United States Online Gambling Laws
Many people are hesitant to gamble online the United States because they assume it may be illegal. Several federal laws make it illegal to have a U.S.-based online casino or gambling business, which has led to a boom for Antigua- and Barbados-based websites. There are no specific federal laws pertaining to simply gambling online. While it is illegal to transfer money directly to online casinos, there are several ways gamblers can get around this with no legal repercussions.
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Federal Wire Act of 1961
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This act was passed before people had even thought of gambling online, but it is often used to prevent online gambling. The Federal Wire Act made it illegal to make interstate sports bets, whether on horse races or sporting events. While this is technically legal today at licensed racetracks, the government cites the act to prevent online sports betting services. Of course, federal laws do not apply to offshore or foreign-based businesses.
Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006
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The Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 makes it illegal for banks and financial institutions to allow money to be transferred to online casinos or gambling websites. This has led to the arrival of services that act as a middle man, accepting between banks and gambling websites.
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State Laws
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While federal laws about online gambling are broad and mostly apply to online casinos or money transferring institutions, individual states sometimes have very specific, restrictive laws about online gambling. Some states expressly prohibit online gambling by residents while others have no clear laws.
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References
- Photo Credit Full House of hearts winning hand at Poker image by Peter Baxter from Fotolia.com
