Puerto Rico Sports Betting in 2023
It’s been over three years since Puerto Rico legalized retail and online sports betting, but two retail sportsbooks are all the U.S. territory has to offer in 2023.
When online Puerto Rico sports betting arrives, tourists and locals will be able to enjoy white sand beaches and sip cocktails while confirming their wagers at the best sports betting sites on the island.
- Population: 3.2 million
- Legal age for sports betting: 18
- Online sports betting: Coming soon
- Retail sportsbooks: Yes
Puerto Rico sports betting updates
Puerto Rico was relatively quick to act following the fall of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018. Only 11 U.S. states (and DC) had passed sports betting legislation when PR approved its 2019 bill.
Here are some highlights of Puerto Rico’s road to legal sports betting:
Dec. 21, 2022: Caesars Sportsbook launches sports betting at Puerto Rico's largest Casino, Casino Metro. Caesars hopes to launch its mobile app in Puerto Rico in 2023, subject to regulatory approvals.
Apr. 4, 2022: DraftKings and Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation announce a retail sportsbook will be coming to Foxwoods El San Juan Casino. DraftKings also plans to launch an online sportsbook in Puerto Rico.
Feb. 9, 2022: BetMGM opens Puerto Rico’s first retail sportsbook.
Nov. 8, 2021: The Puerto Rico Gaming Commission begins the sports betting application process.
Dec. 30, 2020: Outgoing Governor of Puerto Rico Wanda Vázquez Garced signs Senate Bill 1534, an amendment to Puerto Rico’s gambling law. Included in the amendment is the removal of remote registration, meaning sports bettors will have to visit a retail sportsbook to complete the registration process in person before placing their first wager.
June 29, 2019: Puerto Rico legalizes sports betting as H.B. 2038 is signed into law.
Online sports betting: Coming soon to Puerto Rico?
Puerto Rico sports betting has been legal since 2019, so it stands to reason online sports betting will soon arrive.
BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel have inked market access deals in PR and should be among the first sportsbooks to begin taking online bets on the Caribbean island.
Latest US betting news
Legal sportsbooks in Puerto Rico
BetMGM has established itself as Puerto Rico’s first retail sportsbook, but competition is on the way. With 17 casinos, PR could welcome more than a dozen additional brick-and-mortar betting locations.
Caesars launched Puerto Rico's second retail sportsbook on Dec. 21, 2022.
DraftKings and FanDuel have a foot in the door via market deals with Foxwoods El San Juan Casino and the CAGE Companies, respectively.
Expected Puerto Rico online sportsbooks
| Online sportsbook | Mobile app | Odds provider | Online casino | Retail partner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
BetMGM  |
Yes | BetMGM | No | Casino del Mar |
| DraftKings |
Yes | SBTech | No | Foxwoods El San Juan Casino |
| FanDuel |
Yes | Flutter | No | CAGE |
Land-based Puerto Rico sportsbooks
| Sportsbook | Venue | Address | Phone Number | Odds Provider |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM Sportsbook | Casino del Mar | 1077 Ashford Ave, San Juan, 00907 | 787-977-3210 | BetMGM |
| Caesars Sportsbook | Casino Metro | 200 Convention Blvd, San Juan, 00907 | 787-522-4800 | Caesars |
Who can bet on sports in Puerto Rico?
Sports bettors 18 and over can place legal wagers at the BetMGM Sportsbook in Casino del Mar at La Concha Resort in San Juan.
Legal age
Adults 18 and older are free to participate in Puerto Rico sports betting activities.
Mobile betting
Online sports betting is legal in Puerto Rico, but mobile sportsbooks have yet to launch. Soon, some of the best sports betting apps will be taking online wagers in PR. The Puerto Rico Gaming Commission will regulate all mobile sports betting in Puerto Rico.
Remote registration
Unfortunately, remote registration will not be a part of Puerto Rico's legal sports betting market. New sportsbook users must visit a retail sportsbook to complete the registration process before placing their first bets.
