Where Is Online Gambling Legal?
The Internet has revolutionized how people gamble, allowing you to place bets from the comfort of your own home. While online gambling has grown exponentially over time, not all forms are yet legalized in all states – in fact only some states have legalized forms of this activity so far. In this article we look at where online gambling legality lies and why its implementation hasn’t been more widespread.
The United States has long had a complex relationship with gambling, with legal status differing depending on which state it occurs in. While federal legislation prohibits most forms of gambling activity, individual jurisdictions retain authority to regulate or ban it according to their policies – leaving online gambling legality up for debate from state to state.
For example, the Federal Wire Act of 1961 remains one of the cornerstone laws regulating sports betting today. Signed before commercial Internet use took hold in 1995, it prohibits transmissions and payments related to sports betting across state lines. Following its 2011 interpretation and revision by Congress, online gaming may now be more easily regulated; however, sports betting remains illegal in most states.
Online gambling has quickly become an attractive business for multiple companies and is projected to continue growing in the near future. Unfortunately, governments have taken a cautious approach in their regulation of this form of entertainment; some fear it could draw gamblers away from traditional casinos while others worry about its effects on communities. Furthermore, states may experience decreased federal funding in coming years and require alternative sources of tax revenue for tax revenues.
Though challenges remain, most analysts anticipate that many states will legalize online gambling within the coming years. As this market matures, companies have looked for new ways to enhance their services for customers, including making payment easier for gambling activities. While development of such technology used to center around mobile devices alone, now there are various platforms which enable people to enjoy casino games, sports bets and daily fantasy sports all on one website.
Illinois residents can legally access online sports betting sites, although only three physical casinos currently provide this form of gambling. With sports betting becoming legalized in Illinois, some lawmakers are considering passing legislation allowing for online casino establishment in the state.
Iowa allows online gambling, but only for daily fantasy sports and horse racing betting. Real-money online poker and casino gaming remain illegal; however, social casinos exist which offer sweepstakes entries with real cash prizes; there is also an Iowa State Lottery available to its residents.