illegal?

[RaginCajun]

So my dad has been on my case about online sports gambling being illegal and he says i will be caught for it. what can I say to him? First if all, is it illegal or legal?

[Jrod124]

its illegal in the US (other than vegas) , but thats why we bet "offshore"

[aggie]

its illegal in the US (other than vegas)

where does it say so?

[michael777]

it is not illegal for the bettor

[RaginCajun]

So your saying betting offshore is not illegal? So u can't get caught for that?

[Dirty Sanchez]

There are all sorts of "opinions" on both sides... There has NEVER been a single prosecution or arrest of any US resident for placing wagers online...so you can tell your dad if it does happen you're jinxed and a trailblazer!

[Jrod124]

it is not illegal for the bettor

Exactly I should have been more clear

[jackkkk2009]

I only know sportsbetting isn't legalized in the States yet.

[polishkielbasa10]

theres a site out there, from the us gov that shows which "offshore" books are ok to place wagers at. Most if not all that on promoted by SBR are on the list..not sure where that site was but..

[DukeJohn]

So my dad has been on my case about online sports gambling being illegal and he says i will be caught for it. what can I say to him? First if all, is it illegal or legal?

I am going to guess you are from the US and if you are, then by federal law, it is not illegal for you place bets online currently at standard books. However, that doesn't mean it is legal in your state. For example, it is felony to gamble online in Washington state, however it is perfectly legal in Texas in your own home.

So, it depends on your state.

Best of Luck,

[trumpdown]

Maybe you shouldn't talk to "pops" about it until you actually make a substantial amount of money.

[BET THE HOOK]

It is not illegal to place a bet but it is illegal to TAKE a bet so all the books set up offshore so they could aviod prosecution.

[DukeJohn]

It is not illegal to place a bet but it is illegal to TAKE a bet so all the books set up offshore so they could aviod prosecution.

It is actually illegal in several States to place bets online, as state law has specific wording for online gambling and sports betting. Oddly enough, it is illegal to gamble online in the state of Nevada.

[DukeJohn]

I might add, although it might be illegal in certain states, no one has been prosecuted by a state law for placing a bet, only receiving them, even though the wording is quite clear, apparently no state is interested in a lone person placing a bet.

Even in Texas, where it is legal to place bets in your home, but not in a public place; when there have been raids on public places for online gambling, the "customers" are handcuffed and told how they could arrest them for gambling in a public establishment, but they always let the customers go forgoing even arresting them, much less actually charging them.

Anyway, as BET THE HOOK alluded to, you are most likely perfectly safe just placing bets online regardless of the law of the State in which you reside.

[Ian]

You don't have anything to worry about, RaginCajun.

The relevant federal law is the "Wire Act." While the act does make online bookmaking illegal, it has only been used to prosecute bookies, not gamblers. 14 states have passed laws prohibiting online gambling, Washington state even went so far as to make it a felony, but none of these state laws are enforced.

[michael777]

You don't have anything to worry about, RaginCajun.

The relevant federal law is the "Wire Act." While the act does make online bookmaking illegal, it has only been used to prosecute bookies, not gamblers. 14 states have passed laws prohibiting online gambling, Washington state even went so far as to make it a felony, but none of these state laws are enforced.

[Ian]

Oddly enough, it is illegal to gamble online in the state of Nevada.

At the behest of in state casinos in the late '90s and early 00's, Nevada passed a law banning out-of-state online gambling as a protectionist measure. The law, however, legalized online gambling from licensed Nevada casinos. The only casino to take advantage of this is the Station Casino family, which allows Nevada residents to bet sports online.

[LVBOUND]

Take your life savings and move to Vegas and gamble.

ITS LEGAL!!!

[Hareeba!]

Take your life savings and move to Vegas and gamble.

ITS LEGAL!!!

