Understanding Online Gambling Laws

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Whether you want to play some poker, some blackjack, place some sports bets, or play online slots, gambling online just makes the whole experience easier, and honestly, more fun. However, it is not like just heading down to whatever casino you wish online. 

Gambling in the US, through the internet, is a bit more difficult than you may think. 

The United States Online Gambling law has changed a great deal in the last 20 years. There has been legislation and enforcement practices which has ended up in a very highly regulated industry. 

Interstate gambling online is considered illegal under federal law, as is the promotion, advertising and marketing of this. 

So, individual states have started to legalize intrastate gambling, but wagers can only be placed via a licensed operator by those located in said state. 

A majority of states have started legalizing many forms of this type of gambling and sports betting, however, there are others that may authorize decoupled online gambling. 

There are some forms of online gambling that are specifically prohibited by statutes. 

So, how do you know where and when you can gamble, and with whom? You need to have a better understanding of gambling law when it comes to online gambling. 

Let us help.

How You Can Gamble Online In The United States

As gambling online in the US has been very quickly changing and is now regulated via a state by state level it can all get very confusing and can be harder for players to get started. 

If you are in the US there are some things you should do. 

  • You need to find out what types of online gambling are legal in your state. 
  • You need to start comparing gambling sites and apps that will allow players from your state to play. 
  • Then you should sign up and make a deposit. Note that any legal US gambling site will offer a variety of secure deposit options, this includes PayPal, credit card, and even e-checks. 

Laws By State

Check out which forms of online gambling is legal in your state using our list below:

  • Alabama: Horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • Alaska: Fantasy sports.
  • Arizona: Sports betting, horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • Arkansas: Horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • California: Horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • Colorado: Sports betting, horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • Connecticut: Horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • Delaware: Online casino, sports betting, poker, horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • Florida: Horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • Georgia: Fantasy sports, lottery.
  • Hawaii: None. 
  • Idaho: Horse racing.
  • Illinois: Sports betting, horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • Indiana: Sports betting.
  • Iowa: Sports betting, horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • Kansas: Horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • Kentucky: Horse racing, fantasy sports, lottery.
  • Louisiana: Sports betting, horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • Maine: Horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • Maryland: Sports betting, horse racing, fantasy sports, lottery.
  • Massachusetts: Horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • Michigan: Online casino, sports betting, poker, horse racing, fantasy sports, lottery.
  • Minnesota: Horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • Mississippi: Fantasy sports.
  • Missouri: Fantasy sports.
  • Montana: Horse racing.
  • Nebraska: Fantasy sports.
  • Nevada: Sports betting, poker, horse racing.
  • New Hampshire: sports betting, horse racing, fantasy sports, lottery.
  • New Jersey: Online casino, sports betting, poker, horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • New Mexico: Horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • New York: Horse racing, lottery.
  • North Carolina: Fantasy sports.
  • North Dakota: Horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • Ohio: Horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • Oklahoma: Horse racing, fantasy sports. 
  • Oregon: Sports betting, horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • Pennsylvania: Online casino, sports betting, poker, horse racing, fantasy sports, lottery.
  • Rhode Island: Sports betting, horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • South Carolina: Fantasy sports.
  • South Dakota: Horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • Tennessee: Sports betting, horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • Texas: Fantasy sports.
  • Utah: Fantasy sports.
  • Vermont: Horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • Virginia: Sports betting, horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • Washington: Horse racing.
  • Washington DC: Sports betting, fantasy sports.
  • West Virginia: Online casino, sports betting, poker, horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • Wisconsin: Horse racing, fantasy sports.
  • Wyoming: Horse racing, fantasy sports.

Deposits Vs Payouts Laws

The regulated real money online gambling scene in the US is maturing, and luckily this means that deposit options are also maturing and developing as well. 

New Jersey currently leads in the amount of regulated markets which offers gamblers a great deal of real money payments convenient to them, alike to all other global payment methods. 

This is hardly surprising since they also have the largest online gambling scene in the US, with the most forms of online gambling legalized. 

As each state slowly regulates online gambling through legalization, banks are slowly changing policies to reflect this, so it is taking some time to adjust.

Is Gambling Online Legal In The US?

Gambling online is not illegal in the USA, instead it is just heavily regulated, and each state chooses its laws around gambling. For example, Hawaii does not allow any form of online gambling, whereas New Jersey is much more accepting, allowing all forms. 

It is dictated by state, and each state decides if they will legalize certain types of online gambling. 

There are many forms of online gambling, and the most accepted across all states (except hawaii) are horse racing and fantasy sports, with sport betting coming in close behind, online casino, poker, and lottery are the least accepted by all states.


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