The question is two fold, is there such a thing as online gambling law and is gambling online legal or not? Many ask these questions but can’t get a straight answer. It seems it truly depends on where you live as each jurisdiction has different laws surrounding this controversial subject. US Legislation is very unclear because currently there is no existing federal law that prevents US citizens from gambling online or any other related activity.
Professor I. Nelson Rose of Whittier Law School is considered to be an online gambling expert and he states that there is “no United States regulation or federal statute that explicitly prohibits online gambling, either domestically or abroad.” He further states because of this, online gambling should be regarded as perfectly legal throughout the entire US.
This is not the case though as many states now have online gambling law and in 2006 the Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was introduced to try and fight illegal online gambling at a federal level. It would seem that they do consider their citizens as being able to partake in responsible gambling.
This approach has many Americans as well as others from around the world angry to the point where they are now starting a petition to be signed by all those who believe in internet gambling as a form of online entertainment. Those who sign this petition are of the belief that they should have the freedom of choice of their online entertainment without the interference of any government.
Obviously this new bill is not working to well because if you consider the statistics show that not only do Americans account for over 80% of all online poker players and participate in 55% of all online gambling activities, but a whopping 70% off all online wagers originate from the United States. It would also seem that the majority of those players do not need online gambling law to force them into responsible gambling.
As mentioned earlier, depending on where you live it is illegal to gamble online. States like Nevada, Michigan, Illinois and Louisiana already enforce laws prohibiting online gambling and it seems others may soon follow suit. It is truly up to state government to determine what gambling is legal or not as states like Utah, California, Massachusetts and South Dakota allows some games yet not others!
One of the biggest controversies in this ongoing argument is that many believe the main reason for outlawing online gambling in certain states is just to protect the revenues created by the brick and mortar casinos. The money brought in by these casinos are heavily taxed which generates a huge chunk of money for that state.
The belief is that if people are not allowed to gamble in the comfort of their own home they will go to a live casino to spend their money there and the government will get its piece of the pie! Many online Casinos and Poker rooms are set up in different countries so even if it is played elsewhere the taxes are collected by that countries government. There are many in the government now though that may be having a change of heart regarding the full legalization of online gambling.
Even in the tough economic times it seems the gambling industry is booming more than ever and the government of the US would like to see more of the revenues from this growing industry. Hopefully they will come to their senses and allow people the freedom to do as they choose when it comes to enjoying responsible gambling from the comfort of their own home when they so choose.
Perhaps by receiving a petition full of names from responsible gaming enthusiasts they will see that people are capable of making their own entertainment choices. There is no need for the government to set online gambling law in order to fight illegal online gambling which is what they perceive it to be.