Gambling Laws in Oregon

Gambling laws in Oregon allow residents to participate in various activities including casino games, lottery, bingo and even sports betting. However, the Beaver State is a little less tolerant when it comes to many forms of online gambling.

Which Types of Gambling Are Legal in Oregon?

The state's gambling laws are outlined in the Oregon Revised Statutes 167.108 and 462.010. These deem gambling on games of chance offered by unlicensed operators to be illegal.

The state does have various forms of legal gambling though, including casinos, lottery, raffles, parimutuel betting, sports betting and daily fantasy sports.

Betting in Land-Based and Online Casinos

It's legal to gamble in a brick-and-mortar casino in Oregon and the state is home to 9 tribal venues Three of these focus on slot machines, while the other six have a broader selection of games.

The Oregon Lottery also operates 12,000+ video lottery terminals (VLTs), while the Portland Meadows racetrack hosts 150+ horse racing machines. 

The establishment of commercial casinos in the state has been prevented by overwhelming opposition in recent years.

The state does not wish to license any online gambling sites, leaving residents seeking access to the best slots and live dealer games at offshore platforms. Whilst this is illegal, no prosecutions have been made to date.

Poker Gambling

Poker gambling is legal in Oregon, with three tribal casinos offering games at their venues. Poker is also available at 15 dedicated clubs across the state. However, these operate under the permission of the cities in which they are located but against the recommendations of the state government.

Video poker machines were once common in Oregon, with the state legalising them to rake in some generated revenue. The plan didn't quite work out, though and the government issued a ban on them instead.

Online poker is in a grey area regarding state laws, which refer only to games of chance. Many view it as a game of skill and argue that playing online via foreign sites does not constitute a crime.

Playing Bingo With Real Money

This activity is permitted but only games run by registered charities are allowed. Residents hoping to enjoy some online bingo gambling will be doing so at their own risk. The activity, like many other types of online gambling is banned.

Lotteries, Keno and Scratch Cards

The Oregon Lottery offers tickets for popular draws such as Mega Millions and Powerball, as well as various instant games, scratch cards and keno. In addition, the operator runs thousands of video lottery terminals and is permitted to introduce new games as they see fit.

With such freedom, it's therefore surprising to learn that the website of the state lotto isn't permitted to sell tickets. It serves for informational purposes and results checking only. Online lotto gambling is banned in the Beaver State with residents needing to visit licensed outlets to buy their tickets.

Social Gambling and Online Crypto Casinos

Social games such as home-based poker are permitted in Oregon, as long as no commercial style profiting is involved. Social casinos that allow members to play free slot games with credits/chips are also allowed. But money must not be deposited or withdrawn and the activity must be totally free. Lootboxes and skins gambling are still unregulated across the US, with many still debating how to classify such activities.

Cryptocurrencies are recognised in the state, but not accepted as legal tender. That means none of the established gambling venues will take Bitcoin and altcoins as payment. Whilst there are heaps of online crypto casinos which accept players from the US, these are illegal for residents to play at.

Oregon Sports Betting Laws

Sports betting is legal but only the state lottery is authorized to offer markets. Online sports betting was recently permitted. In early 2022, leading operator DraftKings started taking bets online, replacing Scoreboard as the state's only online sportsbook. Parimutuel horse race betting is legal, with the Portland Meadows racetrack also permitted to offer such betting in an online capacity.

DFS is legal under current laws because the activity is classed as a skill rather than a chance. While DraftKings pulled out of the market in 2021 to maintain its sports betting monopoly, FanDuel still offers the activity in the state.

Gambling Age Restrictions

The legal gambling age in Oregon is generally 18 for lottery, bingo, parimutuel betting and daily fantasy sports betting. However, only those aged 21 or over can play casino games, and poker and bet on sports in the state.

Are Gambling Winnings Taxed in Oregon?

Oregon regulations require residents to pay an 8% tax on all winnings derived from any gambling activity. This is in addition to the 24% withholding tax that is applied at the federal level.

History of Oregon Gambling Laws

The earliest mention of gambling legislation dates back to 1933 when the Parimutuel Wagering Act was passed, and greyhound race betting began. In 1973, Portland Meadows started offering horse race betting and social gambling was also legalised in the state.

Bingo and raffles for charitable purposes were permitted from 1976. The Oregon Lottery was established in 1984, with the company allowed to offer sports betting from 1989.

Following the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act in 1988, the first tribal casino in Oregon was repurposed from a bingo hall in 1994.

A proposal to legalise commercial casinos in Oregon was overwhelmingly rejected in 2012.

Sports betting was legalised in 2019.

Key Facts

• In-person casino gambling is legal in Oregon via the state's nine tribal casinos.

• Online casino gambling is illegal.

• Poker gambling is legal and available at three tribal casinos and 15 poker clubs.

• Online poker gambling is technically regarded as illegal due to the absence of licensed operators.

• Bingo gambling is legal via numerous halls run for charitable purposes. Online bingo is illegal.

• Lottery gambling is legal and available via the Oregon Lottery, but playing online is not allowed.

• Sports betting is legal online and offline but only via DraftKings.

• Daily fantasy sports betting is deemed legal.