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Sports Betting in Boise, ID
This is our quick Boise (ID) online sports betting guide. Check the gambling sites, legal sportsbooks, mobile apps. Learn about best Boise area casino, Idaho duck racing, racetracks (Live Horse Racing at Les Bois Park), pool and billiards bars and sports betting destinations like Idaho Downs Casino at Expo Idaho.
Boise Sports Betting Guide
Gambling opportunities in Idaho’s largest city of Boise are limited, with only lottery, pari-mutuel sports betting and extremely limited electronic casino games available. This apparent lack of gaming is in stark contrast to the state’s history of casinos and gambling among speculators in the 1800’s, when casinos were rife, and were governed under the regulation of individual towns. This was the case with many states in the western US.
This responsibility lasted until after World War 2, when a new town was ‘artificially’ created just outside Boise, with the intention of offering a place to gamble for residents of that city.
However, this started in motion the 1953 legislation which bans more or less every type of gambling game.
Today in Boise, the sports betting and online gambling options are limited. There are a few tribal casinos, though options here are limited. There is also some pari-mutuel betting allowed under strict Idaho legislature.
In regards to sports betting, players can bet using pari-mutuel machines at licensed horse racing tracks, and gamblers are free to bet on pool and billiards.
Also charitable gambling like bingo, raffles and even duck racing (Great Snake River Greenbelt Duck Race) is available, but each of these requires a license to operate. Players are also free to bet on pool or billiards.
When it comes to Boise sports betting legislation, one could say it’s in ‘broader’ end of the definitions. Not only are games of chance outlawed that include an element of skill, the legislation specifically mentions poker, which is the one game causing the biggest debate when it comes to skill against luck.
The general definition of gambling, from Chapter 38, 18-3801, is as follows:
“GAMBLING DEFINED. “Gambling” means risking any money, credit, deposit or other thing of value for gain contingent in whole or in part upon lot, chance, the operation of a gambling device or the happening or outcome of an event, including a sporting event, the operation of casino gambling including, but not limited to, blackjack, craps, roulette, poker, baccarat or keno…” Chapter 38, 18-3801.
When one looks at the question of whether Boise will legalise sports betting, the future doesn’t look good.
