You can use a debit card if you would like to make a purchase at a site like WOW Vegas or McLuck in Tennessee. Tennessee prohibits credit cards at online sportsbooks in order to foster responsible gambling.
Tennessee Casinos and Online Gambling
Tennessee is not a gambling state. There are no casinos, racetracks, or off-track betting facilities inside state lines. So, you can imagine how shocking it was when sports betting became legal in the Volunteer State in 2019. Although it took another year to launch, the new law represented a startling change of direction for a legislature staunchly opposed to gambling expansion.
Even more interesting was that Tennessee’s launch marked another first for the US gambling industry. Tennessee was the first state to welcome online-only betting. Since there are no retail gambling locations within its borders, legislators in Nashville elected to keep the entire industry online.
So, in light of Tennessee’s membership in the somewhat exclusive club of legal gambling states, you will find a complete guide from PlayUSA to sports betting and other gambling in the Volunteer State below.
Our top recommended online casinos in Tennessee
Tennessee allows only free social casinos, such as BetRivers.net and Hard Rock Jackpot Planet. Real-money online casinos and sweepstakes casinos with cash prizes are not currently allowed.
1
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Sweepstakes casinos are not legal in CA, ID, IN, ME, MI, MT, NJ, NY, NV, TN, and WA
Online gambling in Tennessee snapshot
Online sportsbooks, racebooks, and fantasy sports apps are legal in Tennessee, but the state has not legalized traditional online casinos or poker rooms.
| Type of Gambling | Status | Gambling Age |
| Online casino | Unavailable | Likely 21 |
| Sweepstakes casino | Banned | 18 |
| Social casino | Available | 18 |
| Online lottery | Unavailable | 18 |
| Online poker | Unavailable | Likely 21 |
| Online sports betting | Available | 21 |
| Online horse racing | Available | 18 |
| Daily fantasy sports | Available | 18 |
Legal online casino options in Tennessee
We have reviewed all the leading sites that offer casino-style games in Tennessee. Our experts focused on game quality, game variety, bonuses, customer service, and overall user experience. For now, these games are available only for free at social casinos. Sweepstakes sites like WOW Vegas, Rolla Casino, and Crown Coins Casino have been banned.
What remains are fully free social casinos like BetRivers.net. There are no cash prizes or sweepstakes components to these legal sites.
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Pros and cons of social casinos in Tennessee
The free social casinos highlighted above are the best options available to players in Tennessee. They offer lots of advantages, but there are also a few drawbacks.
Pros
- These sites and apps are legally available in Tennessee, allowing you to play a wide range of games for fun.
- There are no land-based casinos in the Volunteer State, but you can enjoy a sociable experience by playing live dealer games at the best social casino sites.
- The best online casino options in Tennessee also have large, friendly social media communities, so you can make friends, share tips, and discuss games.
Cons
- They do not offer as many games as traditional online casinos in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
- With sweepstakes casinos banned in TN, these social casinos are freeplay only and don't allow prizes or withdrawals.
- The customer service options are limited at some of these sites, so you may need to fill out an online support ticket and wait for a reply via email.
Are online casinos legal in Tennessee?
Traditional online casinos are not legal in Tennessee. However, anyone aged 18 or older can legally use free social casino sites like BetRivers.net and Baba Wild Slots. They allow you to play games for fun, but you can’t redeem premium coins for cash prizes or gift cards.
Title 47 of the Tennessee Code provides the legal framework for running sweepstakes in the Volunteer State. Players must not be required to “pay the sponsor money as a condition of awarding the person a prize,” and the prize must be awarded within 30 days. Unfortunately, the state has now deemed that sweepstakes casinos no longer fall within this framework.
Insight:
The nearest state with legal online casino gambling is West Virginia. Learn more with our casino bill tracker.
Will Tennessee legalize online casinos in the future?
Tennessee is unlikely to legalize online casinos any time soon. It is one of only six states that have no land-based casinos, along with Alaska, Georgia, Hawaii, South Carolina, and Utah. HJR 0093, a bill seeking to authorize brick-and-mortar casinos, was filed in 2021, but it did not gain any momentum.
The state did legalize online sports betting in 2019, but that was a controversial issue. Gov. Bill Lee allowed the legislation to pass into law without his signature. He said he opposed the legalization of gambling, but he ultimately decided not to interfere with the bill. Legal sports betting has been available since 2020, but Tennessee has arguably the strictest sports betting tax regime in the country.
The House and the Senate would both need to approve a bill seeking to authorize online casinos, and the governor would then need to sign it. The legislature has never approved a brick-and-mortar casino bill, so it is unlikely to give the green light to online casinos in the immediate future.
What online casino games are available in Tennessee?
Tennesseans can play hundreds of games online. Sites like High 5 Casino, Pulsz, and WOW Vegas offer similar games to the best US online casinos, often sourced from the same software providers. These are the main categories you can explore.
Slots
There are no physical slot machines in Tennessee. The Volunteer State does not have any commercial casinos or tribal casinos, and it does not permit charity gaming parlors either, so you will need to head online if you want to play slots.
The best sites include High 5 Casino, WOW Vegas, McLuck, and Pulsz. They all offer hundreds of slots from some of the world’s top studios, ranging from old-school classics to modern Megaways games and jackpot slots.
Blackjack
Blackjack is a popular table game with a low house edge. Unfortunately, there are no live or electronic blackjack games in Tennessee, so players need to visit a site like High 5 Casino, McLuck, Chumba Casino, Stake.us, or Chanced to enjoy this game.
You can play classic blackjack and multi-hand blackjack with regular coins and premium coins at those sites. Some offer virtual blackjack games, which are powered by Random Number Generators, while others host live blackjack games, and a couple of sites provide both.
