Five Strange Gambling Laws in the U.S.

  • 01 February 2026
Five Strange Gambling Laws in the U.S.

Did you know that in Arizona a donkey can't sleep in the bathroom because it's illegal? Or that in South Dakota you can't sleep in a cheese factory? There are weirder laws in the U.S. that seem very unusual and absurd. They cover everything from pet parking to oil substitutes to artificial teeth. Gambling laws in this country are no exception.

Here are five of the strangest gambling laws in the United States:

Timing of Bingo in North Carolina

In North Carolina, charities can offer bingo for fundraising, but there are many laws they must follow.

One game of bingo may not last more than five hours. It is also illegal to have more than two bingo tournaments in one week, and they cannot be held on consecutive days. Therefore, if you want to organize a weekend fundraiser on Friday and Saturday, you cannot offer bingo on both days!

It is not clear why North Carolina felt it necessary to take this particular restriction into account. But that does not change the fact that the law must be followed. Any organization offering bingo for more than five hours could lose their license to run the game!

Kentucky's Recovery of Losses

Unlike punishing people who gamble illegally, Kentucky gives them a chance to get their money back!

This law, known as the Foreclosure Act, allows any player who loses more than $5 to sue the winner.

In fact, losers can claim three times as much money as they lost. And if the loser can't sue within six months, any other person can sue the winner on their behalf for five years.

Now many people deliberately lose at poker to try to get more money.

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Dominoes in Alabama

If you believe everything you read on the Internet, you probably know that playing dominoes on Sundays is illegal in Alabama.

However, that doesn't give a complete picture of the scope of this law. The exact wording of the statute states that "it is unlawful to engage in shooting, hunting, card games, or racing" on Sundays.

Of course, this law does not only apply to playing dominoes. It also applies to poker, blackjack, and any other card game.

Gambling establishments in West Virginia

The Mountain State has an entire section of its gambling statute. Gambling is prohibited in West Virginia hotels and taverns.

However, there is a separate law prohibiting owners of taverns and hotels from allowing guests to gamble in restrooms!

If a hotel or tavern owner knowingly allows other people to gamble in the restroom, he can be charged with a misdemeanor. He faces up to four months in jail, a $100 fine, and loss of his business license.

It's hard to imagine, but apparently there used to be so many people gambling in the restrooms in West Virginia that laws had to be passed restricting such behavior.

Ladies of Oklahoma

This is certainly one of the strangest laws. According to the law, in Schulter, Oklahoma, women must not gamble in their underwear, wrapped in a towel, or naked. So strip poker does not exist in this city!

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