State by State

Commercial dog racing is per se illegal in thirty-five states. In five other states, all dog tracks have closed but a prohibitory statute has yet to be enacted. The following nine are the most recent states to pass legislation prohibiting dog racing: Maine (1993), Virginia (1995), Vermont (1995), Idaho (1996), Washington (1996), Nevada (1997), North Carolina (1998), Pennsylvania (2004) and Massachusetts (2008, effective 2010).

Pari-mutuel dog racing remains legal and operational in ten (10) states, identified in dark purple on the map below. To learn more, click on each state and read our fact sheet on Commercial Dog Racing in the United States (PDF).