Online gambling is a growing industry in the United States. This includes casinos, sportsbooks, virtual poker, and other gaming options. Almost half of the country will be able to place bets on sports within the next few years. These online betting sites bring the Las Vegas experience to cell phones. While there are still a few states that have yet to launch legal online gambling sites, a few have already taken the plunge.
Until recently, the United States had very few legal options for online gambling. In the past few years, however, a number of states have introduced legislation to allow for the development of online gambling sites. Most have been passed into law, but the process has been slow. Eventually, the legality of sports betting will become the litmus test for future online gambling in Ohio.
The United States has a number of federal criminal statutes that prohibit gambling. Some of these laws include the Wire Act, the Illegal Gambling Business Act, and the Travel Act. However, these regulations have been challenged on constitutional grounds. Specifically, these laws have raised questions about the Commerce Clause.
While there are many potential arguments as to the adequacy of the Commerce Clause, a review of the case law indicates that these arguments have been largely unsuccessful. One reason for this is that the commercial nature of the gambling business seems to satisfy some of the lingering doubts.
Another factor is the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech. Several federal crimes have been argued as violations of this statutory guarantee, but there have been no significant victories. Also, a number of state officials have expressed concerns that the Internet could be used to transport illegal gambling into their jurisdictions.
For example, in September, residents of Kansas were able to wager on sports games online. Before that, most types of straightforward gambling were illegal in the state. As of now, sports betting is only available through several retail and online sportsbooks. A number of these have been announced as partnerships with the casino operators that will operate the websites.
While there are no online casinos in Ohio, it is poised to be one of the first states to offer online sports betting. During the summer, the Ohio Gaming Commission received applications from various businesses interested in hosting sports betting kiosks. It is encouraging these companies to apply for a license. Currently, the Commission has licensed about 1,300 businesses to be involved with the establishment of the kiosks.
The law in Illinois allows residents to bet on sports. However, they cannot wager on events involving in-state colleges. In order to participate in the state’s online sportsbook, they must register in person. The registration requirement will expire in 2022.
In the near future, Illinois may also have an online casino, but at the moment, the state only has tribal and tribal-owned casinos. Connecticut is still in the midst of developing its online gambling industry. At least one tribal tribe, the Mohegan Tribe, has an agreement with FanDuel for its online IN sportsbooks.