Oregon sports betting officially launched in September 2019, even though this state has had a long history in the industry. Oregon was one of the states that were allowed to offer betting on sports prior to the federal ban being lifted in 2018.
Oregon sports betting is extremely limited at this time, and the state has been slow to grow and adapt since its launch. There is some optimism that change is coming, and lawmakers are looking to pass a bill to open up some new opportunities.
Oregon online sports betting is available through just one mobile app, and that is run by the Oregon Lottery. The platform is called Scoreboard.
However, this has caused a number of issues since its launch, and it has kept the state from seeing some top sports betting options launch in the state.
Even though OR sports betting is live, this is not a big market.
Oregon Sportsbooks
Oregon sports betting is available at tribal casinos and through one single online mobile app. This does not give sports bettors a chance to search for the best option, and it has created a very non-competitive market in the state.
The first retail location to offer sports betting was the Chinook Winds Casino in September 2019. There are seven other tribal casino properties that are able to offer sports betting, but none have done so at this time.
All of the OR online sports betting is done through the Scoreboard app launched by the Oregon State Lottery. SBTech was chosen as the vendor to power sports betting through the app, and there have been several problems since its launch.
At some point, retailers that offer video gaming options are expected to be able to offer online or retail sports betting, but that has not been the case up to this point.
OR Sports Betting Rules
Another problem with the sports betting industry in Oregon is that it is extremely limited in terms of betting markets. The OR sports betting rules are extremely restrictive, but this could also be changing in the future.
Betting on college sporting events is not allowed through the Scoreboard app, but retail Oregon casinos are allowed to offer these markets. The Scoreboard app does feature both US and international professional events, but it’s on a much smaller scale than some other states.
Oregon has not made a determination on if betting on esports is allowed, but there are currently no esports betting options at Chinook Winds or on the Scoreboard app.
OR Sports Betting Regulations
OR sports betting dates all the way back to 1989 when the Oregon Lottery began offering parlay betting options on NFL games. This allowed Oregon to be exempt from the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act when it was passed in 1992 to place a federal ban on sports betting.
In 2007 the Oregon Lottery discontinued the offering of Sports Action, the parlay betting option in the state. The NCAA was putting pressure on the state government, and a law was passed to prohibit these games.
When the PASPA was lifted by the US Supreme Court in 2018, the Oregon Lottery began developing an app to offer online sports betting. Tribal casinos in the state are allowed to offer sports betting based on the gaming compacts.
Recently, HB2127 was introduced, and it seeks to allow for more online sports betting options in the state of Oregon. Governor Kate Brown supports the measure, and it would allow the Oregon sports betting industry to become more competitive.
Summary
If Oregon is able to make some changes to its current sports betting regulations, then this state could see massive growth in the coming years. There are just two sports betting options at this time, but that could soon be changing.
OR online sports betting would benefit by having more operators available in the state, and it would be a huge benefit to the bettors. It’s unclear how soon a change could be made, but it is absolutely needed.
Oregon has a long history of sports betting, but the state has not adapted to the growing and changing US industry. With limited betting options in the Western part of the US, Oregon could capitalize and become a leader in that part of the country.
