The US Strategy for Handling the Online Gambling Boom
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A new wave of online gambling legislation across the US means demand for online casinos and sportsbooks is skyrocketing. Sports betting became legal in 2018 after a landmark decision by the Supreme Court. Online casinos have been around since 2012.
Although every state has the right to legislate online casinos, only seven jurisdictions permit Internet gambling. Around the country, lawmakers are more interested in legalizing sports betting.
To be fair, sports betting’s reputation has changed drastically in the last three decades. Fewer people think gambling is a sin. The industry has also been legitimatized by partnerships with Major Leagues like the NFL and the NBA.
In this guide, delve deeper into how the US is handling this new wave of online gambling. Let’s dive right in.
For a long time, the Federal Government, lawmakers and sports organizations were all against legal online gambling. Then New Jersey took a bold step and introduced online casinos in 2013. Delaware soon followed.
A few years later, NJ’s former Governor, Chris Christie, sponsored a motion to strike off the PASPA Act. The National College Athletic Association (NCAA) fought New Jersey’s efforts up to the Supreme Court. Fortunately, judges sided with Garden State.
Since 2018, 38 states have legalized sports betting, seven of which also permit online casino games. Every state decides what to legalize and what to ban. The following states permit online casinos:
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- Delaware
- West Virginia
- Connecticut
- Michigan
- Rhode Island
In many states, Internet gambling is a legal grey area. You can still play at the best online casino USA while in New York, Illinois, Florida or Texas. The only caveat is that the best operators in these states are located overseas.
Legal casinos and sportsbooks in the US are buying ads left, right and centre. They run ads on TV, radio, social media and on websites. They even promote their companies during major sporting events such as the Super Bowl.
Unless you live under a rock, you’ve probably come across a sports betting advert. Americans have wagered more than $220 billion since the industry became legal five years ago. That’s a lot of money.
In many states that permit sports betting, bookies must apply for a license and abide by local taxation laws to stay in business. Some states—New York—tax betting companies up to 50% of their gross income.
In 2023, New York generated $862 million from licensed mobile sportsbooks. It has so far collected over $1.75 billion since it legalized the industry in 2022. For context, NY is the biggest market for sports betting in the country.
Accessing online gambling in the US is now easier than ever. There’s no need to worry about the FBI knocking on your door. What’s more, there are fewer concerns about online scams or banks refusing to process payments.
If you live in a state that permits iGaming, you’re a few clicks away from betting on football or playing slots online. Take New Jersey as an example. In Garden State, you have access to 30 sports and casinos.
In Pennsylvania, at least 13 companies provide legal sports betting and casino games. States like Delaware and Rhode Island have fewer betting companies. Still, anyone above 21 years old can access a casino or mobile sportsbook.
Besides age, you need to be within state borders to gamble online. You could be a tourist or a truck driver spending the night in Michigan or New Jersey. As long as you’re within state borders, you can play online games safely.
Most gambling operators provide their books and betting software on mobile devices. This allows 90% of all adults in the country to have an easy way to access gambling.
Popular sportsbooks and casinos in the US provide a wide range of payment methods to make it easier for gamblers to deposit money. You can use Visa, MasterCard or even Discover if you like card payments.
If you prefer to pay with mobile wallets, betting sites offer PayPal, Apple Pay, Skrill, GPay and Venmo. Additional options include electronic checks, Cash at Cage, ACH transfers and Bitcoin.
The best gambling sites allow you to deposit as little as $10. If you win money, you can cash it out instantly through your preferred payment company. That being said, most sites have payment limits.
For example, you can’t deposit more than $50,000 at many online sportsbooks. This is especially true when using mobile wallets—they support lower limits. Bank transfers and cryptocurrencies offer the biggest limits.
When it comes to withdrawal speeds, mobile wallets offer some incredibly fast speeds. A sportsbook can process your cashout request on the same day if you choose PayPal. But it would take up to five days to receive the same money via a wire transfer.
Online casinos in the US have one major competitor: black market offshore casinos. To suppress foreign gambling sites, US casinos have been improving their game libraries.
The average online casino now features a fully-fledged casino with hundreds of slot machines and live dealer games. The games come from well-known software providers like Microgaming, NetEnt, Betsoft, Playtech, Evolution Gaming and IGT.
If you’re a sports betting fan, you can wager on almost every sport in the world. Bookies personalize their websites to prioritize American sports and leagues. However, you can also bet on European soccer, tennis, golf, boxing and other International sports.
The continued popularity of Internet gambling doesn’t mean casinos acquire new customers easily. They have to persuade every lead to create an account and become a paying customer.
Many gambling sites attract new casinos using bonuses and free bets. Some operators give you a free bet immediately after you create an account. Others match your first payment 100%.
Bettors love bonuses because they increase their bankroll. Bonuses are also worth real money, meaning you turn a freebie into cash. While bonuses work excellently as a marketing tool, people only like promotions with fair terms and conditions.
