If you’re a business owner in the United States, you may be wondering if it’s legal to offer online gambling services. Some states do permit casinos and poker, while others allow sports betting and virtual poker. In some jurisdictions, such as New York and Connecticut, it’s legal to offer online gambling. However, the law in each state is different.
Online gambling is illegal in Atlantic City and Vegas. Some jurisdictions, such as Delaware, offer casino and poker, but don’t allow sports betting. Similarly, Illinois prohibits Internet casinos and poker, but does allow sports betting. The federal government has taken action against gambling websites, and has seized assets in cases.
There are three major federal criminal statutes that are directly implicated by illegal gambling on the Internet. They are the Travel Act, the Bank Secrecy Act, and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. All of these laws can be used to prevent people from using the Internet to place bets or to conduct financial transactions.
The Internet Gambling Prohibition Act, introduced as a bill in the US Senate in 1999, would have prohibited online gambling from Americans. While many have questioned the Constitutional limits of the Commerce Clause, the commercial nature of the gambling industry seems to justify its passage.
The FBI recently confirmed that the risk of fraud has increased as the number of people playing online games of chance and skill has grown. As a result, companies should implement AML/KYC frameworks to ensure they’re not running afoul of regulations.