In the USA, gambling is heavily restricted. The popularity of land based and online gambling is increasing every day. As a result Gaming Law is expanding and is different for each state. Many people think that gambling laws apply specifically to areal like Atlantic City and Las Vegas. The truth is that every state has some form of legal gaming. This could be in the form of state lotteries or similar types of games of chance. Gambling is legal under US Federal law with stringent restrictions when it comes to online gambling. Nevada and Louisiana are the only two states where casino style gambling is legal state-wide. Many other states allow gambling in small areas within the state itself.
Online Gaming Law
According to US gaming Law, online gambling is heavily restricted and regulated by the US federal government. In response to these regulations, most of the online gambling in the US has been moved offshore with some foreign providers ignoring the laws of the states. The American gaming law is heavily influenced by the history of gambling in the country. Gambling or games of chance first came to America with the first settlers. At the time, there were no real restriction on the practise of gambling with many colonies using lotteries to increase revenues.
The History of Gambling in the USA
As the country expanded, the use of lotteries continued with the profits from the lotteries used to fund state and federal functions. Slowly but surely, privately owned gambling business started popping up in communities around the states. There was no gaming law at the time to restrict the functions of these gambling houses. The Mississippi River became a popular gambling area with the introduction of gambling river boats. New Orleans soon becoming the leading online gambling casino centre for the nation.
The Banning of Gambling Activities
When anti-gambling communities in the United States started gaining momentum, the state sponsored lotteries started to close down. The introduction of the railroad put a dent in the Mississippi River Boat industry. With increasing pressure and new gaming law, the opportunities for illegal gambling were rife. Gambling became one of the most popular illegal operations for crime syndicates. When the great depressing hit, the legalisation of some forms of gambling returned to some cities. Games like bingo and sweepstakes allowed non-profit organisations to raise revenue but on the whole, gambling remained illegal in the states and you could only play overseas at NZ betting sites
Nevada and the Rise of Casinos
The stock market crash of 1929 and the construction of the Hoover Dam led officials in Nevada to implement changes to gaming law. As a means of increasing revenues in the state, Nevada legalised gambling. At first interest in casino development in Nevada was slow. But with laws becoming more restrictive after World War II, Nevada became a haven for investment opportunities. In the 1950’s and 60’s the casino industry in Nevada exploded. In response to this success, the state of New Jersey legalised gambling in Atlantic City. This popular tourist destination soon became a casino thriving casino industry. In the 1990’s riverboat casinos were legalised in Illinois, Louisiana and other parts of the states.