I don't need to move anywhere, it's legal right here

[sneak-a-peak]

The reason the government does not allow bookies to operate on U.S soil is because the NFL, NCAA, NBA and MLB are heavily against it because they do not want the corruption right in front of their faces all the time.

I'm not saying corruption does not exist in any of those leagues as is but would certainly be a lot more amplified with a bunch of Fat Cats free to roam all over the states.

[unusialsusp5]

no da will prosecute you for this. laws are made to be broken.

[sq764]

So my dad has been on my case about online sports gambling being illegal and he says i will be caught for it. what can I say to him? First if all, is it illegal or legal?

tell him if your using your own money its none of his business

[Justin7]

In most states, it is no different than making a bet with a friend. Illegal? Yes. Prosecuted? Almost never.

Now if you are bookmaking, that is a different story. State and Federal felony. Don't make book.

[bachngocduong]

I don't need to move anywhere, it's legal right here

yeah hell care offshore just for MORE all my bet at local book

[eightballer41]

A question on top of the original....if it's legal for us to place wagers...how come it's so darn hard to cash a check sometimes?

[Hareeba!]

A question on top of the original....if it's legal for us to place wagers...how come it's so darn hard to cash a check sometimes?

because your government doesn't want you doing it and has spooked the banks with a raft of legislation towards that end

[DukeJohn]

A question on top of the original....if it's legal for us to place wagers...how come it's so darn hard to cash a check sometimes?

Well, you see our government officials, the ones we elected to office and only do what the public really want, realized that we, the public, really think gambling is a sin, criminal, and all us evil doers must be punished. Of course, when they (elected officials) realized that there were so many of us evil doers, they couldn't very well just lock us all up for our own good, (Cost too much money) Plus, so many of the pure citizens would be effected or hurt. No-sir-re-bob, something had to be done, that was sure, but what, that was the question.

After years of fighting the righteous battle to end un-pure gambling, of course the pure gambling (horse racing, state run lottery, scratch offs) came with political contributions to our benevolent leaders, that's how you know it is pure. I mean those are pure, sweet gambling forms and you can't very well lock up those good ole god fearing people, so they had to figure something out.

Our highly intelligent, most respected politicians, realized the pure and innocent never cash a check from a foreign country with their pure forms of games of chance. So, like knights in shining armor, they stealthy, at the 11th hour on the last day of the gathering, when most of the evil ones were gone, they attached a rider to the must pass legislation, "Safe Port Act", they did this at this late hour of course so they wouldn't have to harm as many evil politicians that were in opposition and still gathered. The legislation was passed and the UIGEA was born, a shot for goodness was heard around the world.

So, that is why it is so hard to cash a check from a sports betting establishment, because the bright and shining UIGEA is there always to protect us all.

BoL,

[RaginCajun]

so then whats the easiest way to get the money if its so hard to cash a check?

[DukeJohn]

so then whats the easiest way to get the money if its so hard to cash a check?

Cashing a check is not hard and rarely are there any issues on your end. However, you can do bank wires, instant deposit transfers (not exactly instant but it is what SBR likes to call them), person to person (**/**), and a few others. The person to person is the fastest and easiest, at least for us USA (Land of the free) citizens.

[Fishhead]

As has been stated by many here, betting online is NOT illegal from a federal standpoint........but some states have laws that make it illegal.

[John Dough]

so then whats the easiest way to get the money if its so hard to cash a check?

What's hard about cashing a check? I've been cashing checks for a decade, including several post-UIGEA and several in the past 6 weeks, never had a single problem.

[louis.ana]

I believe the US law states that it is illegal to make a deposit to an online sportsbook. That is why so many regulated sportsbooks that are online do not allow U.S. citizens, also explains why most sportsbooks have moved offshore. US Banks are suppose to honor the US law but at the same time they turn a blind eye because they don't want to mess with their customers.

The WTO, World Trade Organization, states that the above US Law is illegal. WTO mentions that a person is free to do what he wants with his own money, and also, the US law indirectly sanctions these transactions.

