Oregon Casinos

History Of Gambling In Oregon

As you will see, Oregon’s gambling history dates back to the 90s when there were different kinds of gambling options available.

• 1930: Pinball gambling was the earliest form of gambling in Oregon. The pinball machine paid out cash to the winners as opposed to gumballs and other prizes today.
• 1931: Pari-mutuel betting on horse races begun.
• 1933: Greyhound betting was introduced. The Pari-Mutuel Wagering Act was passed by the state, and Oregon Racing Commission was established.
• 1937: A circuit court judge banned pinball machines.
• 1946: The Portland Meadow track was launched and started horse racing.
• 1971: Charity gambling was legalized, and fundraising ‘casino nights’ were authorized.
• 1973: Social gambling was classified as legal. But, it was legal as long as an individual did not profit from running the game.
• 1976: The ban on pinball machines was lifted. The constitution law was amended to include bingo and raffles.
• 1984: Another amendment was made to the Oregon constitution, and the state lottery was finally approved by 66% votes in the general election.
• 1988: The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act was passed by the federal government. The rights of tribal casinos to offer class III gaming were also codified by IGRA.
• 1989: Oregon became the first state to legalize sports betting lottery. This allowed players to bet on NFL parlays. The Video Lottery Terminals were also authorized by the legislature to be installed at bars and taverns. However, this was limited to 5 lottery terminals per place.
• 1990: NBA games were added to the sports action lottery, but the decision was soon reversed.
• 1991: Private video lottery terminals were banned.
• 1992: Native tribes were authorized to offer class 1 and 2 games, owing to the signing of the first tribal compacts. PASPA was passed by the federal government to ban sports betting.
• 1994: Cow Creek Tribe launched the first casino in Oregon.
• 1995: The bill to allow Video Lottery Terminals at racetracks was vetoed by Governor John Kitzhaber.
• 1997: Out-of-state bettors were allowed to bet electronically on horse and greyhound races nationwide. Oregon was the first state to introduce this.
• 2004: The last greyhound races were held this year. After that, it was discontinued due to low revenue generation.
• 2005: Texas Hold’em Poker was approved for charitable gaming.
• 2007: Licensed poker clubs were launched. Sports Action Parlay games were banned.
• 2011: Accepting money for online gambling was classified as a felony according to the amendment.
• 2012: Commercial casinos launch was rejected with a 70% vote.
• 2019: Governor Kate Brown signed the law that legalized sports betting. The first sportsbook was launched.

Is it Legal to Gamble Online in Oregon?

In 2011, an amendment was passed according to which it was a felony to accept real money for online gambling. So, is online gambling legal in Oregon?

Much like many other states in the US, Oregon does not regulate online gambling and has very confusing laws regarding it. Accepting money for online gambling is punishable by law which means that no online casinos are allowed to operate in the state.

But this law can be translated in a way that does not include offshore sites. So, now you must be wondering, ‘Can I gamble online in or?’. Yes, luckily, you can. Despite the apparent restriction on accepting payments from Oregon residents, numerous offshore casino sites do not refrain from offering their site to the OR players. This means that you can easily hop onto an international, US-friendly site and gamble on the game of your choice.  

Hence, Oregon residents can enjoy real money gambling at offshore sites.

Online Casino

So, now you must know how to gamble online in Oregon. Since there are no in-state sites offering legal online gambling in OR, you must resort to an offshore site. For your own safety, make sure that the offshore site is fully regulated and licensed.

There is a multitude of online casinos that accept players from Oregon. These range from poker and bingo sites to comprehensive casinos offering a wide variety of games. However, you will have to abide by the age limit rule imposed by the Oregon laws. Although there are numerous game categories at the virtual casinos, some of the popular ones have been mentioned below.

Online Poker

Live poker is fully legal in Oregon. That is, you can enjoy numerous poker games by taking a seat in any of the countless poker rooms at Oregon land-based casinos.

