ELAWYER BLOG

The Law About Sports Betting in the US

Betting on sports has been around about as long as sports have. However, it is illegal to do so in many areas of the world. There are four U.S. states where sports betting is legal even though many sports betting sites online can be accessed from all fifty.

People love watching sports around the world and are all too willing to lay down a friendly wager on who will win as well as various possible points spreads. Sports betting is a thriving industry in the states where it is allowed, however, as well as on various sports betting sites on the Internet. Sports betting is currently allowed in the U.S. states of Nevada, Montana, Delaware, and Oregon.

But the true legality of sports betting in the U.S. is somewhat murky at the moment. Some argue that the Interstate Wire Act of 1961 that prohibits the use of telephone and other “wire containing” devices to be used for the purpose of making bets applies to the Internet today.

Since then, there have been other laws passed in regard to the legality of sports betting via the Internet, like the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006. This law prevents American citizens from using checks, electronic funds transfers, and credit cards to finance their activities on Internet sports betting sites. But Barney Frank, keen to generate tax revenue of anywhere from 3 to 15 billion dollars from gambling in the first five years alone, introduced the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act in 2007. For the moment the future of sports betting sites and Internet betting of sports is very cloudy indeed.