It has been a little more than three years ever since the United States Supreme Court ruled on a pivotal decision to eliminate the federal ban on sports gambling. Essentially, ever since that fateful ruling, citizens of the United States have been at the mercy of their respective state governments with regards to gambling legislation. Before then, it was only Nevada that could provide people with an opportunity to place their bets on the results of a game.
Of course, Nevada has been a long-time gambling-friendly state, considering that it houses the gambling capital of the world. Las Vegas is a gambling haven that’s filled with so many of the world’s finest and most luxurious casinos. However, just because the federal ban on sports betting was lifted three years ago doesn’t mean that all the other states were willing to pounce on legalizing gambling within their jurisdictions. Despite the proliferation of USA online casinos, there are still a number of states out there that won’t budge when it comes to the legalization of gambling and online betting. Although, trends seem to indicate an uptick in that area as more state governments are coming to realize the potential gains and benefits that come from regulating gambling in their regions.
Complex Gambling Legislation
The gambling laws in the United States are very complex for a number of different reasons. For one, legislation is done on a state level and not on a federal level. This means that gambling laws and regulations can differ for both consumers and operators depending on the state that you live in. Some states are merely in the process of legalizing or regulating gambling. Other states already have some well-established gambling rules and regulations. There are also other states that don’t intend on legalizing gambling at all.
Aside from that, the types of gambling and betting that are legal in certain states can differ as well. For example, the state of New Mexico allows for sports betting except for when it’s for games involving in-state college teams. It’s also the same with New Jersey, going as far so as to disallow betting on games and collegiate events that are held within the state. A state like Mississippi, however, is relatively more lenient as it doesn’t have any notable prohibitions when it comes to sports betting. Although, online casinos and racetrack betting are not allowed in Mississippi. California is also an interesting case because it’s one of the most liberal states in the entire country. However, only casinos owned by tribal groups are allowed to operate within the state. Aside from that, sports betting is still not yet legal in California.
There are merely a handful of states in the USA that allow gambling in all forms. These states include Louisiana, New York, Indiana, Iowa, and Michigan. These states allow gambling activities that stem from charitable institutions, lotteries, commercial establishments, racetracks, online casinos, and sports betting. There are also other states that don’t necessarily have tribal groups but allow for all the other forms of gambling like Delaware, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
Future Legalizations
Right now, there is an aggressive move on the parts of many states to legalize sports betting along with traditional casino gaming. The sports market is one of the most lucrative industries in the United States. That’s why many operators are eager for their own states to start regulating sports betting within their jurisdictions. Right now, there are still lots of states that have not legalized sports betting but have made some moves towards that direction, namely California, Minnesota, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Georgia, Alabama, Maine, South Carolina, Vermont, Massachusetts, Alaska, and Hawaii. However, it’s expected that the Mormon-rich population of Utah is unlikely to ever allow gambling in any form as this is a provision that is written directly into the state’s constitution.
Ultimately, the move towards legalizing gambling throughout most of the United States is gaining more and more speed and influence at the same time. The global online gambling market is ramping up at unprecedented rates and one of the most lucrative industries in the world right now. As technology grows to become more prominent around the world, it seems to be that the uptick in online gambling activities will only continue to rise.
This article was written in cooperation with Red Sea Media