Unfortunately, Oregon does not regulate online gambling. Nevertheless, you can head over to an offshore poker site. Some of these poker sites offering their games to Oregon residents include BetOnline Poker, Bovada Poker, Ignition Poker, and many others. At these sites, you can explore a wide range of poker games. This includes Omaha, Omaha Hi-Lo, Texas Hold’em Poker, 7 Card Stud, Joker Poker, and many others.

Online Sports Betting

As of 2019, the state of Oregon allows online legal sports betting. This comes as good news as most of the major sportsbooks will be offering their services, including DraftKings and FanDuel. Currently, online sports betting is made available to the OR residents through the Oregon Lottery Scoreboard site.

Residents in Oregon will be able to bet on all types of major sports leagues and sports. American Football (NFL), Baseball (MLB), Basketball (NBA), Hockey (NHL), Soccer, Tennis, and many more are available for online betting. Sports betting through mobile phones is also fully legal in the state of Oregon. However, Oregon does not allow betting on college sports like NCAA.

Online Lottery

The lottery has been popular in the state of Oregon. With time, the lottery has also been made available online. The Oregon Lottery Commission regulates the games offered online. Although the online lottery is available in Oregon, some of the games might not be accessible as they are only offered on a location basis.

Some of the lottery games in OR include:

Draw Games. These are some of the most popular types of lottery games, not only in OR but also in multiple states in the US. Draw games usually offer massive cash prizes to the jackpot winner. Consolation prizes are also awarded to those who came significantly close to hitting the jackpot. Some of these draw games are multi-state lotteries. The available draw games include:

• Powerball
• Mega Millions
• Lucky Lines
• Win For Life

Instant Games. If you don’t like to wait for hitting the jackpot, you can go for easy and quick cash prizes by trying out the instant games. The most popular type of instant game in OR is the scratch-off game. These games offer varying cash prizes and also offer tickets of varying prices.

• Cash Machine
• Cherry 8s
• Black Tie Bingo

Fast Cash Games. There a multiple fast payout games also available. Such as:

• Aces Kickers
• Cash Spin
• American Original

Keno Games. The draw is held after every 4 minutes. Players can grab the chance to win millions of dollars. Some games also feature multipliers to maximize the winnings.

Online Bingo

The state of Oregon does not offer online bingo. But, there are numerous offshore bingo sites accepting players from OR. Bingo Billy and Bonus Bingo are just two of these sites available to Oregon residents.

The offshore bingo sites offer several different variations. You can even play classical bingo games. Generous welcome bonuses are also a perk when you choose to gamble at an online bingo site.

Online Horse Race Betting

Oregon was one of the first states to legalize online horse race betting sites back in 1997. Since then, many popular sites are now available for online horse race betting in OR. TwinSpires and TVG, the two most popular betting sites, operate from Oregon.

Hence, Oregon residents can easily and legally enjoy online betting at any of the sites of their choosing.

Online Sweepstakes

Online sweepstakes are legal in Oregon as long as the state laws are followed. These laws include that there must be no entry fees for the participants. Moreover, the winner should be chosen at random.

These games have prizes ranging from hats, t-shits, and jackets to getaways and tickets to exotic places. Usually, there are multiple winners in every sweepstake.

Daily Fantasy Sports

The laws regarding Daily Fantasy Sports in Oregon are unclear. Hence, OR residents can enjoy a variety of popular DFS platforms without any legal complications. These sites include but are not limited to FanDuel, DraftKings, Fantasy Draft, etc.

However, Oregon does not offer Daily Fantasy Sports on college sports.

1. Online Daily Fantasy NBA – Oregon has a home team named Portland Trail Blazers.
2. Online Daily Fantasy MBA –  Although Oregon does not have a home team in Major League Baseball yet, it is very popularly played.
3. Online Daily Fantasy NHL – Similarly, there is no home team in either the minor or major ice hockey league.
4. Online Daily Fantasy MLS – Oregon has a home team, Portland Timbers, playing in the MLS.

Is It Safe to Gamble at an Oregon Online Casino?

