North Dakota Daily Fantasy Sports
North Dakota law does not formally address daily fantasy sports, but all major DFS apps accept residents 18 or older and have done so for years without issue.
All DFS apps in North Dakota rely on the longstanding argument that their games are contests of skill rather than chance to avoid classification as illegal gambling. State officials seem content with the current status quo because they have never attempted to push daily fantasy sports operators out of North Dakota or threatened legal action.
Continue below for a thorough but straightforward North Dakota daily fantasy sports guide.
DFS Apps in North Dakota
Play $5, Get $50 in Bonus EntriesUnderdog Sports Promo Code: BETUSA
Must be 18+ (19+ in AL, NE; 19+ in CO for some games; 21+ in AZ, MA, and VA) and present in a state where Underdog Fantasy operates. Terms apply. Concerned with your play? Call 1-800-MY-RESET or 1-800-GAMBLER or visit www.ncpgambling.org. NY: Call the 24/7 HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY or Text HOPENY (467369).
Free Entry + $100 Deposit BonusParlayPlay Promo Code: BUSA
18/21+, T&Cs Apply. Welcome offer is for players who make their first successful deposit to ParlayPlay. Following the deposit, you receive promo entry(s) that matches the deposit amount up to $100. The promo entry can only be used to enter up to 4-pick More/Less contests. If you lose the promo entry, your account balance is not impacted. The deposit promo entry(s) must be used within 7 days of deposit. After 7 days the free entry will expire. If you have concerns about managing your play on ParlayPlay or anywhere else, or if you’re concerned about a family member or friend, the National Council on Problem Gambling offers support through telephone or text. They can be reached confidentially (24-hours a day) at 1-800-522-4700. Or contacted on their website at https://www.ncpgambling.org/ or through chat at ncpgambling.org/chat.
Play $5, Get $50 in LineupsPrizePicks Promo Code: BUSA
$50 provided as promo funds, only for use on PrizePicks. Promo funds provided under this promotion must be played within 90 days of receipt or shall become null and void at PrizePicks’ discretion. Promo ends 12/31/25. Void where prohibited. If you or someone you know has a gaming problem, get help. Crisis services and responsible gaming counseling can be accessed by calling 1-800-426-2537 or online at www.ncpgambling.org. 18+ in most eligible jurisdictions, but other age and eligibility restrictions may apply. Valid only in jurisdictions where PrizePicks operates. See prizepicks.com/terms for full PrizePicks terms of service.
$200 in No Sweat Tokens + A Free PickBetr Picks Promo Code: USGAMLING
Must be 21+ and located in a jurisdiction where Betr Picks operates. Product offering may vary by jurisdiction. T&Cs apply. For more details, please visit betr.app. Concerned about your play? Call the NCPG at 1-800-522-4700.
Play $5, Get $55 in Free LineupsBoom Sports Promo Code: BUSA
Users must be 18+ years of age to play and deposit (19+ in Nebraska). T&Cs Apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. All users must have only 1 account. If a user is found to be less than 18 years old, their account will be banned and all their entries will be canceled and refunded. If a user is found to have more than 1 account, they will be subject to a ban at Boom’s discretion.
21+ to Play, T&Cs Apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
The absence of a regulatory framework isn’t necessarily a bad thing for sports fans in North Dakota. In some states, high tax rates and burdensome DFS licensing requirements have thinned out the number of operators willing to serve those states’ residents.
In contrast, North Dakota does not require licenses or regulations on daily fantasy sports operators, so residents can choose from a wide variety of traditional DFS platforms and newer pick’em-style apps.
The downside is that lower-quality DFS apps can also operate in North Dakota without regulatory oversight, so players must ensure they stick with reputable and well-known fantasy sports brands.
North Dakota’s general fraud and consumer protection laws still apply to daily fantasy sports apps, but operators do not undergo the rigorous vetting process required in states that do regulate fantasy sports.
For that reason, we urge readers to stick with established DFS apps in North Dakota. Each of the following operators has run safe, legitimate contests for years and has acquired licenses in states that do regulate fantasy sports:
Fantasy Pick’em Apps in North Dakota
Daily fantasy pick ‘em apps like PrizePicks and Underdog offer the closest alternative to online sports betting in North Dakota. In pick’em contests, you pick two or more athletes and predict whether each will record more or less than a projected stats total.
For example, a football contest might ask whether a quarterback will throw for more or less than 255.5 passing yards and whether a running back will record more or less than 77.5 rushing yards.
Pick’em contests closely resemble online sports betting, but DFS apps argue that they constitute daily fantasy because every contest involves at least two athletes and resolves based on their statistical performances. Regulators in some states dispute the legality of fantasy pick’em contests, but that has not been the case in North Dakota to date.
North Dakota Daily Fantasy Sports Law
North Dakota law does not address daily fantasy sports.
Technically, daily fantasy sports contests exist in a legal gray area, neither expressly legal nor prohibited. Practically, they’re de facto legal because all of the nation’s prominent DFS apps have operated in North Dakota for years without pushback from local authorities.
The federal Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) treats fantasy contests as games of skill, and North Dakota has never passed legislation to contradict the UIGEA’s DFS carveout.
State officials have weighed in only sparingly. Then-Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem addressed the legality question in 2015, saying daily fantasy sports would likely be legal if they qualified as games of skill and probably would not be legal if they counted as games of chance.
The office never followed up with a formal opinion, and the matter has stayed unresolved ever since. North Dakota law enforcement has taken no action against fantasy operators, and no DFS legislation has gained traction in the legislature.
North Dakota Fantasy Sports FAQ
Wes Burns has more than a decade’s worth of experience as a writer, researcher and analyst in the legal gambling industry and is co-founder of BettingUSA.com. As a former professional online poker player, Wes approaches his work from the viewpoint of players.