Are Online Casinos Allowed in the USA?

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The United States of America has always had a complicated history with gambling. For years, the only way to do it legally was to go to a handful of spots where it was allowed, such as Las Vegas or Atlantic City. However, the rise of online casinos means that the question surrounding the legality of wagering in the US is a hot topic that’s always changing. As attitudes towards gambling alter, so will the current legislation. 

As a result, it’s not easy to know what’s kosher, what’s against the rules, and what’s lurking in the gray area in between. Are online casinos allowed in the USA? Continue reading to find out more. 

It Depends on the Casino in Your State

As you might imagine considering previous legislation, casinos aren’t legal across the board. They are, however, allowed in some states, including Nevada and New Jersey, where traditional, or land-based establishments have been in place for decades. Speaking of New Jersey, it is one of the four states where an online casino is available to internet users who want to have fun and entertain themselves virtually, rather than visit a casino in person. Funnily enough, this isn’t the same in Nevada, where remote gambling organizations aren’t yet legal. Your location matters, which is why it’s vital to check that you are in NJ, Delaware, Pennsylvania or West Virginia before logging on to your favorite platform and placing a wager. 

Playing Online Casino Games & Online Slots Is an Option 

If you live outside of those state, you don’t have to be a tech-wizard or bypass internet blockers or controls. Some people do this by paying for a Virtual Private Network (VPN), yet it isn’t advisable if you want to play it by the book. After all, to play online casino games & online slots in the US isn’t necessarily against the law, even if your state hasn’t legalized the providers, since specific games and betting is allowed. For example, Nevada’s rules state that players can play poker online, or indulge in sports betting. As poker is a classic casino game, and there are 30,000 semi-professionals in the U.S (excluding casual players), this will certainly be music to a lot of Nevadans’ ears. Sports betting, meanwhile, is legal in 13 states, which is another avenue for people who like to wager. 

Offshore Casinos 

What about offshore casinos? Technically, they don’t have to follow US rules if they aren’t in the US. Right? This is the gray area we spoke about in the introduction. Although it’s confusing, it seems as though it is legal for citizens to gamble with offshore online casinos, as we have pointed out before, since it isn’t the end user who bears the brunt of the responsibility. Therefore, American citizens can legally place bets and wagers online with offshore casinos that aren’t registered in the country. Of course, you should always double-check the site by looking for warning signs that might spell trouble. All you need to do is ensure the company is registered in a legitimate country to define whether it’s legal or illegal. 

Conclusion

Are online casinos allowed in the USA? Yes and no! Some states will ban them specifically, whereas others have legalized them, and many more plan on doing the same thing. Even then, placing a wager with an offshore casino is an option, as long as you take the right precautions.