Why "DraftKings Is Legal in My State" Is the Wrong Question
DraftKings isn't one product. It runs daily fantasy sports (DFS), a pick'em game called Pick6, a sportsbook, a predictions product, online casino and horse racing, and each one has its own state list. That's why you'll see DraftKings described as available "nationwide" while your neighbor in Nevada can't enter a single paid DFS contest.
DraftKings' own availability page on DK Network carries the headline "DraftKings is now available in all 50 states*". The asterisk matters. The footnote reads: "Nationwide based on combined availability of Sportsbook, Predictions, and Free-to-Play Sports Contests." In other words, the 50-state figure is a combined number across several products, including free contests. It is not a 50-state list for paid daily fantasy.
This guide covers the two fantasy products most of our readers care about: classic salary-cap DFS and DraftKings Pick6. Everything below comes from DraftKings' own published lists. The main source is its DK Network availability page (last updated July 22, 2026). We cross-checked it against the DraftKings Fantasy Sports and Pick6 listings on Apple's App Store, as of October 2026. Sportsbook, casino and predictions availability are separate questions, and we don't cover them here.
States Where DraftKings DFS Is Available
As of October 2026, DraftKings lists daily fantasy sports in these 44 states:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana (except select parishes; check in-app)
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
DraftKings' fantasy app offers "multiple contest types, from salary cap showdowns and snake drafts to Best Ball and Flash Draft," according to its App Store listing. The core game is the one most people picture: "Draft a DFS lineup under the salary cap." DraftKings' own description is that winning "depends on knowledge and exercise of skill."
Being on the list means DraftKings offers DFS in that state. It doesn't tell you which specific contests you'll see. The app is the final word on that.
Louisiana: Check Your Parish
Louisiana is on DraftKings' DFS list, but with an exception. The App Store listing says paid DFS contests are not available while physically located in "LA (select parishes)." DraftKings doesn't name the parishes in either source we checked, so we won't guess. If you're in Louisiana, open the app where you plan to play and let it tell you.
States Where Paid DraftKings DFS Is Not Available
DraftKings' App Store listing for its fantasy app is direct about this: "Paid Daily Fantasy Sports contests not available while physically located in HI, ID, LA (select parishes) MT, NV, OR and WA." Leaving Louisiana aside, that's six states with no paid DraftKings DFS:
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Montana
- Nevada
- Oregon
- Washington
None of these six appear on the DK Network DFS list either, so the two sources agree.
Washington, D.C.: check in-app. D.C. isn't on DraftKings' DFS list, and it isn't on the App Store's list of exclusions either. With the two sources silent in different ways, we're not going to call it. If you're in the District, the app's location check is the answer. (D.C. is listed for Pick6, covered below.)
Where DraftKings Pick6 Is Available
Pick6 is DraftKings' pick'em product. It's a different game from salary-cap DFS. The Pick6 App Store listing describes it this way: "Make 2+ fantasy picks (3+ in Colorado), choose More or Less on their stat projections," and "Your entry goes head-to-head with others." If you've played PrizePicks or Underdog's pick'em, the format will feel familiar. Our Pick6 vs PrizePicks test goes deeper on how it plays.
As of October 2026, DraftKings lists Pick6 in these 34 states plus Washington, D.C.:
- Alabama (19+)
- Alaska
- Arizona (21+)
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado (3+ picks per entry)
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Massachusetts (21+)
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Nebraska (19+)
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia (21+)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Washington, D.C.
The DK Network page and the "Now available in" list on the Pick6 App Store listing match state for state. The App Store listing also mentions "select jurisdictions in Canada," which is outside the scope of this guide. The ages in parentheses come from the Pick6 listing's fine print, covered in the age section below. The Colorado note is DraftKings' own: entries there need at least three picks instead of two. The listing also says the minimum number of picks "may vary by contest and jurisdiction," so read the contest screen before you build an entry.
