Sports Betting Laws and Statutes

When it comes to United States betting laws, there is a lot of gray area to navigate. There is often a conflict between federal and state law. Knowing which statutes apply to sports betting sites is sometimes confusing. We will attempt to set the record straight on these issues. We will point you toward some legitimate, accepted sportsbooks for players in the USA. Once you are familiar with US betting regulations, you will find that there are some great online sportsbooks that go through all the proper channels. This page will explain why some online sportsbooks can function even with strict provisions in place.

Is It Legal To Bet On Sports in The United States?

Sportsbook Accepting US PlayersYes, sports betting is legal as long as you use the right sites. You have to make sure that the book you are using does not break any of the three main laws that pertain to sports wagering. We will discuss these in detail a little later. For now, though, just know that the sportsbooks we recommend are not bound by US law because they operate from outside of the country. You can thank your lucky stars that there is no statute that says you cannot use an online sportsbook. The main problem is there aren’t any sportsbooks, online or otherwise, in any states besides Delaware and Nevada.

Best Legal Sportsbooks

In the United States, you do have some great options for legal sportsbooks. Although they operate from outside the country, they accept American players from all fifty states. Most people would be better off joining one of these great sites than spending an arm and a leg getting to Vegas. The novelty of going to Vegas eventually wears off, anyway. The legal online sportsbooks we recommend are just as good, if not better, than the ones you will find in Sin City.

  • Bovada Sportsbook
  • 50% Cash Bonus for New Players!

Bovada SportsbookYou will feel like the king of the castle when you join Bovada. It is the Holy Grail of online sportsbooks, only you don’t need to embark on an Arthurian quest to find it. All you have to do is create an account, make a deposit, and start betting. Although you might not be able to bet on jousting or medieval hammer throwing, there are lots of other great sports to bet on, like football, basketball, baseball, soccer, and boxing. Bovada even lets you bet on entertainment and politics, as if there’s any real difference.

One thing you can be sure of when you join Bovada is that it is legal and trustworthy. For the better part of two decades, it has been operating out of Canada and overseen by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, which makes sure that it goes through all legal channels when servicing its satisfied members. A few years ago, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission awarded Bovada its highest honor, the Certificate of Good Standing. Only the greatest sportsbooks in the world have had this laurel bestowed upon them.

  • BetOnline Sportsbook
  • 25% Free Play Bonus! - Available In All 50 States!

BetOnline SportsbookWhen you want a sportsbook that cuts right through the malarkey and gets down to brass tacks, BetOnline is the place to go. It is one of the oldest and most beloved online sportsbooks in the world, offering an array of great games, sports, and features. My favorite thing about BetOnline is the awesome bonuses they offer. When I joined, they gave me a welcome bonus, and now I get regular reload bonuses of 50 percent, and that’s on every deposit I make!

I was a bit worried at first because I had heard rumors that sports betting was against the law in the United States, but now I know that the people who told me that didn’t have a clue what they were talking about. It turns out that since BetOnline operates out of Panama, it is able to sidestep the ridiculous laws that make the United States a sportsbook no-man’s-land. I have been using BetOnline for going on four years now and have never felt like I was in any danger of breaking a law or getting arrested. I have won a fair chunk of money from this great site. My advice would be to join as soon as possible, because every second that you are not betting online is an opportunity lost.

  • Bovada Sportsbook
  • 50% Cash Bonus for New Players!
  • BetOnline Sportsbook
  • 25% Free Play Bonus! - Available In All 50 States!
  • SportsBetting Sportsbook
  • 50% Free Play! - Best Bonuses for New Players
  • 5Dimes Sportsbook
  • 50% Free Play! - Speedy Payouts - Mobile-Friendly!
What Are The Three Main Laws That Pertain To Sports Betting?

Sportsbook Accepting US PlayersOkay, now it’s time for the big reveal. The three main laws are the Federal Wire Act, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). Each of these is a federal law designed to stem the tide of mob-related underground bookmaking. Whether these laws have done any good is debatable. Each is controversial in its own way. Let us delve a little deeper into each law.

The Wire Act

The Wire Act was signed into law way back in 1961. The goal of the law was to prevent anyone from transferring betting-related date from state to state using a wire communications device. Whatever the intentions of the Wire Act, claims that the law have worked are dubious. The debate goes on even today, the Wire Act having been amended several times over the years. Many people question whether online sportsbooks should even be considered a wire communications facility. Whichever way the cookie crumbles, the Wire Act doesn’t apply to overseas betting sites.

PASPA

The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act is perhaps the most important law that governs American sports betting. It dates back over two decades to 1992. Wire Act provisions dictate that only Nevada and Delaware may have sportsbooks. These two states were given a timeframe of one year to get their affairs in order and draft laws allowing sports betting. To the chagrin of politicians everywhere, no other states were given this privilege, although several states have recently attempted to challenge PASPA in court, but to no avail. One can only hope that PASPA will eventually be repealed, but until that day, most sportsbooks have to function outside of the US to remain legal.

UIGEA

The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act is perhaps the most divisive of any sports betting law. The fact that it was sneakily added to the end of the Safe Port Act, a law that had absolutely zilch to do with betting, should tell you all you need to know about the lack of transparency in American government. To add insult to injury, not a single member of Congress actually read the darned thing. The only way it affects overseas sites is that it doesn’t allow players to make withdrawals using credit cards.

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Do State Laws Say Anything About Sports Betting?

Most states do not mention the words “sports” or “books” anywhere in their criminal codes. Some state codes do make vague references to “bookmaking,” but they are usually just part of the definitions of terms. If there are any state laws that speak ill of sports betting, it is in reference to those who would choose to make a business out of taking bets. The players have nothing to worry about, because there are no laws anywhere that say a US citizen isn’t allowed to bet on sports. In fact, some states actually have provisions that protect players from being swindled by illicit bookies. For example, some states have laws that give players a reimbursement on betting losses. The long and the short of it is that betting is legal as long as you are using a reputable site.