Tennessee Sports Betting Handle Falls to Lowest Level in 10 Months

While the figure represents a 2.5% increase compared to last June, it is a 19.8% decline from May.

Ziv Chen

Last Updated: July 16, 2025 2:03 PM EDT • 3 minute read

Tennessee Sports Betting Handle Falls to Lowest Level in 10 Months — Pictured: Tennessee’s dugout during a baseball game between Tennessee and Auburn at Lindsey Nelson Stadium at the University of Tennessee. Photo by Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.

Tennessee’s sports betting sector reported a significant monthly downturn in June 2025, reporting its lowest gross handle in nearly a year.

The figures released this week by the Tennessee Wagering Council showed that total gross sports betting handle for June was $350.9 million. While this figure represents a 2.5% increase from last June, it is a significant 19.8% decline from May’s figure of $437.5 million. Tennessee sports betting handle has not been this low since last August, when gross wagers totalled $342 million.

Revenue numbers have not been published, as the state has been withholding those figures since July 2023. The state betting tax is based on sports betting handle rather than revenue. However, the Tennessee Wagering Council has confirmed that sports betting tax revenue for the month was $6.5 million.

Crackdown on illegal offshore operators

In addition to reporting on the overall state of the sports betting sector, the Sports Wagering Council has increased its efforts to tackle illegal gambling sites, most recently issuing a combined $250,000 in fines to five illegal operators.

These include BetAnySports, Bookmaker, and JazzSports, all based in Costa Rica; BetOnline, based in Panama; and Everygame, which is registered in Curacao. Each was fined $50,000 for operating sports betting markets without a license, and the Sports Wagering Council has stated that it will continue to intervene to protect Tennessee residents. Residents have legal Tennessee sports betting apps to choose from.

“Consumers in Tennessee need to be aware that illegal operators will gladly take their money and personal information, and if a consumer does business with an illegal book, they give away their information to criminals,” said the Executive Director of the Sports Wagering Council, Mary Beth Thomas, in a statement commenting on the latest action.

The Sports Wagering Council is reportedly working closely with law enforcement agencies to remove these and other illegal actors from the Tennessee market.

More offshore books are penalized

The campaign against illegal operators has extended to additional fines for offshore sportsbooks, Lowvig and Sportsbetting.ag. Each has been fined $50,000 for ignoring cease-and-desist letters sent earlier this year. They are the sixth and seventh illegal operators to be penalized. Another victim of SWC fines was Bovada, which received $50,000 in fines before exiting the state.

Speaking about the two enforcement actions, Mary Beth Thomas emphasized that the Tennessee market is the largest online-only sports wagering sector in the country. Licensed sportsbooks must undergo a tough process before being allowed to do business in the state.

The Sports Wagering Council also reminded residents that illegal sites often fail to adhere to good practices, such as maintaining separate player funds, implementing age verification, and protecting data. They also don't offer the best Tennessee sportsbook promos.

Fines for companies operating in Tennessee without a license start at $10,000 for a first offense and rise to $25,000 after a third. Each accepted wager after that can be treated as a new violation and is subject to another $25,000 fine.

According to the Sports Wagering Council, illegal sportsbooks in Tennessee can often be identified by practices like offering credit, accepting cryptocurrency, or promoting real-money online casino games, all of which are prohibited under Tennessee law.

Written by:
Ziv Chen

Ziv has over two decades of experience in the igaming and sports betting industry, having served in senior marketing and business development positions with both B2C and B2B companies, including Playtech and Microgaming. In 2019, Ziv decided to pursue his passion for writing and became a fulltime industry journalist, covering casino, sports, and gambling business news. He’s specialties include casino games and technology, US state gambling regulation, company performance, as well as gambling affiliates and marketing. As a Pitt graduate, Ziv is a diehard fan of all Pittsburgh sports teams, with the Steelers at the top of the list. In his free time, he enjoys reading crime fiction, biographies (mainly of sports personalities, but not only) and American history. Ziv’s Favorite quote: “We're going to pursue perfection, knowing full well we won't catch it, but we're going to relentlessly chase it," Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach.