Is It Legal To Bet On Sports Online?
The basic thing to know here is that Americans will have no trouble using an online sportsbook, as long as they stick to a select few which have been marked okay for U.S. residents. There are certain rules that an online sportsbook must follow in order to function legally such as the location of the site, and the funding methods that the site offers. All of the sportsbooks that we write about follow these guidelines and have been operating legally for decades. The laws that regulate online sports betting in the U.S. are easy to understand, and allow the sites to offer world-class sportsbooks to residents from every state in the nation.
This article will give you a thorough knowledge of the laws that surround online sports betting in the USA, and show you exactly why you are able to wager on your favorite games safely. You will see how the sportsbooks function without breaking any laws and we will look at state regulations, as well as the betting ages in America. We will also review some of the best sportsbooks in the world today.
In order for online U.S. sports betting sites to function, they must adhere to certain federal laws for sports betting. These laws make are only there to make sure the sites are fair and balanced, they don’t go after they player. Sports betting has been a tradition in America for a long time, and the government is not trying to stop you from taking part in a great pastime.
The laws state that a sports betting site must be located outside of America. This does not mean that American players cannot access these sites; it just means that the sites themselves can’t function on U.S. soil. All of the premier online sportsbooks that we review operate outside of the nation, and cater to millions of Americans every day.
Another law, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006, requires that payouts do not go directly to a credit card. This is not an issue for you, as all of the sportsbooks we will link to have numerous payout methods that are fast and secure. This is all of the legislation that surrounds online sports wagering. Therefore, as long as a site is located overseas and doesn’t payout directly to your credit card, it is legal for you to join sign up.
As we have seen, the only time an online U.S. sportsbook is breaking the law is if it is physically located inside the United States. All of the sports betting sites here on USAOKSportsbooks.com are located in countries like Panama, and Costa Rica where it is legal to operate. The two federal laws that affect Americans' ability to bet sports online are the UIGEA, which we mentioned earlier, and the Wire Act of 1961. The Wire Act regulates the transfer of internet gambling information across state lines. This is why online sportsbooks don’t exist in most states, because people in other states would not be able to use the sites. The legal online sportsbooks bypass this problem by operating overseas, where the Wire Act has no jurisdiction. Players from any state can access these sites legally.
Reputable sports betting sites that accept U.S. players do not break the law because they follow the rules. Americans are lucky that these laws allow for online sports wagering because there is only one state in the nation that offers land-based options, and that is Nevada. We will get more into the land-based situation further down the page. All you need to know right now is that the online sportsbooks that we review are legal and safe.
This depends on the state, but most of them don’t have laws that target sports betting. In fact, the few states that do have sports wagering laws do not attack the player; they only disallow sports betting establishments from setting up shop on land. Residents from every state can use legal online sportsbooks without worrying about punishment. No state will interfere with a player for using any of the sites we review. The only thing to keep in mind is the betting age. The age varies by state and it is a good idea to check your local laws before venturing on to an online U.S. sportsbook.
The legal betting age varies by state. For the most part, the betting age in most of America is 18, but some sports betting states require you to be 21. It is a good idea to look at your local laws to see what the betting age in is your state before signing up for a site. Almost all online sportsbooks require players to be 18 to sign up, but if your states’ betting age is 21, it is wise to follow the state law. Underage gambling can cause all sorts of problems like permanent suspension of your account, forfeiture of funds, and even legal trouble. The point is, it is best to wait until you are of legal age to play.
Now that you know why online sports betting is legal in the U.S., it is time to check out some excellent sportsbooks. These legal US sportsbooks are our personal favorites, but also happen to be the most reputable sportsbooks in the world. These sites are home to millions of players from all over America, and have been operating for decades. We are sports fans ourselves and, having played at all the top-level sites, we can tell you that these sportsbooks offer unparalleled experiences.
If you have ever entered “sports betting” into Google, you are probably at least somewhat familiar with BetOnline. This revered sportsbook has been pumping out the best lines on all major sports for two decades, and their reputation has only risen since the sites’ inception. BetOnline is our favorite sportsbook for numerous reasons, one of which is that the site accepts players from all 50 states. No matter where you hail, BetOnline will welcome you with open arms. They also offer some amazingly fast sportsbook payout options, as well as innovative features like live betting and a mobile sportsbook app. This site has been around for a while, but they are keeping up with all current technology and don’t show signs of every slowing down.
Many sportsbooks claim to offer great bonuses but it is rare that they follow through. BetOnline has a 25% Welcome Bonus lying in wait for new members, and this reward can add some serious weight to your bankroll. Just use the promo code "FIRST" when making your first US sportsbook deposit and the bonus is yours! BetOnline never stops rewarding loyal members, and signing up is simple and fast.
The reason the majority of American sports fans use sports betting sites located offshore is because the land-based options are seriously lacking. A federal law entitled the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) restricts land-based sports betting establishments to two states, Nevada and Delaware; and the fact is, only one of these states offers true-blue sports betting.
Nevada is a sports bettor’s Shangri-La. Offering many brick-and-mortar equivalents to the legal sports betting sites that we review, gambling centers like Las Vegas are ripe with opportunities to wager on anything, and everything a bookmaker could possibly come up with betting odds on.
Delaware, on the other hand, offers very limited sports betting opportunities and strict regulations on wager types and games offered. First, there are only a few land-based locations that offer what they call “sports betting,” albeit Delaware isn’t a very large state… Second, Delaware only allows parlay and teaser wagering during the NFL season which leaves a lot of meat on the bone.
The basic gist of this is, if you live in Nevada, you have many great land-based sports betting opportunities. If you live anywhere else, you are pretty much out of luck. That is why the legal online sportsbooks that accept U.S. players are the best and only places to bet on your favorite sports safely. We highly recommend them, U.S. media giants like ESPN and FOX Sports recommend them, and professional sports bettors play at them. If you aren’t itching to check out one of the sites we review by now, you might have a screw loose.