The US law, or more of a loophole, was created due to the fact that a few of these sportsbooks were used to launder money.. sportbooks became a great threat, laundering money can quickly and easily be done online. The US had to react, and therefore we are caught in this current situation.

But, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Rumors are about of a bill floating around with the first steps of auditing the sportsbooks and properly collecting taxes. This would produce a level of TRANSPARENCY that would make everyone happy. The audited sportsbooks would have to keep account of all their clients, transactions, etc., and be able to produce at will. The player would have to file their winnings from the book now that there is an accounted "link" from the sportsbooks... and whatnot.

[DukeJohn]

I believe the US law states that it is illegal to make a deposit to an online sportsbook. That is why so many regulated sportsbooks that are online do not allow U.S. citizens, also explains why most sportsbooks have moved offshore. US Banks are suppose to honor the US law but at the same time they turn a blind eye because they don't want to mess with their customers.

The law (UIGEA) is against institutions not individuals. Most places turn a "blind eye" because as stated by the Finance sector to the Congressional Finance Committee the UIGEA puts an unfair burden on the Finance sector and the only way to enforce it is to change the banking industry world wide according to them.

The WTO, World Trade Organization, states that the above US Law is illegal. WTO mentions that a person is free to do what he wants with his own money, and also, the US law indirectly sanctions these transactions.

The WTO, came down "hard" on the US because of the opt out clause when it comes to online gambling. A few years ago, the US forced some small countries to pay the US money because they tried to "opt out" when comes to transporting bananas. In-other-words, these countries were exporting bananas and when they joined the WTO they had originally opened their borders to free trade of transportation on exports/imports, however when big companies moved in to take over the banana transportation business the country tried to "opt out" of that particular section of the WTO agreement and the USA would not stand for that and levied fines in the millions against these small countries. So, when the US tried to "opt out" concerning online gambling several countries tried to sue the US through the WTO.

The US law, or more of a loophole, was created due to the fact that a few of these sportsbooks were used to launder money.. sportbooks became a great threat, laundering money can quickly and easily be done online. The US had to react, and therefore we are caught in this current situation.

Although you hear this from time to time about sportsbooks being used to launder money. The thing is, you can not launder money through an illegal activity and since taking sports bets, unless you are licensed in the US, is illegal via the wire act. So, this whole notion is more of a smoke screen for other reasons.

But, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Rumors are about of a bill floating around with the first steps of auditing the sportsbooks and properly collecting taxes. This would produce a level of TRANSPARENCY that would make everyone happy. The audited sportsbooks would have to keep account of all their clients, transactions, etc., and be able to produce at will. The player would have to file their winnings from the book now that there is an accounted "link" from the sportsbooks... and whatnot.

If that Barney Frank bill actually passes, yes it probably would open all internet places to the USA and of course all the local land based Nevada casinos would open online shops for the USA, the online sports betting industry would be flooded with new places to make a bet (Can you imagine if SBR could manage some sort of government watch dog site at that time). However, making everyone happy, one would have to wait and see. It sure will be a mad rush in the beginning. I mean only one state has local sports betting and that is Nevada and now all states would be allowed, but many are against online gambling, what a mess in the beginning. Anyway, it will definitely be interesting.

Anyway, just thought I would add some more info to this post.

[csm506]

Technically it is Illegal if you live in the US, but so is Jay walking, until the government cracks down on it big time I doubt you will ever have a problem, I never read anywhere in the last 10 years of people like you and I getting busted, heck I know many law enforcement people who have wagering accounts.

[sneak-a-peak]

If the U.S allowed books to open up here don't you think there would be a huge "run" on the offshore books?

It would probably cause huge problems (payout delays & no pays) for all with big offshore balances because I would imagine most would want the safety of the states books instead of the unknown that goes on in these other countries.

My guess would be that offshore books would not survive to the likes of the well known named Vegas casinos.