All Signs Still Point to Long Wait for Legalization of Idaho Sports Betting

The status quo on Idaho sports betting remains the same as ever.

Legalization of sports wagering in The Gem State is not expected anytime soon. Even as online sports betting in the United States continues to surge in popularity, this sentiment has never wavered. 

On the contrary, when you read in between the lines, the exact opposite appears to be true. Not only is opposition to Idaho sports betting strong, but it may be growing stronger.

Plenty of questions naturally arise in the wake of this declaration—which, to be clear, is more of an opinion than irreversible gospel. How exactly do signs point toward indefinite opposition to Idaho sports betting? Why is this happening? And, of course, will this ever change? 

Definitive answers are tough to come by whenever we talk about sports betting in The Gem State. Let us see if we can shed some clarity on the matter anyway.

Multiple Developments Suggest Idaho Sports Betting will Remain on the Backburner

The biggest roadblock to sports betting in Idaho? That continues to be a complete lack of interest.

We are now more than half-decade removed from the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) overturning the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). As many already know, this decision has given each individual state the power to determine the fate of sports betting. And in the time since, do you know how many Idaho sports betting bills have made it to an official vote? That would be zero. Zilch. Zip. Nada.

Make no mistake, the issue has received some consideration. But it’s minimal. And nothing has ever risen to the level of an official initiative. The folks over at Forbes recently put it best when they wrote that “there hasn't been a concerted effort thus far to push forward a bill that would legalize sports betting.”

The Gem State’s view on legal wagering also goes beyond a lack of interest. Generally speaking, they tend to express outright opposition. And believe it or not, this was true long before SCOTUS overturned PAPSA in 2018. Look at this timeline of events, vai Tiernan Allen of WSN:

• 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. 
• May 2016: Daily Fantasy Sports are officially outlawed in Idaho.
• May 2018: The Supreme Court removes the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, meaning states like Idaho can create their own sports betting laws. 

As you can see, The Gem State has taken steps to actively prohibit Idaho sports betting. And their biggest moves predate the fall of PASPA. 

Is There Any Evidence That Idaho Could One Day Change Their Stance?

Industry optimists continue to believe that Idaho sports betting is inevitable. Almost 40 states now have some form of legal sports betting. Some experts don’t see one market holding out forever. 

To be sure, this viewpoint might be true. But for now, this sentiment is rooted in logic not backed by much fact. 

Again: Idaho has proposed zero sports betting bills since gaining the right to do so. While other states remain without sports wagering, the vast majority of them regularly discuss the issue. Use sports betting in California as an example. Though legislators did not vote on a California sports betting bill this year, they have proposed multiple initiatives in previous years. They are also expected to discuss at least one new sports betting proposal in 2025. 

It is the same story with sports betting in Texas. And with sports betting in Minnesota. And for sports betting in Alabama. Well, by now, you get the point.

Similar evidence does not exist for Idaho sports betting. Optimists must instead cling to adjacent views on Idaho sports betting that are now decades old.

Rewind the clock back to the World War II era, and Idaho’s legal gambling outlook seemed far more open-ended. However, as numerous historians note, casino operators overplayed their leverage following WWII. This then set off an avalanche of legislation that significantly restricted legal gambling offerings in The Gem State.

What Needs to Change for Idaho to Consider Sports Betting Legalization?

Many factors stand to change the prevailing sentiment on Idaho sports betting. But two stand out more than most. 

First and foremost, state legislators must believe there’s a market for it. This entails an active demand from Idaho residents. To this point, there has not been outcry from the voting population to legalize sports betting. Experts chalk this up to the absence of pro sports teams in the market as well as generally conservative political views. 

Still, we have seen markets without pro sports franchises legalize wagering. West Virginia, Rhode Island, New Hampshire—just to name a few. If a consequential amount of voters suddenly show interest in Idaho sports betting, it may become more of a priority.

Equally important, if not more importantly? Online sportsbooks in the United States probably need to get involved. And this may take some time. We have seen online sportsbooks in the USA sponsor legalization efforts in Missouri and California, among many others. But those states are considered medium-sized to massive markets. Sportsbooks are less likely to refocus their efforts in regions that don’t promise monumental profit margins. 

Indeed, this dynamic recently played out in Alabama. Sportsbooks opted out of an initiative that required a financial investment to lobby in favor of legal wagering. That doesn’t bode well for a place like Idaho.

Then again, there are only so many states that have yet to legalize sports betting. Once we see the status quo change in places such as California, Texas, Missouri, Minnesota, et al., online sportsbook operators could feasibly shift attention to lower-yield markets such as Idaho. 

Take a look at this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can find one that works for all of your sports betting needs: