Tennessee Sports Betting Explainer

Tennessee holds a unique and pioneering position in the landscape of American sports wagering, having been the first state to launch an exclusively online and mobile-only market without any requirement for brick-and-mortar casino partnerships. The Volunteer State officially commenced legal sports betting on November 1, 2020, following the passage of the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act in 2019. This legislative decision established a regulatory framework that is distinctively focused on digital access, eschewing the traditional retail sportsbook model entirely. The market is overseen by the Tennessee Sports Wagering Council (SWAC), which is tasked with ensuring regulatory compliance, promoting responsible gaming, and managing the licensing of all operators. The state’s approach has been characterized by a high degree of regulatory experimentation, particularly concerning its tax structure and the now-defunct mandatory hold percentage, which have positioned Tennessee as a fascinating case study in the evolution of U.S. sports betting regulation.

Licensed Sports Wagering Operators

The Tennessee market is competitive, featuring a robust roster of national and regional operators who have secured licenses from the SWAC. As of late 2025, the state hosts eleven approved sports wagering operators, providing consumers with a diverse array of platforms and betting options. This competitive environment benefits the consumer through varied promotional offers and technological innovation.

The currently licensed operators include:

• American Wagering, Inc. (dba Caesars Sportsbook)
• Bally’s Interactive, LLC (dba Bally Bet)
• Betfair Interactive US LLC (dba FanDuel Sportsbook)
• BetMGM, LLC (dba Roar Digital)
• Crown TN Gaming LLC (DraftKings)
• FBG Enterprises Opco, LLC (dba Fanatics Sportsbook)
• Hillside (Tennessee) LLC (d/b/a bet365)
• Penn Sports Interactive, LLC (Branded as theScore Bet)
• Seminole Hard Rock Digital, LLC (Branded as Hard Rock Bet)
• Tennessee Action 24/7, LLC (a locally-focused operator)
• VIP Play TN, LLC (dba VIP Play)

Daily Fantasy Sports and Prediction Markets

Beyond traditional sports wagering, Tennessee has also established a clear regulatory path for Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) and, more recently, has seen the emergence of prediction market offerings. The SWAC’s regulatory authority was expanded to include fantasy sports through Public Chapter 143, which became law in July 2023. This oversight ensures that the burgeoning DFS sector operates with the same integrity and consumer protection standards as the sports betting market.

Several major DFS and pick’em operators are approved licensees, including DraftKings, FanDuel, Underdog Sports, and SidePrize LLC (dba PrizePicks). The availability of these platforms caters to a distinct segment of the gaming population, offering contests based on player performance metrics. Furthermore, the prediction market space has seen innovation, with PrizePicks launching a prediction markets product powered by Kalshi, allowing users to engage in simple, contract-based predictions on various events. This integration highlights the state’s willingness to accommodate new, digitally-native forms of wagering and gaming.

Legislative Journey and Regulatory Evolution

Tennessee’s path to legalization was marked by a series of legislative maneuvers that ultimately resulted in a highly unconventional regulatory structure. The initial bill, passed without the signature of Governor Bill Lee, created a market that was unique in two significant ways: the online-only mandate and a controversial mandatory hold percentage.

The most notable regulatory hurdle was the requirement for sportsbooks to maintain a 10% minimum hold on all wagers annually. This rule, which effectively capped the amount operators could pay out to 90% of the handle, was designed to ensure a predictable tax revenue stream for the state. However, it was widely criticized by operators and industry analysts for potentially limiting competition and offering less favorable odds to consumers.

In a significant legislative shift, the state eliminated the mandatory hold requirement in July 2023 and simultaneously transitioned the tax structure from a 20% levy on Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) to a 1.85% tax on the total handle (the total amount wagered). This change made Tennessee the first state in the nation to tax the handle rather than the revenue, a move that provides the state with a more stable, albeit lower, tax base, regardless of the operators’ profitability. As one industry analysis noted:

“Tennessee levies a 1.85% tax on gross handle, which replaced a 20% tax on adjusted gross income that was in place until July 2023. This pivot from taxing revenue to taxing the total amount wagered is a bold, experimental approach that fundamentally alters the economic model for sportsbooks operating within the state.”

Tribal Gaming and Unique State Characteristics

Unlike many other states with legalized gambling, Tennessee has no federally recognized Native American tribes and, consequently, no tribal casinos or tribal gaming compacts. This absence is the primary reason the state was able to launch an online-only market without the political and legal complexities often associated with tribal exclusivity over casino gaming.

The state’s unique characteristics are further defined by its passionate sports culture, anchored by several major professional franchises:

• National Football League (NFL): Tennessee Titans (Nashville)
• National Basketball Association (NBA): Memphis Grizzlies (Memphis)
• National Hockey League (NHL): Nashville Predators (Nashville)
• Major League Soccer (MLS): Nashville SC (Nashville)  

The presence of these teams, particularly the Titans and Predators in the capital city of Nashville, provides a strong local betting interest that fuels the mobile-only market. The regulatory framework’s initial design, which included the mandatory hold, and its subsequent pivot to a handle-based tax, are the most significant state-specific details that differentiate Tennessee from nearly every other jurisdiction in the United States.

Future Outlook

The future of sports betting in Tennessee appears stable and focused on optimizing the current mobile-only structure. The shift to the handle-based tax has stabilized the state’s revenue stream, generating tens of millions of dollars annually for educational and infrastructure programs. While the market is mature, the SWAC continues to monitor the landscape, ensuring compliance and consumer protection. Given the success of the mobile-only model and the absence of a retail casino infrastructure, it is highly improbable that Tennessee will introduce retail sportsbooks in the near future. Instead, the focus will likely remain on integrating new technologies, such as the emerging prediction market platforms, and maintaining a competitive, digitally-focused environment for the Volunteer State’s enthusiastic bettors.