Is Online Slots Gambling Legal?
The online gambling industry has evolved rapidly since the first lottery games began to appear in the United States. Since then, American lawmakers have slowly warmed to regulated casino gaming and iGaming in general. In recent years, the focus has shifted to online sports betting and real money casino games.
But the legalization of online slots is still a challenge. Centuries of gambling aversion remain deeply entrenched in the American mindset, and efforts to bring real-money slot machines online have met with varying degrees of resistance from state and local lawmakers. Despite the fact that online gambling is safer and more convenient than visiting a physical casino, some lawmakers remain resistant to the idea of citizens playing slot machines at home.
State-level legislators have been leading the charge to approve iCasino gambling. In the past few years, they have made it possible for residents of New Jersey and Nevada to enjoy a wide range of online casino games and sports wagering options. The success of these efforts has paved the way for other iGaming markets, such as Rhode Island and Delaware.
Some states have even approved sports betting at their own brick-and-mortar casinos. This has been made possible by the Supreme Court decision that struck down PASPA and allowed individual states to choose whether or not to permit sports betting on their own lands. This has led to a variety of regulatory approaches to the new form of gambling, with some states opting for a full-fledged iCasino and others choosing a more limited approach.
In the case of Wyoming, for example, the only way to place a sports bet in the state is via an online platform operated by BetMGM, DraftKings or FanDuel. This kind of hybrid system could serve as a pathway to legalizing online casinos in the future, but it will require more work at the state level. With daily fantasy games and other new forms of iGaming developing, it will be important to ensure that states don’t simply rely on the federal bans on gambling to define what is and isn’t permitted.
Another state that is close to legalizing online casinos is Illinois. The newest Golden Nugget Casino Danville now offers a retail sportsbook, and several bills are currently pending that would allow for the establishment of online casinos in the state.
Regardless of their regulatory approach, most iGaming sites encourage responsible gambling and have protective measures in place to help players manage their play. State-licensed and regulated US casinos also provide crucial tax revenue that supports community services, such as problem gambling non-profits, schools and healthcare organizations. In addition, if you ever run into any problems while playing at a regulated US casino site, both the state and the federal government can step in to help. In contrast, offshore operators have less regulatory oversight and are not subject to the same protections. The regulated gambling industry also provides a greater level of transparency for players, making it easier to identify which casinos are legitimate and which ones to avoid.
