Legal Online Casinos in the United States

Despite the federal government of the United States making a legal decision, there are still legal bookmaker usa ​available to Americans. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, passed in the US in 2006. Despite differing opinions, placing real money bets on online slot games or blackjack is still legal for US citizens.

Take the time to research whether the online casino you're playing at is licensed or not. This article outlines specific information about US online gambling laws because it relates to casino gambling.

Note: Remember that laws can change over time, much like how they are enforced. Additionally, understand that I am not a lawyer. I am a writer and a recreational gambler with some experience and a library card. I am not trained or inclined to practice gambling law. That means check appropriate sources if you need legal advice.

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Federal Gambling Laws in the United States

Here's a big statement you might not expect – There are currently no federal laws in the US that assert online gambling as illegal.

After the passage of UIGEA, legislators opposing gambling organized hearings on the issue of online betting. In those hearings, Congressman Bob Goodlatte (one of the strongest opponents of legal online gambling) admitted that the US government cannot prosecute citizens for playing online gambling. He said, "We haven't legislated specific laws about gambling."

Have any US citizens ever been arrested or charged for playing cards at online casinos? If you find any laws, please let me know, and I will provide more information here.

If all of that is true, consider the limitations of US federal law on online gambling.

Clearly, it's against federal law for websites accepting sports bets from American citizens. This stems from the Federal Wire Act of 1961, recently interpreted by the Department of Justice as not pertaining to casino gambling or direct online poker betting.

It also clearly goes against US federal law for a bank to knowingly process a transaction between a customer based in the US and a web-based gambling business. Your bank would violate if it processes deposits/withdrawals to/from your casino account. This is the purpose of UIGEA. Note that it's not a crime if players request or execute transactions just for banks to process.

Why does this focus on "payment processing"? Payment processing is the issue the government needs to pursue. Because the federal government lacks laws to challenge citizens' gambling habits. The intended result of this attack on banks is to make life difficult for Americans gambling online, and UIGEA has certainly accomplished that.

Gambling Laws in the US

The United States' federal government has delineated the scope of legal gambling with several laws. Each of these addresses a specific area of practice and can only be applied to selected states of the union. Regardless, the primary legal documents regulating the gambling industry include State Gaming Acts, Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.

These laws came into effect in 2006…

When one of the three most recent laws was established, it prevented online casinos and gaming serving a huge group of US players. More specifically, operators were prohibited from owning online gambling brands on the country's territory, while payment processors – US banks and financial institutions could not facilitate payments.

>> See more: Summary of the top 100 bookmaker most prestigious in 2024

This changed with the Supreme Court's ruling on PASPA, a decision allowing each state to regulate its own sports betting issues. Online casino gambling and poker rooms have also seen a shift in the landscape as Nevada began allowing their casinos to roll out online gambling platforms.

Today…

Gambling enthusiasts in the US can enjoy legal and fair online gambling action in Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, and New York.

Lotteries

Fully legal in most states in the US, it allows players to somewhat reduce their guesswork. Generally, many states are expected to join the aforementioned group when negotiations move towards various levels related to legal sports betting and online gambling activities. See a map of the legal overview of states.

If federal laws were all that Americans had to consider, the legality of online gambling would be much easier. Unfortunately for me (and for some US-based gamblers), state laws are more restrictive in some cases than federal laws.

So, how does a US state's law enforce for internet gambling enthusiasts? Some states in the US have laws banning all forms of online gambling. Residents of Illinois, Louisiana, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin are prohibited under state law from placing any bets via the internet, regardless of federal law. Other states are less stringent but still restricted. For example, in South Dakota, anyone in "gambling establishments" is prohibited from betting based on the web, a very peculiar law.

The long and short of it is that some US citizens have to walk a thin line if they want to play an online casino game while staying within the confines of the law. What could happen to an American for breaking one of these anti-gambling state laws?

The good news is, it's very difficult to find a case of a US state prosecuting a player for online gambling. I could only find two cases of someone gambling online who violated current laws, and both came from politically conservative states. One man in North Dakota was charged with illegal online gambling in 2003 and fined $500. Another case involved a person placing sports bets in Oklahoma, who received long-term probation. Neither were imprisoned even though probation and fines are a pain.

Take a longer look at the whole "state anti-gambling laws" thing. What are the odds that a citizen betting online roulette in one of America's anti-gambling states will be caught? Consider a search of legal records only reveals two related cases. Exactly how would this work? Would the state monitor every citizen's online activities? Do online casinos and poker rooms report their customers to the state government?

Of course not. Both men in the examples above were caught in unique situations. One of them was heavily involved in an underground online betting network. The likelihood of being caught and prosecuted under these laws makes it more likely you'll hit the jackpot than your friendly state police knocking on your door.

Online casino bookmaker london ​gambling has had a tough time in the US over the past few years. The passage of UIGEA in 2006 and the backlash on Black Friday 2011 have severely damaged the reputation of legal online gambling businesses. With state (and federal) governments looking for new tax revenues and some US states loosening their current laws, it's clear that the legal status of web-based gambling in the US will be ensured for the foreseeable future.