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Written by: Filip Gromovic Reviewed by: Nashon Khamala
The United States is one country with strict policies when it comes to gambling. It has been a bone of contention and has led to several legal suits seeking to reach a conclusive end. It’s worth mentioning that sports betting has received the support of many states and is, therefore, considered legal. The same can’t be said of casino gaming, with some states proscribing online gambling and allowing land-based casinos to operate.
Tennessee is one state that has remained resolute in the decision to decline approvals for anything that has to do with casino gaming. In this article, we look at some of the reasons for this and what options are worth exploring for residents who are interested in it. Casino promotions updated: 06/14/2025
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The current status of online casinos Tennessee is illegal. The state hasn’t entertained ideas about opening up the billion-dollar market to residents. As such, players from the state tend to see other options, ranging from fantasy sports and skill games, which meet certain requirements.
As a truly conservative state, Tennessee only follows through with sports betting authorization, which allows residents to use licensed sportsbook operators to place their bets.
The state allows both online casinos TN and mobile sports betting operators to ply their trade without legal consequences. Of course, players must use licensed brands, which include DraftKings and BetMGM. Caesars and FanDuel are also some other licensed operators.
Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) are also allowed. This follows the provisions of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIEGA). The Act specifically prohibited the use of the internet in offering and participating in gambling activities, especially if it’s capable of bringing monetary returns. It went on to exclude fantasy sports from the list because they are generally considered to be playable based on skill rather than on chance. As such, Tennessee online casinos players can leverage it for fun or entertainment purposes and on the understanding that its coordination is free of manipulations.
Therefore, only online sports betting and participation in fantasy sports contests are the forms of real money online gambles residents can place.
Tennessee doesn’t recognize nor regulate online casinos. As such, residents cannot legally use real money online casino Tennessee. The daring ones opt to use offshore sites to do so.
Tennessee proves to be a consistent state in the United States that doesn’t permit gambling, including any online casinos TN. The timeline below tracks the state’s efforts in this regard and what has changed in recent times.
It started with a complete ban on gambling activities in 1906. This can be excused because of the country’s stance on gambling at the time. Almost a century later, precisely in 2003, the state made a major move to legalize gambling. This was marked by the establishment of the Tennessee Education Lottery.
Thirteen years later, in 2016, the state affirmed the legality of fantasy sports contests with the passing of the Fantasy Sports Act. Things moved on quickly in 2019 when the state legalized sports gambling through the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act.
Residents would expect the same legality to be extended to Tennessee online casinos, but that appears to be the last thing on the government’s mind. Six years after sports betting became legal, casinos, both online and physical, haven’t been allowed by law to operate in the state.
Sports betting, both online and in-person, as well as fantasy sports contests are legal in Tennessee online casinos. Let’s have a deeper look into what they entail.
The legalization of fantasy sports in April 2016 marked the beginning of a new market for residents. The passage of the Fantasy Sports Act allowed for this and further added to the ongoing cause for states to ultimately decide or determine whether this category of gambling in online casinos Tennessee should be allowed or not.
The recognition granted to fantasy sports contests is because of these reasons:
The state took another step toward legalizing gambling by permitting online sports betting in online casinos TN in 2019. It was legalized on April 30, 2019 and became fully operational in 2020. This came on the heels of the enactment of the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act.
It must be mentioned that this legalization is an interesting one, considering that unlike some other states, Tennessee opted to only give the nod for online sports betting. By this provision, brick-and-mortar or offline operators are not allowed to participate.
Also, the approval has some twists, especially following the publication, pointing to the fact that the Governor, Bill Lee, opted to approve of it without necessarily putting down his signature. That can be attributed to the Governor’s stance that:
Pari-mutuel wagering is allowed in Tennessee online casinos. This also means that horse race betting is legal in the state. Interstate simulcast bets are also permitted, provided that all these are done at licensed satellite teletheaters in the state.By the approval, online sports betting became an integral part of Tennessee’s gambling market and made it the first state to authorize only the online markets; leaving out the in-person.
This is an unofficial part of gambling options dedicated to online casinos Tennessee, but has gained traction in recent years. Platforms and sites offering casino-style games allow Tennessee residents to use virtual currencies to play and wager.
Although the government, through the office of the Attorney General, has issued warnings on the risks, residents still use these sites.
In this section, we talk about some of the unconventional yet popular options for Tennessee online casinos players to use if they don’t intend to gamble on sports or participate in fantasy sports contests in Tennessee.
Sweepstakes serve as a veritable pathway for residents who still want to play casino-style games. Finding online casinos Tennessee that offer one can be tasking in a highly-restricted environment such as the state, but we have picked one — Jackpota.
It’s the best website offering sweepstakes whereby players are rewarded with prizes by chance rather than skill. This is a unique opportunity for you to tap into a new ecosystem, albeit one not offered in an online casino and make money off your predicting prowess rather than merely depending on your skill alone.The game in online casinos TN offering here extends to jackpots, megaways, slots and social live games, modeled after live dealer games at brick-and-mortar casinos.
