Online Gambling News
Gambling is a common activity in the United States. Typically, people who gamble are wagering something of value on a random event. This could be a football match or a scratchcard game. If they correctly predict the outcome, they will win money. However, gambling is illegal if you do not have a license or a permit. You can be fined or imprisoned for a violation.
State laws dictate who can gamble, what they can wager on, and where they can do it. Some states require a minimum age for all types of gambling. Others require a different age for different types of gambling. Depending on the state, a person can gamble in a brick and mortar casino or on the internet.
Most states have a limited number of online gambling options. These include betting on horse races and sports. Some states, such as Colorado and Idaho, provide a limited offer of Internet casinos. A few states, such as Illinois and New York, have not yet made any decisions about launching online gambling.
Online gambling can be found on sites in the following jurisdictions: Arizona, Alabama, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia. Additionally, there are some sites that provide services to residents of unregulated jurisdictions.
The United States Department of Justice, however, has taken the position that the 1961 Wire Act applies to all forms of Internet gambling, including the legalization of online gambling in the United States. Whether the DOJ has a legal basis for this move is unclear. Those opposing the move say that the decision is unnecessary and that the law has no legal standing.
Some state lawmakers have expressed concerns about the prospect of online gambling cannibalizing land-based casinos. But a growing problem is that the ease of betting has led to an increased prevalence of gambling addiction.
In the US, the government has used its Commerce Clause power to regulate gambling on Native American land. While Congress has prohibited unauthorized transportation of lottery tickets between states, the law is unclear as to how it would apply to online gambling.
Several states have proposed legislation to legalize sports betting. Two ballot proposals have been put forward in California. In addition, voters in the state have supported the idea of legalizing gambling on the state lottery. Despite these efforts, the legalization of sports betting has not been able to gain traction in the state.
The federal government also has authority over the state-level regulation of gambling. Congress has used its Commerce Clause power to prohibit unauthorized gambling on Native American land. It has also used its Commerce Clause power to limit the methods of wagering.
Various states have also regulated the sale of lottery tickets over the Internet. Currently, the only legal lottery app in the District of Columbia is geofenced out of federal properties. Many state legislators worry that allowing the sale of lottery tickets over the Internet will cannibalize brick and mortar casinos, and thus tax revenue.