Online gambling is growing in popularity across the United States. It’s a convenient way to enjoy the thrill of casino games, sports betting, poker and more from home or on the go. While gambling is legal in many forms in most states, some remain banned in their entirety, including Utah and Hawaii. However, other states have embraced the digital world, making it possible for residents to gamble legally from anywhere in the country.
The first thing to remember is that there are a lot of different online casinos. Some of them are licensed to operate within specific jurisdictions, while others are unlicensed and offer a more diverse range of gaming options. The best way to tell if an online casino is legal to play in your state is by checking its licensing details. Typically, this will be found on the bottom of the homepage. You should also be able to find a list of official authorities that a particular site is licensed and regulated by.
Licensed online casinos are safe to play for real money, and they provide players with the opportunity to wager with a wide variety of stakes. This is in stark contrast to brick-and-mortar casinos, which often have very low table limits. Moreover, it’s possible to find real-money online tables that accept stakes as low as a dollar.
It took New Jersey six years to launch its iGaming industry, but it has since been joined by Pennsylvania and West Virginia, which both launched in 2021. Michigan is expected to follow suit soon, and a number of other states are considering legalizing sports betting online.
Legalized iGaming sites are vetted and regulated by the same authority that oversees land-based casinos in a given jurisdiction. This helps to ensure that all players are treated fairly, and that sites comply with all local gambling laws. Additionally, it gives you the confidence to know that if something goes wrong while playing at a legal online casino, the site will be held accountable for its actions.
In addition to regulating the gaming industry, some states also set aside funds from their casino revenues to help struggling families and individuals. This is an important component of responsible gambling, which should be a core principle of any iGaming operation.
While there is a big push to legalize iGaming in California, it’s still illegal to place bets on sports, horse races and other events in the Golden State. A group of Native American tribes have gathered more than 1.6 million signatures to put a referendum on the November 2020 ballot that would limit sports betting to retail sportsbooks and racetracks.
In the meantime, Californians can visit legal iGaming sites in Nevada and Delaware. While New York and Indiana haven’t seen any traction with legislation to allow for iGaming, some residents are pushing for change. Hopefully, they can take inspiration from the success of New Jersey’s iGaming market. The next step in the process will be to look at the legality of New York online casinos, as well as iGaming in other major markets such as Pennsylvania and Michigan.