Within state borders
Puerto Rico betting sites will only accept wagers from users located in Puerto Rico. Sportsbook operators will use geofencing software to block sports bettors attempting to place bets from outside the U.S. territory.
Retail sportsbooks
Retail sports betting is legal in Puerto Rico. BetMGM and Caesars operate the only brick-and-mortar locations in 2023, but any casino can apply for a sports betting license. Puerto Rico’s current list of sports betting applicants is unknown.
Taxable winnings
Puerto Rico’s sports betting law does not address taxation on player winnings. However, U.S. bettors must declare all gambling winnings as part of their income.
The pros and cons of PR sports betting
There will be few restrictions on the types of wagers allowed in Puerto Rico when online betting arrives. Retail and online sports betting will be available, and bettors will have access to college sports and esports betting markets.
The downside? Online sports betting simply hasn’t come to fruition in PR.
No online sportsbooks activeNo remote registrationHow to start betting in Puerto Rico
Regardless of how Puerto Rico sports bettors prefer to place their wagers — online or in person — all new sports betting accounts will have to be created by visiting a retail sportsbook at a casino or an off-track betting facility.
Follow these steps to get started:
Select a sportsbook
There are no active online sportsbooks in Puerto Rico at the moment, but sports bettors can do preliminary research to prepare themselves for legal online betting. Consider user experience, sign-up bonuses, odds, and banking options of potential PR sportsbooks.
Check out our sports betting site reviews to get started.
Register in person
After choosing your sportsbook(s), you’ll have to visit the retail location to confirm your identity and complete the registration process. Once your account has been created, you’ll be free to place wagers from anywhere in Puerto Rico.
Claim a bonus
Puerto Rico sports betting sites will offer enticing sign-up bonuses to new users. Expect to encounter the most common sportsbook sign-up bonuses — risk-free bets, deposit match bonuses, and no-deposit bonuses.
Deposit funds
Puerto Rico sports betting sites will support several of the best sportsbook deposit and withdrawal methods, including credit cards, eChecks, electronic money transfers, checks, and cash.
Choose your bet types
Bettors should expect to find all of the popular bet types when browsing online sportsbook markets in Puerto Rico. Point spreads, Over/Unders (totals), moneylines, parlays, futures, teasers, and live betting will all be available.
Start betting
After tracking down your desired wagers, add them to your betslip and confirm your picks.
Withdraw funds
Select your preferred withdrawal method to access your winnings. Online sports betting sites rarely charge a fee for withdrawals, but your bank or financial institute may skim a percent or two off the top of your bankroll. Be sure to read the terms and conditions associated with gambling withdrawals before proceeding.
Reading the odds
Puerto Rico betting sites will likely use American odds to display betting odds. American odds involve the use of minus signs (-) and plus signs (+). Oddsmakers use minus signs to identify favorites, while plus signs are shown to indicate an underdog.
For example, let’s say the New York Yankees (-170) are hosting the Baltimore Orioles (+150). The -170 odds represent the $170 you would have to wager on the Bronx Bombers to win $100. Conversely, +150 odds tell you a $100 bet on the O’s would net you a tidy $150 profit if you win. Clearly, betting on underdogs can result in a much larger payday.
Check out our odds calculator to cycle between American odds, fractional odds, and decimal odds and view potential payouts.
What you can't bet on in Puerto Rico
Most bet types are on the table, but some wagers are not permissible in Puerto Rico. Here's a breakdown of some lesser-known novelty bets and their availability in PR.
Politics
You may not bet on politics in Puerto Rico. This bet type is outlawed in the United States and its territories.
esports
It is legal to be on esports in Puerto Rico.
What about college sports?
Puerto Rico sports betting includes wagers on both professional sports and college athletics.
Other types of gambling
Puerto Rico’s gambling industry revolves around its 17 land-based casinos. The Puerto Rico Treasury Department also operates a traditional lottery (La Loteria Tradicional) and an electronic lottery (La Loteria Electronica).
Here’s a look at the current gambling landscape on the Island of Enchantment.
