Legal Sports betting - Is Sports Betting Legal?

The status of legal sports betting in the U.S. does not come without opposition on each side, both for and against. And then when you add in the world of online betting, a whole new can of worms is opened up as U.S. bettors have easy access to them. The federal government is pretty clear as far as the laws are concerned, but when it comes to the future of sports betting in the U.S. that is anyone's guess. As it stands right now, there are legal ways players in the U.S. can bet sports at licensed sportsbooks on land, as well as sportsbooks on the Internet.

BettingLegal.com attempts to wade through the murkiness that can accompany a subject like this, because frankly there are many aspects to it. The most important point that we want you to know though is that there are legal sports betting options both on land and via the Internet in which players in the United States can bet. This general theme will be discussed throughout the pages that you find here, with many angles touched upon for complete analysis and understanding of the different aspects, laws, and betting sites that are available.

Is Land-Based Sports Betting Legal In The U.S.?

As it stands, there are only a handful of states that are immune to the Professional And Amateur Sports Protection Act, which would be the main law covering this topic. PASPA was formed back in 1992 as a law banning the practice of wagering on sports. But this wasn't a law that was implemented by the federal government saying 'tough, deal with it.' The law was passed, but a one-year window was granted for states to apply for immunity under this legislation. Could any state do this? No. But states that had an uninterrupted 10-year licensed gaming history would be allowed. Though New Jersey seemed like a likely candidate, they did not take advantage and later made noise about sponsoring it's repeal... that obviously didn't happen as NJ is not one of the four states permitted to regulate sports gambling.

Legal land-based sports betting has the ability to take place in Nevada, Oregon, Montana, and Delaware. However, really only Nevada is the state taking most advantage of this. Montana and Oregon haven't done much, and Delaware is still figuring what they want to do going forward.

Can U.S. Residents Legally Bet Online?

This is the main area of focus on this site, with the American sports bettor taking center-stage. The reason for this is that there are more opportunities to bet at an online sportsbook for U.S. players than at a land-based. But the irony of the situation is that there are more land-based sportsbooks located in the United States than online sportsbooks.

This is due to a few more laws we are going to throw at you right now, so get used to hearing these and the terms associated with them. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act and the Federal Wire Act are the two main laws responsible for banning gambling sites in the United States. But the laws don't ban the access to sites based offshore, only those in the U.S. There is not a more important point to illustrate, because you as an American player are well within your rights, and well within the confines of the law to visit these sites, sign up for an account, and place legal wagers provided that the online betting site is willing accept players from your state.

There are many online sportsbooks offshore that target U.S. players for the simple fact that there is no competition to be concerned with in the United States. Make no mistake though, it's a competitive industry, and there are many legal sports betting sites aimed to U.S. players that they can bet at.

Which Online Sports Betting Sites Are Legal For U.S. Players?

There are many online sports betting options for American players. On this site, you will find a great selection from ones that we have reviewed, but also come highly rated in the industry. We have full reviews of several legal sportsbooks that U.S. players can visit, for which you can find some great info. Among the information available to you here will be general info on the site, plus specific info like ways to deposit and fund an account, payout options, sportsbook bonuses, betting odds that are offered, and more.

More About The Legality Of Betting

If you're smart, you don't just take whatever you hear/read to heart... you want to know for yourself. We completely understand and we're the same way. If you want to brush up on things like the sports betting laws or maybe you've got a couple of questions about sports betting's legality, you will be able to get the help you need below, or at least, get yourself pointed in the right direction.

What Laws Affect American Players As It Relates To Legal Sports Betting?

We have mentioned the three biggest laws concerning the U.S. players in the paragraphs above, but let's talk about them individually, and what they actually say.

Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 - This law came through attached to the Safe Port Act. It was a last-minute addition and passed with little opposition, though it has received more over the last few years for online gambling advocates. The UIGEA doesn't make online gambling illegal however. What it does say though, is that online gambling businesses and sites cannot process monetary transactions for a bet or payout. They ban the part of the process most important to a site. It hurts only the site though, and not the bettor, because the bettor can still place a wager at a legal site offshore, not under the UIGEA jurisdiction.

Federal Wire Act - A law first encompassing all gambling, as of 2011 it now directly relates to sports betting. A betting business cannot use any form of wire communication that aids in the process of making a bet or wager, or for the transfer of funds for such an act.

Professional And Amateur Sports Protection Act - PASPA attempts to protect the integrity of sports by disallowing betting to take place in the United States, with the exception of the states that were grandfathered in under the law. PASPA has been around since 1992, and was the biggest law passed against sports betting in the U.S. as it relates to land-based sportsbooks.

What Is The Legal Betting Age For American Players?

Betting ages in the United States are determined by the states. The age in your area will either be 18 or 21 years old. To find out, it's easiest to consult your local laws or contact a local attorney to fill you in on the details. Also, there are a number of resources on the net which have this info or you can consult our page.

When considering betting online, there are some sites that don't require a bettor to be of age in their area, only to meet the site requirement. Most sites will mandate an age of at least 18 years old, rarely is it 21. But there are a few, not all, online betting sites which will defer to the local age to wager in addition to their own age requirements / restrictions.