The online gambling market is expected to nearly double between 2019 and 2027. Some of that growth is fueled by COVID-19, which kept gamblers at home when casinos closed.
A lot of gamblers turned to online gambling for slots, table games, and sports betting. If you’re about to jump into online gambling, you’re probably asking if online gambling is legal.
The answer is a little complicated. Read on as we unpack the legalities surrounding online gambling.
Is Online Gambling Illegal?
Technically, online gambling is legal. The reason why is because there’s not a federal law on the books that outlaws online gambling. Now, you can’t set up an online gambling website and take bets from other gamblers. That is illegal.
State legislatures are responsible for gambling laws in their respective states. This is what makes online gambling complicated. The laws differ from one state to the next.
For example, Oregon allows sports betting through an app created by the Oregon Lottery. Online casino games like slot games and blackjack aren’t legal in that state.
In Pennsylvania, you can access online sports betting, horse racing, and casino games. You need to use a betting provider that’s licensed by the state’s gambling authority.
Finding an Online Gambling Platform
If you live in a state where online gambling is legal, there’s no doubt that you see commercials for gambling often. The trick is to find an online gambling site that you enjoy.
Start by thinking about what games you like to play. If you like betting on horse races, then your platform should offer that. If you want to play slots and bet on basketball, then you should look for betting apps that support those games.
You may find that you’ll have to use separate apps, even if you sign up with the same casino. That’s because casinos turn to one software provider for casino games, and another for sports betting.
Check the online casino wagering requirements. They may require minimum bets for games. This is especially important if you get an offer to sign up.
Casinos offer incentives like deposit matches or free plays so you’ll sign up and deposit money. You’ll get hit with a betting requirement, so you’ll spend that money pretty quickly. Read the fine print of all offers before you sign up.
Online Gambling Legally
Online gambling is the next wave of entertainment, and more people are turning to online gambling apps to win.
How can you make sure that you’re gambling legally? Check the gambling laws in your state. Your state may have laws that fully allow online gambling in all of its forms. The laws may allow some forms of gambling online and ban other types of online bets.
Bear in mind that the laws are changing as state legislators realize the revenue potential of online gambling. You can do your part and reach out to your local officials to legalize online gambling in your state.
Are you still curious about gambling? Check out the Gambling section of this site for more tips.