Yes, it is totally safe to gamble online in Oregon. Although online slots OR are not available, you can legally play most of the casino games online. Oregon online casino real money is also available. Some of the online games that are not available in Oregon can be accessed through offshore sites. Since there are no laws regarding offshore gambling, it is regarded as safe to gamble online in Oregon.

However, there are different age limits to gamble online legally. The age limit for both Oregon online casinos and offshore casino sites is different. At the variety of online casinos, you will find a myriad of games from several different game providers. Here we have mentioned the leading providers in the iGaming industry.

1. NetEnt: NetEnt is the developer behind exceptional games like Gonzo’s Quest and Mega Fortune. Being one of the oldest game providers, NetEnt has developed numerous games to date. This provider mainly focuses on developing various kinds of slots. However, it has also released multiple table games.
2. Pragmatic Play: This is another prominent brand in the gaming arena. Games by Pragmatic Play are nothing short of impressive. Being a mobile-friendly game provider, Pragmatic Play games function seamlessly on a wide range of devices. This company has developed slots, bingo, scratch card games, etc.
3. Yggdrasil: Yggdrasil is an innovative game provider that was launched in 2013. Numerous themed games have been released by Yggdrasil. The games by Yggdrasil are RNG certified. Plus, these games feature a variety of in-game bonuses and free spins. In short, Yggdrasil develops fully entertaining games that provide multiple ways to win.
4. Betsoft: This game provider has released more than 150 games to date. Betsoft is also renowned for producing numerous 3D video slots featuring high-quality graphics. Multiple classic table games like Blackjack, Roulette, and Bacarrat have also been released by this provider.
5. PlayTech: PlayTech has a comprehensive and extensive gaming portfolio. This provider has the largest number of games to offer. You can find numerous bingo, lottery, and slot games. Moreover, live and virtual sports games are also available. Age of the Gods is one of the popular games developed by PlayTech.
6. Evolution Gaming: Another leading industry giant is Evolution Gaming. Since 2006, Evolution Gaming has released a wide range of games. However, it focuses more on live games. The top-notch live studio by Evolution Gaming offers classic table games as well as some exciting games such as live Monopoly.

Gambling Age Law

According to Oregon online gambling laws, the legal age for gambling is 21 years or older. However, the age restriction varies from game to game. For instance, traditional lottery games, social gaming, charitable gaming, and pari-mutuel betting on horses have a minimum age requirement of 18 years or older. On the other hand, casino games such as video poker and video slots and tribal casino gaming have a requirement of 21 years.

Many offshore casino sites, however, have a minimum 18 years age requirement even for casino games.

Land-Based Casinos in Oregon 

If you are a fan of traditional gambling at a land-based casino, you are in luck as Oregon offers a decent variety of casinos. To be precise, currently, the state of Oregon has 9 brick-and-mortar casinos. These are not as huge and vegas-style, as compared to casinos in other states. However, they still offer a great collection of numerous kinds of games.

All these 9 casinos are tribal casinos. As of yet, not a single commercial casino can be found in the state of Oregon. From all these, we have mentioned a few land-based platforms with all the games they offer.

Will Oregon Regulate Online Gambling In The Future?

Very unlikely. Oregon has flexible and less stringent gambling laws as compared to other prominent states in the US. But, as the other states like New Jersey, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania have introduced most of the gambling game types online, Oregon still has a long way to go.

In 2020, due to the COVID pandemic, many states in the US suffered a drop in revenue. However, Oregon stood unaffected. This was because it had online betting services that supported its economy. But, in July 2021, sports betting in Oregon resulted in a revenue generation of 2.17 million US Dollars. However, the revenue had suffered a drop from 2.84 million US Dollars in June 2021.

As OR online gambling is currently not offered in the state, or at least not fully, the residents resort to offshore casinos to quench their gambling thirst. With the recent legalization of online sports betting, we can hope that OR online casino apps will also be made available in due time. However, currently, there are no bills being processed with regards to this matter.