Is Online Sports Betting Legal In The USA?
There is no federal law prohibiting sports betting in the United States. On May 14th, 2018, the Supreme Court found that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) was unconstitutional. Now, each state can determine which forms of sports betting are legal – whether it’s mobile, online, or land-based. However, the answer is more complex.
In 2006, new federal betting laws like the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, or UIGEA, were passed as an attempt to prevent online gambling within American borders. But that bill was mostly aimed at financial transfers to known gaming sites—making it illegal for banks and other financial institutions to process gambling payments online. This bill was not aimed at individual bettors or casino game players and no one has ever been arrested for sports betting.
As for the last federal law, the Wire Act curtails the way of going about sports betting, but in no way prohibits the action. As each state has its own industry, the Wire Act prevents each state from entering into a different market and capitalizing on their industry. In short, sportsbooks are only allowed to accept wagers and discuss odds and information with those who are physically located in the state of their license. Phones and mobile devices are geofenced to determine the user’s location to ensure they are not breaking any federal laws when accepting your action.
As for state betting laws, yes, some American states have made it a crime to participate in any form of online gambling. Those states may actually attempt to pursue charges against an individual bettor though, not one person has arrested an individual under their anti-online gaming laws, but the laws do exist. Other states have approved online gambling since the repeal of PASPA.
In the meantime, you can visit any of the legal betting sites below to begin betting right away. There is never a day that goes by that doesn't present the opportunity to wager on sports. These sites can facilitate any and all wagers you send their way and will hopefully definitively answer the question “Is online wagering legal in the United States?” by proving their safety and reliability.
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Is Land-Based Sports Gambling Legal In The United States?
Land-based gambling is not illegal in the United States thanks to the state of New Jersey. After a half-dozen years of legal battles, NJ was granted an appeal by the Supreme Court to have their case heard regarding PASPA. Eventually, the Court struck down the federal law due to it being a violation of the 10th Amendment. It is important to remember that just because PASPA is no longer in effect does not mean that sports betting is legal in all 50 states. Each state government now has the power to determine whether or not to legalize sports betting and many already have:
- Nevada – Launched 1949*
- Delaware – Launched June 5, 2018
- New Jersey – Launched June 11, 2018*
- Mississippi – Launched August 1, 2018
- West Virginia – Launched August 30, 2018
- New Mexico – October 16, 2018
- Pennsylvania – November 17, 2018*
- Rhode Island – November 26, 2018
- Arkansas – July 1, 2019
States Pending Launch
- New York
- Montana
- Washington DC
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Illinois
- Tennessee**
- Colorado***
- Virginia***
- *Mobile betting has launched as well
- **Only mobile betting approved
- ***Voter referendum required first
Legal Online Wagering FAQ’s
Is It Legal To Bet On International Sports?
Betting on international sports is legal whether you use a land-based local sportsbook, mobile betting platform associated under a state license, or an offshore sports betting site. The offshore online sportsbooks will offer a more comprehensive guide and list of options when it comes to international wagers – especially when looking into live betting.
What Deposit Methods Are Legal To Use At Online Wagering Sites?
While most sites offer a solid variance of deposit methods, the top options tend to always be credit card and debit card deposits, as well as money orders or bank transfers. Popularity has greatly increased on Bitcoin and other crypto deposits such as Ethereum and Litecoin. Each site is different, so be sure to make sure you pick one that fits your needs.
What Payout Methods Are Legal To Use At Online Wagering Sites?
Just like the deposit options available, the top offshore online wagering sites will offer up several different methods to choose from. All of them vary as far as how long they take to get to you and just about every method comes with some sort of fee except crypto. It’s up to you to choose which method but keep in mind that 1) you can not receive your payout as a credit on the card you used and 2) if you want to withdraw in crypto, you must have deposited with it as well.