Online Gambling Become Legal
In 2006, Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which made it illegal to accept payment for online gambling. It also required financial service providers to report any transactions involving money from illegal sources. This law remains untested in courts and has been around for fifteen years. In addition, the U.S. Treasury Department allows certain online gaming operations to continue using U.S. financial institutions, but only under a “reasonable legal opinion.”
Despite the many hurdles in the path to legalization, some states have already made progress towards legalizing online gambling. In Arizona, for example, sports betting will be legalized in all forms by 2021. The state currently allows sports betting at professional sports stadiums and tribal casinos. The state will likely legalize more forms of online gambling in the coming years. This means the future for online gambling in the U.S. is bright.
While the morality of online gambling remains in dispute, this issue is probably the largest hurdle to broader regulation of online gambling. While some consider gambling a harmless hobby and enjoyable activity, others see it as a serious threat to their health and well-being. However, the vast majority of online gambling sites have implemented policies that encourage fair play and allow players to set a maximum loss limit or self-exclude themselves from the site. Additionally, most gambling sites are regulated by reputable bodies that monitor their platforms and address misconduct.
Several states have already made it legal for sports betting online. For example, in Iowa, it is already legal to bet on sports in brick-and-mortar casinos, but this has not stopped lawmakers from passing legislation that will legalize online gambling in the state by the end of this year. In fact, some of these states are considering legalizing online gambling as soon as July 2020. This means that the time to start enjoying the benefits of gambling online is now.
Will Online Gambling Become Legal in the US?
While online gambling is legal in 48 states, it has not yet been fully legalized in Hawaii and Utah. This is largely because the majority of residents are Mormons, which makes it difficult to set up regulators in these states. These residents worry that gambling will negatively affect their families and ruin the family atmosphere. Some states, such as Idaho, are not interested in legalizing it. The federal government has failed to pass any laws to regulate online gambling in any state.
Sports betting is one of the fastest-growing forms of online gambling in the United States. It is also regulated in many states, but is legal in six. However, some states are preventing online gambling for a variety of reasons, including the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. A recent Supreme Court ruling overturned the 1992 law and allows states to offer online sports betting. In addition to sports betting, some states have legalized fantasy sports. Some states even allow online fantasy betting, including FanDuel, which offers fantasy betting services.
While it is still unclear whether sports betting will be legal in every state, the Supreme Court struck down PASPA in 2018 and allowed states to regulate the activity. Colorado has already approved multiple sports betting licenses and has now opened the door to legal online sportsbooks. West Virginia is also on the way to legalizing online casino gaming. The next step is a federal decision. If the Supreme Court allows online gambling, more states will follow suit.