Step into the reels and take a spin at Tao Fortune, a social gaming website that offers a mix of fun play with earning options. The selection of online slot titles includes classic slot games and those with a wide range of themes, including fishing and jackpots.New players are in for some benefits too, which include up to 100,000 Tao Coins to be used when wagering on these games.
The two online casinos Tennessee reviewed offer batch-by-batch games, such as sweepstakes and slots. This time, we present a unified platform, Spree, where you have access to any category of online casino game.
Play Spree Limited, the owner, registered it and has the license obtained in the Isle of Man. It also collaborates with leading software providers like Swintt, Relax Gaming, EvoPlay and Playson to keep the game library updated.For bonuses, 30,000 Gold Coins and 30 Spree Coins are up for grabs when you sign up, while the referral program rewards you with 10 Spree Coins when you get friends to use the site.
In light of the risks that come with betting on unlicensed online casinos TN, it makes sense to have spare money to play with. This is why we picked Cafe Casino, a real money casino owned by Arachis Media. It proves to be genuine with the regulation by the Anjouan Gaming Board.
It offers a plethora of bonuses to help users get started even with the smallest of bankrolls. Top on the list is a $100 referral bonus paid out when you refer a friend to make an account with the platform and when that friend funds the account. It offers an additional $25 if the referred friend used any of the cryptocurrencies as a deposit method.
It also has online casinos TN perks, batched into eight levels, with the first level having a redemption rate of 2,500 points exchanged for $1. Perk points are earned when you play and wager consistently on casino games.
Bovada is one of the top Tennessee online casinos allowing players from most of the states, with the exceptions of Maryland, Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey and New York.
Since it’s open to Tennessee residents, you can head over to make an account online and play plus bet on slots and a collection of table games spanning across blackjack, roulette and baccarat.
It also makes the mark as a destination for online casinos TN prize money, with the hot drop jackpots paying out up to $220,000. These are held both hourly and daily. Players also choose to participate in the third way to win — the epic jackpot, which keeps adding up the prize pool until someone wins it.
There’s really no way to play at online casinos TN because they’re not authorized to operate. Except you wish to use the platforms that offer casino-style games. If so, the guide below will walk you through:
You can choose from any of the five platforms we recommended. However, for that casino experience, you’re better off sticking with Bovada, Tao Fortune or Spree. Cafe Casino is another site to consider using, especially as it offers some free money to start with.
Create an online casinos TN account with the required information. Email address and preferred password are commonly asked. Be wary of a site that asks for your full name and date of birth. Your phone may be required for confirmation purposes.
Depending on the authentication method, the site may send a verification link to your registered email address or telephone number.
If it was a link, click on it to load a new window. If a telephone number, look for the confirmation code and enter it in the designated column on the website.
Most of the Tennessee online casinos recommended above will ask for a deposit. It ranges from $10 and $20 minimum. Use any of the payment methods to do so.
In the case of sweepstakes, you’re asked to purchase virtual currencies called Gold Coins (GC). Those permit you to use the site to play casino games.
Choose from the array of game selections. For game-centric platforms like Tao Fortune, you may be limited to choosing only online slots in online casinos Tennessee. For broader ones like Bovada and Spree, the option extends from table games to slot titles and scratch cards.
With your skill and mastery, it becomes easier to predict the outcome of the games in Tennessee online casinos and or maneuver your way through playing a better hand or landing the winning combinations on the reels.
Since casino gaming is restricted in Tennessee, residents don’t have the expectations for now, to use regulated sites or brick-and-mortar casinos.
However, you can turn to regulated mediums, especially those licensed to operate but not in the United States. These sites, generally operating as social casinos and sweepstakes, accept players to come play and wager on casino-style games.
The popular online casinos Tennessee games they offer include:
Those online casinos TN games are sometimes offered with variations, thus, expanding the options available to players. You can also find simulated poker on the site.
Some operators have become creative by introducing some Hold & Win, Megways and Scratch Cards; such collections you see at traditional casinos. With that, you have a plethora of options to pick from. If you can, use the demo option to familiarize yourself with the gameplay ahead of the main play.
The state prohibits the operations of land-based casinos, hence, you can’t find any dotting the landscape. Interestingly and quite unlike what’s obtainable in other states, Tennessee placed an extensive ban that covers anything from land-based casinos to online casinos TN.
In place of land-based casinos, the state legalizes both charitable gaming events and lotteries. Both are offered in-person at designated physical locations.
The legalization of lotteries in Tennessee started with the establishment of the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation in 2003. In addition to overseeing the overall lottery activities in the state, the corporation also authorizes the kinds of games to be offered.
So far, the following have been offered across the authorized locations:
The locations are open to only authorized retailers, which cuts across gas stations, convenience stores and supermarkets.
