Gambling Legality
It’s always a good idea to check the gambling legalities in your state before entering the world of online gambling. Laws are vastly different depending on your location, so find out how online gambling is going to affect you before jumping in. It’s also a good idea to learn about the areas where online gambling has become a topic of hot debate for legislation on online gambling.
Most countries around the world allow at least some form of legalized online gambling for entertainment, but online punters must remain aware that the industry is still young and dynamic, with the legal eagles constantly at loggerheads on the legislation. For this reason, many governments have taken the view that it is better to completely ban online gambling in any form. Needless to say, this is usually an unpopular decision for many of the voters and lobbyists who believe it to be a valuable source of revenue for the government. Online gamblers unsure of the regulations for betting online should always check with the local authorities to determine whether there are any laws that may prohibit them participating.
Online Gambling in the United States
The United States seems to always have had some sort of hot debate going on about online gambling ever since the birth of the industry. This is invariably due to the large population base of gamblers residing there. Before the inception of the U.I.G.E.A (Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act) in 2006, almost 80% of the world’s online gambling revenue came from US residents. This ratio changed rapidly once many of the online gaming companies were forced to shut up shop due to the new laws being put in place by the newly formed U.I.G.E.A.
New Jersey Gambling Law – Nevada Gambling Law
Online gambling revenues since then have been steadily increasing due to an increasing number of US residents deciding to take up online gambling pursuits such as poker and other casino games, regardless of whether they are clear on whether any laws prohibit it or not. Other than a distinct lack of reputable online gambling operations, banking regulations continue to be one of the biggest hurdles to American online gamblers. The US laws have merely stopped reputable businesses from providing gambling outlets and instead have paved the way for smaller less respectable outlets to take their place. It has been hinted that these actions have money as the prime motivator, as state legislators would rather not see any American gambling money leave for other shores. This position is in clear violation of the NAFTA free trade agreement, and is more than likely deliberately targeting smaller countries who have a good deal of their economy tied up in online gambling.
Some of the more prominent members in the U.S. government have been taking a more aggressive stance on the policies affecting online gambling, as they are beginning to see the regulation and taxation possibilities of online gambling as a revenue generating industry for the government’s coffers. As a further benefit they also believe that changing regulations to allow US online gambling activities would increase fairness and security for online punters.
Despite the obvious and immediate benefits of regulation and taxation there is still immense opposition. Many states already allow certain forms of online gambling such as lottery, casino gambling, horse racing, and keno, with many of the laws being different for each state. Clearly, there would need to be a national standard put into place.
Fans of online poker have been most affected by these regulations due to its enormous popularity throughout the country. Despite the continuous bumping of heads regarding the legalities, many online gambling pundits are staying hopeful of legislation eventually being put into place, to make online gambling a safe and entertaining outlet for all parties.