Legal Online Casino Games
One of the biggest questions in the online gambling world is a simple one: are online casinos legal? The short answer is yes, but the issue is actually a little bit more complicated than that. Luckily, no matter where you play, there are likely to be plenty of legal options for playing blackjack, craps, slots and other casino games online. Keep reading to learn more about legal online casinos in 2018.
Recommended Online Casinos December 2024
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Ignition |  |
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n/a | Ignition |  |
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Bovada | |
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n/a | Bovada | |
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BetOnline | |
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n/a | BetOnline | |
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Intertops | |
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n/a | Intertops | |
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Sportsbetting | |
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n/a | Sportsbetting | |
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America’s Cardroom | |
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n/a | America’s Cardroom | |
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| 7. |  |
Blackchip Poker | |
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n/a | Blackchip Poker | |
Online gambling is a confusing legal issue, and there are a lot of issues involved when talking about the legality of online casinos. While the short answer is that most players can legally gamble online, the long answer is a lot more complex.
First, let’s start with the obvious caveat that laws and regulations vary from country to country. What’s legal in one nation might be prohibited in another, and restrictions can even vary between different areas of the same country (for instance, different states in the USA often have slightly different laws).
In most countries, though, the majority of regulations in place affect the operators of online gambling sites, not players who decide to play at them. For instance, in Australia, there is a prohibition on any new companies opening online casinos. However, players are certainly welcome to play on sites that are located overseas.
In Europe, the latest move has been to improve the regulation and licensing of online casinos rather than to create bans on gambling. For instance, both Italy and France have put licensing systems into place that require online casino operators to apply for a license before offering their games to citizens in each country. This allows the governments in these nations to have more control over the online gambling sites that operate in their countries, while still ensuring that players have plenty of options to choose from.
Perhaps the biggest misconception of all is that online casinos are illegal in the United States. As with many countries, there is a prohibition on running a casino site if you’re in the USA. However, there are no federal laws that prevent Americans from gambling online. The laws that do exist (and which often lead to the confusion) serve to attempt to prevent financial transactions between banks and online gambling companies. It’s because of these laws that depositing money in a gambling account can sometimes be tricky for Americans. However, none of these laws attempt to make criminals out of those who simply want to play casino games. Some casino companies have not chosen to accept USA players due to these laws, while others have continued to accept Americans.
If you’re looking to play at one of the online casinos we’ve recommended above, it’s almost certain that they are legal in your jurisdiction. The most important aspect of casino legality from the player’s point of view should be that the casino site is regulated somewhere. Most online casinos (including those we recommend) are happy to tell their customers that they have a license in a regulated jurisdiction, and players should be very wary of sites that are unlicensed.
