Oregon Gambling Laws

Are you planning to gamble in the US? We continue our overview of US gambling laws, in order to help you find the best places to legally gamble in the US. In the following paragraphs we’ll examine Oregon gambling laws and opportunities to gamble in Oregon.

Casino Gambling and Betting in Oregon

Oregon gambling laws are moderate in comparison to some other US gambling laws. However, this does not equal unlimited gambling opportunities. The most notable form of gambling in Oregon is betting. The reason for this is that Oregon is one of the four states that were “grandfathered” in under the Professional and Sports Protection Act. This means that sports betting wasn’t completely outlawed in Oregon. Currently, it’s legal to bet on horse races, even remotely by phone or the internet. Since 1997, even out-of-state bets are accepted. However, professional sports betting in Oregon is not available.

After the implementation of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, the state’s nine tribes were authorized to run Class III gambling facilities. Following some years of hesitation, the first Native American casino opened in 1992. As of now, there are nine tribal casinos in Oregon, offering all kinds of casino games. There were some endeavors for the legalization of commercial casinos in Oregon too, but none of them came to fruition and the topic was shelved. However, video poker and video slots are available at more than 2,400 restaurants, and bars, since 1991.

Online Gambling in Oregon

Oregon gambling laws forbid online gambling. However, the wording of these laws is in some parts unspecific, focusing mostly on operators. “A person engaged in an Internet gambling business” cannot accept money transfers from players in any form. The violation of the Oregon online gambling laws is a Class C felony. Unlawful gambling is also punishable; therefore, players should not engage in online gambling in Oregon. In recent years, the Oregon Lottery was testing an online gambling platform, called ORcade. Shortly after its launch, the site was taken down because of concerns “that it targeted underage players.” Since Oregon legislators don’t issue licenses to online casinos, there’s no legal way to gamble over the internet in Oregon.

Lotteries in Oregon

The Oregon Lottery was established after a voters approved in 1984. After the referendum, the Oregon Constitution was amended, enabling the operation of a state lottery. The Oregon Lottery is the state’s second biggest funding source. It has contributed with more than USD 9 billion to the state’s public education system, parks and watershed enhancement program. It’s also part of the Multi-State Lottery Association, which allows for participation in games such as Powerball and Mega Millions. Oregon Lottery Tickets can’t be purchased online. Players have to search for land-based retailers in order to participate in the games.

Daily Fantasy Sports in Oregon

As in most states, Daily Fantasy Sports in Oregon are yet unregulated. In 2016, Polk County residents have filed a lawsuit against DraftKings and FanDuel. They want a refund of double the amount of their losses throughout five years, which would be more than USD 5 million. An Oregon personal injury attorney, Thomas D’Amore, argues that both of the sites are operating illegally in the state as they offer online gambling and not skill-based gaming. As of now, there’s no legislation specifically against the daily fantasy sports in Oregon. Therefore, most daily fantasy sports sites still accept Oregonian players.