Oregon online casinos are not regulated or legal, but the state is not against all forms of gambling. Sure, it’s far from one of the best states for gambling, but with multiple tribal casinos, Poker rooms, and online betting for sports and pari-mutuel, residents certainly have enough gambling options.
While online casinos in Oregon remain illegal, residents can legally play the latest online games at social online casinos. These provide access to the latest games, and some also include sweep coins, which you can redeem for real cash. These sites are perfectly legal since you won’t use real money on games.
In our guide to online casinos in Oregon, we’ll examine when Oregon will legalize online casinos, a short history, where you can access the best online casinos, and more.
Are Online Casinos in Oregon Legal?
Even though online casinos in Oregon are not legal, it doesn’t stop offshore sites from catering to the state. However, these sites avoid the law by being located outside of the states, but that doesn’t make them legal. It makes them less trustworthy as you have no guarantee of security, fairness, or reliability.
Since they are not legal in Oregon, you also have no place to report a casino that does not honor your withdrawal or uses unfair gaming software.
Are Any Types of Online Casinos in Oregon Legal?
Yes, but not for real money. Social online casinos do not use real money to wager on games, but you can play the latest slots, table games, and even live dealer games with the website currency.
There are various ways to play, including no need for deposits. However, you can choose from various packages if you want a boost for more coins. Be sure to complete the verification of your account to gain access to sweeps, which you’ll earn by playing games, participating in tournaments, and much more. Once you have enough, redeem the coins for real money rewards.
When will Oregon Online Casinos be Legalized?
Lawmakers in Oregon have shown little interest in further extending the gambling industry and have not even legalized commercial land-based casinos, despite two attempts in 2010 and 2012.
For online casinos in Oregon to become available, online operators need to partner with land-based casinos, which has not been possible in most states that only have tribal casinos.
Lastly, Oregon is located between Washinton, Nevada, and Idaho, and none of those states have shows any interest in legalizing online casinos, placing Oregon lawmakers under no pressure to consider making a change.
A Brief History of Gambling in Oregon
Considering the milestones in Oregon’s gambling history, it’s clear that the state is friendly towards gambling but also cares about the common problem associated with addiction.
The gambling history dates back to 1933 when Oregon legalized horse and dog race wagering, social card games, charitable games, and off-track betting. In 1984, the next major change was introduced as 66% of voters were in favor of the state lottery, which continues to this day.
Casino gambling only made an entrance in 1988 when tribal casinos were permitted, followed by the Problem Gambling Treatment Fund just four years later. The first nine tribal casinos opened in 1993, and the gambling problem helpline was added two years later.
While more gambling support became available and gambling terminals increased, the next major gambling change occurred in 2019, when Oregon legalized online sports betting.
Best Sweepstakes Online Casinos in Oregon
The law restricts real money online casinos in Oregon, which does not apply to sweepstakes online casinos or the real money rewards you can redeem with your sweep coins. These social online casinos provide access to the best online games without requiring deposits or purchases. Of course, you can gain an advantage of choosing one of the packages, which are budget-friendly for everyone.
| Rank | Social Online Casino | Welcome Reward |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Funrize | 75,000 Coins |
| 2. | Stake.us (Crypto) | 250,000 Coins + $25 Stake Cash |
| 3. | Wow Vegas | 5,000 Wow Coins |
| 4. | Gambino Slots | 100,000 Coins + 200 Free Spins |
| 5. | McLuck | 50,000 Coins + 25 Sweeps |
In which States are Online Casinos Legal?
The best online casinos in America became available in New Jersey for the first time in 2013, offering multiple top-rated sites with hundreds of unique games. Today, seven states offer access to legal online casinos, but all of them are located in the eastern region, far away from Oregon.
Closest State with Legal Online Casinos from Oregon
None of the legal states are anywhere near Oregon, and you’ll need to travel well over 2,000 miles to reach one of the legal states. However, you can access online casinos in legal states as long as you’re in the state borders at the time, which also applies to airport layovers.
Land-based Casinos in Oregon
There are several types of Oregon casinos. First, Oregon law permits bars and taverns to have up to six video lottery terminals (VLT’s) that offer various versions of video poker. Additionally, racetracks are allowed to have up to 10 machines. The maximum bet allowed is $2.50 and the maximum payout on any machine is capped at $600.
These machines are the same as regular video gaming devices. Still, they are called lottery terminals because they are regulated by the state’s lottery commission, which receives a share of each machine’s revenue. The machines accept cash but do not pay out in cash; instead, they print out a receipt, which must be taken to a cashier.
Oregon has one racetrack, Portland Meadows, which offers instant racing betting machines. While these machines may appear to be regular slot machines, they are actually based on unidentified past horse races and the reels are for entertainment purposes only.
Finally, there are nine Indian casinos in Oregon. According to the governor’s office which regulates the Tribe’s compacts, “there is no minimum payback percentage required on the Tribe’s machines. Each Tribe is free to set their own limits on their machines.”
Online Casinos in Oregon are Not Coming Yet
While some forms of online gambling have become available, Oregon does not show any indication of legalizing online casinos anytime soon. As with most states in the west, there’s no pressure to change the current laws as very few residents are prepared to travel to other states where online casinos are legal.