regulated US sportsbooks also provide various tools to promote healthy use of their platforms. If legal sports betting arrives in Idaho, they would likely be available. These tools include:

• Deposit Limits and Loss Limits lock your account once you lose a certain amount of money, or prevent you from depositing more than your chosen limit in a given period of time. 

• Reality Checks are notifications which encourage users to take regular breaks when you have been on a site for a long time. 

• Cool Off Periods temporarily block your account if you want to take a break for a period of time.

• Self Exclusion permanently bans you from a site.