Is Online Gambling Legal?
As online gaming has grown increasingly popular, state legislatures have examined whether it should be legal. While some states have legalized sports betting and casinos online, others have prohibited them. Most often these statutes restrict online gambling sites that partner with land-based casinos and require players to be over 21. Furthermore, whether to regulate online gambling has become a contentious debate that has reached federal levels as well.
Early in the 1990s, with the rise of the World Wide Web came widespread curiosity from state governments about whether gambling could be enabled across state lines through e-gambling websites on computers. By 2000’s end, 200 gambling websites had appeared and some were declared illegal by governments and closed down.
While most laws that prohibit online gambling center on its operation, some statutes also specifically ban individual forms of it such as sweepstakes, skill games, fantasy sports contests and sweepstakes. Although these statutes do not specifically mention social gaming they may include some courts ruling certain social games may constitute gambling under state laws; such games as those offering in-game rewards that grant replay privileges could fall within this definition.
Other laws, like the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), prevent financial institutions from processing payments to online gambling websites; however, state-licensed casinos can accept cryptocurrency payments so long as it’s approved by a banking authority – thus legalizing online gambling in some states even though many players still cannot access regulated platforms.
Despite these obstacles, state governments are becoming more likely to legalize online gambling. Some lawmakers have come around and are beginning to see that iGaming doesn’t create social harm like some have alleged and can actually generate millions in revenue for state coffers. With sports betting becoming an increasingly popular pastime online casinos and other real-money games will likely become legalized soon as well.
Legality of online gambling is an evolving subject, so to stay safe it is wise to research state laws before placing a bet online. Furthermore, it would also be prudent to research whether gambling is allowed in any foreign countries that you plan on visiting. If online gambling has you in trouble with the law, hiring an experienced attorney to defend your rights can be invaluable. Get in touch with Rodriguez Law Group immediately so we can start fighting on your behalf to keep you out of jail – our firm serves clients throughout Arizona, Nevada, Florida and New Mexico and has over three decades of experience fighting for our clients’ freedoms while upholding their rights as citizens.