Casino
Puerto Rico boasts 17 commercial casinos — each found in an authorized hotel.
Legal casino games include blackjack, baccarat, big wheel six Caribbean stud poker, dice roulette, let it ride, pai gow, and slot machines.
Real-money online casino gambling is illegal in Puerto Rico.
Poker
Poker is legal in Puerto Rico, but only at commercial casinos.
Horse racing
There is one horse racing track operating in Puerto Rico in 2023 — The Camarero Racetrack in Canóvanas. Horse racing bettors can place pari-mutuel wagers at the track or an off-track betting facility.
Daily fantasy sports
Daily fantasy contests have been legal in Puerto Rico since 2018.
Quick facts: Puerto Rico sports betting
| Retail launch date | Feb. 9. 2022 |
| Legal age for betting | 18 |
| Online sports betting | Coming soon ✅ |
| Number of betting licenses | Unlimited |
| Number of betting sites | 0 |
| Remote registration | No ❌ |
| Retail sportsbooks | Yes ✅ |
| Online casino sites | No ❌ |
| Online poker | No ❌ |
| Retail casinos | Yes ✅ |
| Betting on college sports | Yes ✅ |
| Betting on esports | Yes ✅ |
| State population | 3.2 million |
| Total handle | TBD |
| Tax rate | 7% (retail); 12% (online) |
| State regulator | Puerto Rico Gaming Commission |
Responsible gaming in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico combats problem gambling by allowing all participants to join a self-exclusion list willingly. Additionally, each operator interested in offering sports betting must include a responsible gaming plan as part of the licensee application process.
The Mental Health and Addiction Prevention Services Authority oversees the Compulsive Gamblers Assistance Program in Puerto Rico.
Legal U.S. sports betting markets
Puerto Rico is one of many U.S. jurisdictions to offer retail and/or online sports betting. The following states have legalized some form of event wagering:
Upcoming legal U.S. sports betting launches
The most prominent sports betting brands will soon call Massachusetts home.
Speaking of celebratory toasts, Jan. 1, 2023, marked the start date for Ohio mobile betting and the opening of retail betting locations.
Massachusetts online sports betting may arrive in March. However, in-person or retail sportsbooks are gearing up for a January opening.
Proponents of online sports betting in Maryland toasted its online launch on Nov. 23, 2022, when seven online betting sites went live.
Potential legal U.S. sports betting markets
Puerto Rico is not the only state without online wagering — there are several states moving toward legal sports betting, or at least trying to do so. The states below are pushing hard for legal online sports betting in 2023 and beyond:
Sportsbooks to avoid in Puerto Rico
See all blacklisted sportsbooks
Puerto Rico sports betting does not yet include online wagering. If you stumble upon an online sportsbook claiming to be a legal, regulated Puerto Rico betting site, we strongly recommend you stay away. Legal options will be available soo enough, so stick to legal retail options until then.
- Allegations of withdrawal issues
- No license information available on site
- Poor customer service
- Multiple reports of slow payments
- Allegations of non-payments
- Risk of account closure simply for winning bets
- Reports of confiscated winnings
- Slow customer support response times
Puerto Rico sports betting FAQs
Yes. Puerto Rico sports betting was legalized in 2019. However, online sports betting has yet to launch in the U.S. territory.
Yes. Online sports betting and retail sports betting were a part of Act 81-2019.
There are no active online sportsbooks operating in Puerto Rico. Any online betting sites posing as legal PR sportsbooks should be avoided.
You must be at least 18 years old to bet on sports in Puerto Rico.
Visit the BetMGM sportsbook at Casino del Mar or the Caesars Sportsbook at Casino Metro to place your sports bets in Puerto Rico.
No. Anyone living in or visiting Puerto Rico will have the ability to bet on sports online.
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Jeff has been reviewing sportsbooks and covering North American sports betting full-time since 2021. The former NHL prospects writer has crafted over 100 reviews and guides for the Covers community and has been sweating his own picks for over a decade.