Only nonprofit organizations that meet the eligibility requirements, including being designated as 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) are allowed to engage in offering conducting games of chance in online casinos TN.
These games must meet the following requirements:
For residents still interested in casino-style gaming, they’re better off using land-based casinos closer to the state. More often than not, players from Tennessee go to neighboring states, especially North Carolina, Mississippi and Arkansas to do this.
This is a casino hotel located in West Memphis. It’s home to over 2,300 slot machines, known for online casinos Tennessee lovers, and is open 24 hours a day, throughout the week. Here, players from Tennessee can gamble on over 50 table games and join the league of high-rollers in the high limit room where the wager starts at $50.
This is located at 777 Casino Dr, Cherokee in North Carolina. It features over 3,000 slot games covering denominations like Wheel of Fortune and Buffalo. It also hosts poker games and table games like craps and blackjack.
This is located at 777 Casino Pkwy, Murphy in North Carolina. The game collection spans 1,300 slot titles, over 60 table games and poker games with daily tournaments attached.
In this section, we look at some of the applicable laws for online casinos TN in the state of Tennessee.
As per the provisions in Section 39-17-501 of the Tennessee State Code, online casinos are generally classified as a game of chance. The section goes further to specify that activities that require taking risks to make profits, especially by putting money down are considered gambling and thus, prohibited.
Since a majority of casino games require gambling, the provisions of the section ultimately prohibit residents from partaking in such activities.
The Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation places an age requirement on online casinos Tennesse gambling. You must be at least 18 years of age to participate in either the multi-jurisdictional or in-house draw games organized as lotteries. This requirement also extends to the purchase and redemption of lottery tickets.
In comparison, both offshore and on-shore websites operate and offer casino-style gaming options to Tennessee residents.
Given the strict laws in place, players are better off using the licensed operators that offer sports betting online and fantasy sports contests.
Using offshore betting online casinos TN can be risky and could cause legal suits if one is caught. To be on a safer side, use the sites that are neither legalized nor prohibited from operating in the state. These offer casino-style games in a social way and sweepstakes. The ones reviewed in this article are reliable.
Generally, all the social casinos and sweepstakes operate offshore, as they’re not licensed by the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation.
Here are tips on being safe when using these online casinos Tennesse:
The same dexterity used in determining the eligibility of operators to come into the state is also extended to promoting responsible activities. The state, through different initiatives, ensures that players are safe, mentally and physically.
These are some of the responsible gambling measures in land-based and online casinos Tennesse:
The Tennessee Sports Wagering Council offers telehealth services to help players battling with gambling addiction and or disorder to find help over the phone. They can contact the Gambling Clinic, which offers specialized assistance to these people. The clinic can be reached on 901-678-STOP.
Online casinos Tennesse bettors are encouraged to fill out the Tennessee Voluntary Sports Wagering Self-Exclusion Application, which ultimately helps them volunteer to stop participating in sports wagering activities in the state, as they’re at the risk of getting addicted.
The application can be completed online and mailed to the following:
Tennessee Sports Wagering Council
Players may also want to reach out to the Tennessee REDLINE on 1-800-889-9789. They will help you with the next steps to take.
Going by what’s obtainable as of now, the state has a tight hold on gambling and even though it has loosened up with sports betting regulation, it still prohibits online casinos from operating. Besides, sports betting is limited online, giving the idea that the conservative stance on gambling may not go away anytime soon.
Even if the state decides to legalize Tennessee online casinos, there’s a likelihood that the waiver wouldn’t be extended to brick-and-mortar casinos. Thus, we will see a likely scenario where land-based operators wouldn’t be allowed to operate in the state.
The future of online casinos in Tennessee also depends on the legislators. So far, no bills or laws proposing the establishment of casinos have made it into the legislative sessions.
Most importantly, a lot depends on the existing architecture. The state, through the Tennessee Lottery Education Corporation and the Tennessee Sports Wagering Council, tries to effectively coordinate the activities of existing legal gambling avenues. The success of regulating both lotteries and sportsbooks will determine if the state will be ready to take on new responsibilities in the form of licensing and managing the activities of casinos, both online and brick-and-mortar.
Filip Gromovic is a senior slots reviewer here at FreeSlots99 with over five years of experience evaluating the latest drops in the world of iGaming.
Being a slot fan himself, Filip approaches slot ratings just the way we like it – professionally, but also from a player’s standpoint.
That enables him to give his unbiased take on the slot’s features, gameplay and design, while only recommending top-tier releases to our readers.
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Having served FreeSlots99 for more than 5 years as a senior content editor and reviewer, Nashon Khamala has extensive knowledge in game slots and iGaming.
His membership in the Editorial Freelancers Association helps him deliver content that reaches both editorial excellence standards and an engaging information level.
By using his expertise in slots games combined with player-focused analysis, Nashon delivers a professional evaluation of slot features and player experiences in his reviews.
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