Gambling is a big deal in the US.
According to the American Gaming Association, 124 million US adults – 49% of the population – say they will visit a casino or gamble at least once over the next year.
There’s quite a buzz around gambling – that’s obvious. However, what’s causing this buzz?
It comes down to three important factors:
- Technology
- Ease-of-access
- Variety
Nowadays, people can gamble in so many different ways using their smartphones, laptops, and tablets.
Online casino games? No problem. Bet on a sports game? Easy.
You might be interested in gambling at some point over the coming year. However, before you do this, you need to know about these 5 important gambling laws in the US:
1. Gambling is Legal Under US Federal Law
Here’s the good news: gambling is legal under US federal law.
This means that betting shops and online gambling websites like https://www.legaluspokersites.com/ are legally allowed to operate.
However, individual states have the right to implement their own regulations. For example, if a state suddenly wants to ban gambling in all shapes and forms, then they are allowed to.
2. The Legal Gambling Age Varies from 18 to 21 Depending on the State
As mentioned above, individual US states have the right to set their own gambling restrictions. This is why the legal gambling age generally varies from 18 to 21 across different US states.
For example, in Delaware, the legal gambling age is 21. In Arizona, though, it’s 18.
Interestingly, if a casino or other type of gambling establishment serves alcohol, then anyone under the age of 21 is not allowed to play there – even if the legal gambling age in that state is 18.
3. Online Gambling Sites Must Be Officially Licensed
One of the most popular types of gambling in the US (and the world more broadly) is online gambling.
Because there’s such a high demand for online gambling, this had led to thousands of different gambling sites flooding the internet.
However, here’s the important thing: online gambling sites must be officially licensed by the Gambling Commission. If they aren’t, they are legally not allowed to operate.
If you ever stumble across an online casino that appears genuine on the surface but is not officially licensed, make sure to avoid it.
To find out if an online casino is licensed, scroll to the bottom where the footer is. Here, they will have proof of their license (look for the gambling commission logo) as well as additional details, such as when they received their license.
4. Online Gambling is Illegal in Alabama (and Other States)
Online gambling is illegal in Alabama. It’s also illegal in various other states, such as Massachusetts.
Therefore, if you are in one of these states, you will need to gamble online in another state for it to be legal, such as New York or New Jersey.
5. Casinos Are Legally Allowed to Ban You
Whether you gamble in a land-based or online casino, that specific casino is allowed to ban any players they like due to the fact they are privately owned. Usually, players will be banned due to bad behavior or reckless gambling. In some cases, casinos can ban you for winning too often, but this is quite rare.
