Legal
Whether you’re playing poker, casino games, or online games, legal gambling is a reality in many American states. Gambling is regulated on both a state and federal level. The laws vary, but each state has different regulations and minimum age limits for gambling. Some states have a single minimum age for all gambling, while other states require different age limits for different gambling activities. A number of states also prohibit interstate gambling.
The United States has an unwritten rule that states have the right to regulate gambling within their boundaries, but federal law is in effect, which prohibits gambling outside of those boundaries. The Commerce Clause of the Constitution states that “The Powers of the Government shall not be delegated to any Person, without the consent of the Legislature.” Congress has used this power to regulate gambling on Native American land, and it has also prohibited unauthorized transportation of lottery tickets between states. There are also states that have banned gambling altogether, such as Utah. There are currently 48 states that allow gambling, including commercial casinos and state-run lotteries. Some states, such as Nevada, have statewide casinos.
Most states also have state-run lotteries. Other states, such as Florida, Nevada, and Delaware, have casinos and online gambling sites. Other states restrict casino-style gambling to certain locations, such as riverboats and American Indian reservations. The law governing gambling on these reservations is the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Some states are even working to legalize sports betting on these reservations. In North Carolina, sports betting was legalized at two tribal casinos. It’s expected that Hard Rock Sportsbook will open in the state in the next year.
Gambling has been a subject of many court cases and court rulings over the years. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, passed in 2006, made it illegal for financial institutions to process transactions with unlicensed gambling sites. There have also been attempts to rewrite the Wire Act of 1961, which prohibits the use of wire communications to place wagers across state lines. In 2011, the Department of Justice changed its interpretation of the Wire Act, opening the door for most forms of online gambling. It also proposed a bill that would clarify the Wire Act to allow certain forms of gambling to be exempted.
The United States Supreme Court has also declared the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act unconstitutional. The court determined that the Act violated the states’ right to regulate sports betting. The Supreme Court’s ruling has also sparked a national debate about the legality of gambling. A number of pro sports teams in Atlanta have also been pushing for the legalization of sports betting.