Roulette
Anyone aged 18 or older can play roulette online in Tennessee. There are roulette games at High 5 Casino, McLuck, Stake.us, Sweeptastic, and Chanced. You can play with Gold Coins for entertainment purposes, or you can use premium Sweeps Coins.
The best option is French roulette, which has a house edge of 1.35%. That compares favorably to the 2.7% house edge on European roulette and the 5.26% house edge on American roulette. Tennesseans can play French roulette at Chanced Casino and Sweeptastic.
Video Poker
Video poker machines and terminals are available at most land-based casinos in the United States. Unfortunately, there are none in Tennessee, but you can play online at sites like Chumba Casino, Stake.us, and Sweeptastic.
These games simply require you to build a strong five-card poker hand. You are not competing against rival players, so there is no need to work on your poker face. Video poker has a low house edge if you make the right strategic decisions, so it can be beneficial to play with Gold Coins while you master the game.
Table Games
The best online casinos in Tennessee offer a variety of additional table games, including 3 Card Poker, Casino Hold’em, Caribbean Stud, Draw Hi-Lo, Triple Edge Poker, baccarat, and three card rummy. They also offer Dice games, such as Sic Bo, Scratch Dice, and Rocket Dice. Sweeps casinos do not host online craps games, but you can play craps at BetRivers.net.
Additional games at online casinos include keno, bingo, and online scratchcards. Some sites offer variety games too, including Plinko, Mines, Crash, Wheel, Samurai, Diamonds, and Dragon Tower.
Read more about some of the most popular table games through the links above or the buttons below.
Live Dealer Games
There are no physical casinos in Tennessee, but you can still play table games with real dealers in the Volunteer State. Just visit High 5 Casino, McLuck, Stake.us, or Chanced Casino and head to the live dealer section.
You can then stream live table games on your phone, tablet, or computer. They include blackjack, baccarat, roulette, Teen Patti, and Sic Bo. You can watch the game developing in real time, and there is a chat box if you want to interact with the dealer and the other players.
Tennessee retail casinos & cardrooms
There are no retail casinos, racinos, cardrooms, or tribal casinos in Tennessee. If you want to play casino games in-person, you must visit Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, or Kentucky.
You will find several casinos close to the Tennessee border in Kentucky and Missouri. Tunica in Mississippi is close to Memphis, and Harrah’s Cherokee River Valley in North Carolina is only 30 miles from Tennessee’s eastern border. However, those resorts are still inconveniently located for most Tennesseans, so sites like WOW Vegas, High 5 Casino, and LoneStar Casino are popular in the state.
Why you should choose legal online casino options in Tennessee
Sites like WOW Vegas, High 5 Casino, and Legendz Social Casino comply with consumer protection laws in Tennessee. They are secure, they host fair games, and they must issue any prizes you redeem in a timely manner.
You will not benefit from any state or federal consumer protection laws if you play at unregulated casinos. These sites are not permitted to accept players in the United States, but that does not stop them targeting Tennesseans.
Lots of American players have been scammed at unregulated gambling sites, which sometimes host rigged games or simply refuse to pay out winning customers. You have no legal recourse if you are cheated at an unregulated casino, and you cannot rely on them to safeguard your sensitive data, so it is advisable to only play online casino games at legal sites in Tennessee.
Online casino payment options in Tennessee
Sites like Pulsz, WOW Vegas, and High 5 Casino do not accept traditional deposits or provide regular payouts. However, you can buy coins if you like, and you will also be given the chance to redeem premium coins for cash prizes. These are some of the payment options to consider.
Skrill Casinos
Most online casinos in Tennessee accept Skrill payments. You can use Skrill to buy coins, and it is often the fastest method when redeeming a cash prize too.
All Banking Options
Other payment options include online banking and instant bank transfers. If online casinos ever come to TN, you may find options for debit cards, PayPal, online banking, wire transfers, and PayNearMe.
Responsible gambling in Tennessee
It is important to gamble responsibly at online casinos and sportsbooks in Tennessee. If you need support, the Tennessee Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services runs a Problem Gambling Treatment Services Program.
The department also operates the Tennessee REDLINE, a 24-hour hotline for problem gambling referrals. The number is 800-889-9789.
Players in Tennessee can also use national support services. Call 1-800-GAMBLER or text 800GAM for confidential support at any time or visit GamTalk for online support. Gamblers Anonymous runs local meetings throughout Tennessee too.
Tennessee online casinos FAQ
No, the state of Tennessee has cracked down on sweepstakes casinos that offer real money prizes. If you want to play casino games in Tennessee, you’re now limited to fully free social casinos. Fun games, but no prizes.
You can play slots, video poker, blackjack, roulette, baccarat, dice games, and specialty games online in Tennessee. The best sites offer hundreds of slots, and you can also play virtual table games and live dealer games at certain Tennessee online casino options.
We recommend BetRivers.net as the closest thing to an online casino in Tennessee. This entirely free social casino site has all the games and functions of BetRivers Casino, but without the real-money gambling element.
You must be 18 or older to bet on horse races, buy lottery tickets, or participate in sweepstakes in Tennessee. The minimum age for sports betting is 21. Tennessee does not have any retail casinos or traditional online casinos, but the legal age would probably be 21 if they were introduced in the future.
Tennessee has never passed any legislation that would permit commercial casino resorts to launch. There are no tribal casinos either, as the state does not have any federally recognized tribes. Tennesseans can play online at sites like Pulsz and High 5 Casino or visit a neighboring state to play in-person.
The Tennessee Sports Wagering Council oversees online sportsbooks. The Tennessee Lottery runs all lottery games, while the Tennessee Racing Commission promulgates rules regulating pari-mutuel wagering on horse races. The state does not have a casino regulator.
