States / Tennessee / Sports betting
Is sports betting legal in Tennessee?
Yes. In Tennessee, online sports betting is legal (as of Oct 12, 2026). Online betting launched Nov 2020. Operators pay 1.85% HANDLE in tax.
| Channel | Status | Launched | Model | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sports (online) | Live | Nov 2020 | Competitive | Legalized via Public Chapter 507 (signed/allowed to become law without the Governor's signature, effective 7/1/2019); regulated initially by the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation with SWC in an advisory role, then transferred to the independent Sports Wagering Council effective 1/1/2022 (Public Chapter 593). 13 operators were licensed as of February 5, 2024. Tenn. Code Ann. Title 4, Chapter 49, Part 1 (Tennessee Sports Gaming Act), as amended by 2023 Pub. Ch. 450 [1],[2] |
| Sports (retail) | Not authorized | Tennessee is the only major sports-wagering state with an online-only market; no statute authorizes retail/in-person sportsbooks. Tenn. Code Ann. Title 4, Chapter 49, Part 1 (Tennessee Sports Gaming Act) [1],[3] |
Tax rate
| Rate | Since | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1.85% HANDLE (online) | Jul 1, 2023 | 'Public Chapter 450 changed the privilege tax to 1.85% of an operator's gross handle.' Handle defined as the total amount of dollars wagered that a sportsbook has accepted from its bettors. SWC collected ~$93 million total from taxes and fees in FY2023.[1] |
Rules
- Minimum age to place a sports wager
- 21 · 'In Tennessee, individuals 21 years of age and older may wager online on approved sporting events...'[1]
- Wagering on college sports allowed at all
- Yes · Approved league events include 'certain seasonal and post-season awards, and certain collegiate awards.'[1]
- Wagering on in-state college teams allowed
- Yes[4]?
- Individual college player prop bets allowed
- No · No proposition bets on individual college athletes are offered, at any school, pregame or in-game.[4]?
- Credit cards may be used to fund accounts
- No · Operators must keep credit-card funds segregated and may not use them to fund a player's Tennessee wagering account; accepted funding methods are debit cards, bank transfers, online payment systems and winnings.[5]
- Esports wagering allowed
- Yes[1]
- New online accounts must be created in person
- No · Accounts are opened and verified entirely online -- identity checks against a government ID, knowledge-based questions, and device/phone matching -- and Tennessee has no retail sportsbooks or kiosks to register at in person.[5]
- Online sports wagering available statewide (not tethered to premises)
- Yes[1]
- Operators must use official league data for some bets
- No · The original 2019 law required operators to use official league data for in-play wagers; that mandate was later dropped.[4]?
- Any per-wager fee/tax (e.g. Illinois 2025 per-bet tax) summary
- Tennessee has no flat per-wager fee. It instead taxes total handle directly: operators pay a 1.85% privilege tax on the full amount wagered, not on revenue.[1]
- Summary of prop-bet restrictions (e.g. no in-game player props)
- No player props on individual college athletes at any school, and no in-game proposition bets on college team events; pregame team props on college games are allowed.[4]?
Licensed sportsbooks
| Operator | Brand | Channel | Status | Launched |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bally's Corporation | Bally Bet | Sports (online) | active | [6] |
| bet365 | bet365 | Sports (online) | active | [6] |
| BetMGM | BetMGM | Sports (online) | active | [6] |
| Caesars Entertainment | Caesars Sportsbook | Sports (online) | active | [6] |
| DraftKings | DraftKings | Sports (online) | active | [6] |
| Fanatics Betting and Gaming | Fanatics Sportsbook | Sports (online) | active | [6] |
| FanDuel | FanDuel Sportsbook | Sports (online) | active | [6] |
| Hard Rock Digital | Hard Rock Bet | Sports (online) | active | [6] |
| PENN Entertainment | theScore Bet | Sports (online) | active | [6] |
All gambling laws in Tennessee → · Sports betting in every state →
Sources
- Performance Audit Report: Sports Wagering Council (May 2024) · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
- Tennessee Sports Wagering Council — Reports · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
Lists monthly sports gaming revenue reports beginning November 2020, the earliest available, indicating launch that month.
- Sports betting in the United States · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
- Tennessee Sports Betting FAQ · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
Secondary tracker, used for college-sports-betting rules and official-league-data status not found in state regulatory text reviewed.
- Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1350-01-.08 — Sports Gaming Accounts · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
- Licensees & Registrants | Tennessee Sports Wagering Council · retrieved Oct 10, 2026