DFS vs Pick6: Where the Lists Don't Match
Most of the 44 DFS states also have Pick6, but not all of them. These 10 states have DraftKings DFS but are not on the Pick6 list:
- Iowa
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Wyoming
New York is the one DraftKings spells out in the Pick6 fine print: "Void in NY, ONT, and where prohibited." If you're in one of the other nine, Pick6 simply isn't on DraftKings' list for your state as of October 2026. Salary-cap DFS is.
It works the other way too. Washington, D.C. is on the Pick6 list but not on the DFS list, so a D.C. player may see Pick6 and not classic DFS. Again, the app is the tiebreaker.
Here's the side-by-side:
| DraftKings Product | Format | Where (per DraftKings) | Minimum Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Fantasy Sports | Salary cap, showdowns, snake drafts, best ball | 44 states | 18+ in most eligible states |
| Pick6 | More/Less picks on player projections | 34 states + D.C. | 18+ (19+ AL/NE; 21+ AZ/MA/VA) |
Age Requirements for DraftKings Fantasy
Age rules are where DraftKings' two fantasy products are published differently, so we'll stick closely to its wording.
DraftKings DFS: the fantasy app's App Store listing says "18+ in most eligible states." "Most" means not all. DraftKings doesn't publish a per-state DFS age table in the sources we checked, so we're not going to guess at one. Confirm the minimum for your state in the app before you deposit.
DraftKings Pick6: the Pick6 listing is specific: "18+ (19+ AL/NE, 21+ AZ/MA/VA). Valid only where Pick6 operates." So Pick6 is 18+ in most of its states, 19+ in Alabama and Nebraska, and 21+ in Arizona, Massachusetts and Virginia.
One thing to avoid: don't borrow the age line from a DraftKings sportsbook ad. DraftKings publishes different age lines for different products, and the one that applies to you depends on which product you're opening.
How to Confirm Your State Before You Deposit
Our lists are a starting point, not the final word. The quickest way to get a definitive answer:
- Open the app where you'll play. DraftKings' DFS restrictions apply based on where you're physically located, so check from that location, not from home before a trip.
- Check the product, not just the brand. DFS and Pick6 have different state lists. Seeing one doesn't mean the other is open to you.
- Read the contest screen. Pick6 minimums vary by contest and jurisdiction, and Colorado entries need three or more picks.
- Re-check after a move or a law change. DraftKings updates its published lists. The DK Network page we used was last updated July 22, 2026.
If you're in California, our breakdown of the DraftKings court case there is worth a read. For the bigger regulatory picture, see our Q3 2026 legal wrap and our explainer on the Illinois and Virginia DFS laws that took effect July 1.
If DraftKings DFS Isn't in Your State
If you're in Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon or Washington, paid DraftKings DFS is off the table as of October 2026. Before you go looking elsewhere, don't assume a competitor is open just because DraftKings isn't. Every operator publishes its own state list, so check each one's state page or app. One example: Underdog's help center lists its Drafts and Pick'em games as eligible in Oregon, but as ineligible in the other five. Our guide to where Underdog Fantasy is legal has its full state-by-state list.
We keep a state-by-state guide for where PrizePicks is legal, and our best picks page ranks the main platforms if you're comparing options. If you're in a DFS state and choosing between the two big salary-cap sites, start with our DraftKings vs FanDuel comparison.
And don't try to get around the location rule. DraftKings' DFS restrictions are based on where you physically are. If paid DFS isn't offered where you are, the answer is a different product, not a workaround.
The Bottom Line
As of October 2026, DraftKings lists paid daily fantasy sports in 44 states. It isn't available in Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon or Washington, and it's unavailable in some Louisiana parishes. Pick6, DraftKings' pick'em game, runs on a different list: 34 states plus Washington, D.C., with no New York. The "all 50 states" headline you may have seen combines several products, including the sportsbook and free-to-play contests. It's not a promise of paid DFS everywhere.
If you're on the DFS list, DraftKings is our top-rated fantasy platform, and our full DraftKings review covers contests, the app and the new-user offer. Check your state in the app, confirm the age rule for the product you're using, and play within your limits.