When online gambling was first launched in the United States it appeared to offer an end-run around government prohibitions. All a site operator had to do was establish themselves in a friendly offshore jurisdiction and begin taking wagers by credit card. This blatant challenge to American policies brought it swiftly to the attention of federal authorities and led to the enactment of new laws on Internet gambling.
In the years since, many states have legalized online casino games, poker and sports betting. The list of legal iGaming states continues to grow as more sites come online and existing ones expand their offerings. New Jersey and Nevada were the first to legalize online casinos, followed by Delaware in 2013. Pennsylvania was next, launching its first online casino sites in October of 2017. In 2021, Michigan, West Virginia and Mississippi also joined the list of states with legally sanctioned iGaming options.
As of early 2023, Louisiana was one of the last remaining states to not legalize iGaming, though it is on the verge of doing so. Its 55 parishes are divided into different regions, which means each area can determine whether to regulate its own online gambling operations or not. Florida is another state that does not allow any kind of iGaming, but it does have several brick-and-mortar casinos for residents to visit.
The only other state still without legal online casinos is Utah, which, along with Hawaii, remains one of the most anti-gambling states in the country. However, it has passed a law permitting social casinos, which are similar to real money casinos but use virtual chips. Players can log in using their Facebook accounts and play a variety of games for fun, with the opportunity to win real cash prizes via Sweeps Coins.
In terms of the rest of the country, California is home to the largest number of tribal casinos in the US. It is also the only state that allows players to place wagers on tribal-owned casinos and racetracks. Other states, such as Oregon and Washington, have opted for a system that permits only their licensed land-based casinos to take bets from their residents.
In the United States, each state determines what kind of gambling is allowed within its borders and how old people must be to participate in that gambling. There is also a large variation between the minimum ages to buy lottery tickets and bet on a sports game or casino activity. This makes it important to check with each individual state’s regulations before gambling online. The best way to find out is to visit our page on legal United States gambling. From there, you can click on each state to see its specific laws.