Here are the states that allow free bonus bet offers with no deposit required in the US:
| Arizona |
Arkansas |
Colorado |
Connecticut |
Delaware |
| Florida |
Illinois |
Indiana |
Iowa |
Kansas |
| Kentucky |
Louisiana |
Maine |
Maryland |
Massachusetts |
| Michigan |
Nevada |
New Hampshire |
New Jersey |
New York |
| North Carolina |
Ohio |
Oregon |
Pennsylvania |
Rhode Island |
| Tennessee |
Vermont |
Virginia |
Washington DC |
West Virginia |
| Wyoming |
|
|
|
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The regulatory landscape is more controlling of standard sportsbooks than it is of social sportsbooks and sweepstakes.
For ordinary sports betting platforms, each state gaming commission has the right to regulate and require:
- Bonuses and wagering requirements
- Transparent terms
- Restrictions on misleading “risk-free” language
- Responsible gambling tools
This tells us that the states we mentioned in the table do allow no deposit bonuses, but that they must be clearly defined and have transparent terms and conditions. Many sportsbooks don’t want to risk potential penalties, so they turn free bonus bet offers with no deposit required for sports betting in the US into “bonus bets” or “bonus credits”.
On the contrary, social sportsbooks and sweepstakes have a completely different legal structure. Because such platforms don’t use real money for betting, they are permitted to offer sign-up freebies, daily rewards, free Sweep Coins, and no-purchase-required bonuses.
New Jersey – Tons of Sportsbooks
New Jersey is one of the most competitive states for incentives, such as no deposit bonuses and other low-friction offers, due to its moderate taxation.
Moreover, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement is also considered one of the most flexible regulatory bodies in the US. Precisely, instead of prohibiting the use of bonuses or restricting low-friction incentives, this state authority focuses more on safety.
For example, it cares about transparent bonus terms, language use in promotions, advertising rules, geographic enforcement, and other key security factors.
When compared to other states, NJ is the leader in terms of the number of books, many of which you’ll find on this site, too (bet365, BetMGM, Fanatics, FanDuel, DraftKings).
Michigan – The Lowest Taxation
Michigan has the lowest tax rate on sports betting. This is of utmost importance because sportsbooks’ profits are directly impacted by taxation. And, when it’s low, it’s obvious that more brands will be part of such a jurisdiction.
What’s more, the state of Michigan allows promotional deductions that reduce effective tax exposure on bonus bets.
Additionally, the Michigan Gaming Control Board has strict promotional requirements. Yet, it does not enforce an anti-bonus narrative, but instead allows operators to offer sign up incentives, odds boosts, and bonus-bet structures.
All this is a call for sportsbooks to enter this jurisdiction and let more bettors have fun, without having to worry about how they will survive after taxes are imposed on them.
Colorado – Great Bonus Availability
With relatively low taxes of 10% of sportsbook revenue, Colorado offers a tax rate far below the national average. Not only that, but this state has an open-market licensing model, allowing many sportsbooks to enter the market.
This created a very interesting and exciting pool of operators, with the most influential being DraftKings, FanDuel, bet365, Caesars, and BetMGM.
Since the taxation rate is lower, books attract new customers with more pushy offers. Some of them are low-deposit sign up bonuses, referral campaigns, odds boosts, and occasional no deposit style incentives during major sports events.
Compared to many other states, Colorado is more loose regarding the availability of various offers. Still, it is a nicely regulated jurisdiction that is more focused on transparency rather than restrictions.