State Laws For Sports Betting
Welcome to the state laws page here at LegalSportsbooksUSA.com, where our goal is to help readers learn everything they will need to know about any state sports betting laws and regulations they may apply to them where they live. As it turns out, there are less state regulations than one might think, and it will soon be clear that everyone in the U.S. has many legal sports wagering options even if their home state doesn't currently regulate the activity.
This guide will cover any laws for sports betting including those in place to regulate land-based and online sportsbooks in the United States. But if that wasn't enough, readers will also learn about the legal betting age, whether it is safe to bet online, and even legal sports betting sites that accept members from all fifty states including our favorite place to wager right now!
This is a simple question to answer, but a complicated one to explain. You see, most states in the nation do not actually have any laws regarding sports betting. This is because the federal government has many laws in place that regulate the activity for the whole of America. Laws such as the UIGEA and the Wire Act decide whether an online sportsbook is allowable, while other laws such as the PASPA decide which states can host land-based sports betting. Therefore, all but a small handful of states have zero laws about sports betting. This is actually a good thing, because it means that everyone has real money wagering options.
The law that decides whether a state can allow sports betting events to take place is a federal one. The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was created in 1992 to try to limit the amount of illegal bookies and underground sports betting rings that were rampant in America. This resulted in the restriction of almost every state from allowing land-based sports wagering. As of now, the PASPA only allows real-world sportsbooks in Nevada, Delaware, Montana, and Oregon. Out of those states, only two have any kind of real sports betting; Nevada and Delaware. The PASPA has pretty much dried up the activity in the nation except for the online options.
As we mentioned earlier, only Nevada and Delaware have land-based sports betting events. Delaware is very limited, only opening up the sportsbook during NFL season, and only offering certain types of bets with limits. If you want to wager on pro football you can find some limited action in Delaware, but sports fans looking for more need to search elsewhere. Nevada does have excellent sports betting options, and you will find legal wagering events all over the state. This is the only state that has full-fledged land-based sportsbooks for residents.
The fact that land-based sports betting events are limited to two states does not mean that everyone in the country can’t find great alternatives. Many of the legal online sportsbooks for U.S. players accept everyone, and there are no laws that restrict them from functioning. These sites operate outside of the US, and therefore fall out of federal jurisdiction. It is rare to find an online sportsbook operating in the states because of federal sports betting laws like the Wire Act and the UIGEA, but the numerous overseas sites are legal, and anyone can use them safely.
The majority of sports fans choose to use the legal U.S. online sportsbooks for their wagering activities. This is because most of these sites do not discriminate by state, they offer speedy funding methods, and they have amazing bonuses that make them more profitable than the land-based competition. We recommend these online venues over the land-based establishments because, unless you live or are vacationing in Nevada, there are simply too few real-world options. These online sportsbooks for U.S. players are reputable, efficient, and amazingly fun to use. You can wager real money safely as long as the site accepts your state (and most accepts players from all 50 states).
Now that you know how the laws work for states, it is time to find a great legal US sportsbook. You can now see that there are not very many viable options when it comes to land-based wagering. Therefore, instead of scouring the bars for an illegal bookie, why don’t you take the safe route and wager online? These sites offer better features, easier funding methods, more profitable online sportsbook bonuses than the real-world counterparts do, and they can all be trusted to do what they promise. Check you concerns at the door when using any of the sites shown on LegalSportsbooksUSA.com because all are proven, reliable, and 100% legit.
Those looking for a Vegas-style sports wagering experience but are nowhere near Sin City need look no further. SportsBetting is here to serve up professional and intuitive sports wagering experiences for members from all fifty states in the nation. You will find millions of fellow Americans enjoying this site every day, and the numbers just keep growing. This is a testament to how well SportsBetting treats their members. You will find numerous innovative features such as live betting, mobile betting, and reload bonuses.
One of the best parts of signing up with a new online sportsbook is the welcome bonus that comes along with it. When you make your first sports betting site deposit at SportsBetting, they will reward you with a 50% welcome bonus worth up to $500 in sports free plays. This is a hefty addition to your initial bankroll that will give you a solid base to start from when venturing into the massive sportsbook. If you want to claim this bonus, be sure to enter the promo code "SB50" in the cashier when making your initial deposit. No matter what state you are in, SportsBetting is here to offer up amazing sportsbook action.
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One thing to keep in mind when using a real world or online sportsbook is the state betting age. This varies by state, and usually you will either need to be 18 or 21. Nevada and Delaware both require bettors to be 21 because their land-based establishments serve alcohol. Many other states have a set betting age of 18, while some states don’t even have an age requirement. The many U.S. online sportsbooks require players to be 18, or defer to the state age. Always make sure to check your state laws before signing up for a site, and a good rule of thumb is to always go with the higher number. Penalties for underage wagering can result in cancellation of your account, forfeiture of funds, and even legal trouble.