In the United States, can you gamble online legally depends on the state where you live. While online sports betting is legal in more than 30 states, the same can’t be said for regulated online casinos or real money poker sites. Fortunately, there are several alternatives that allow people to enjoy the thrill of gambling online in a safe and secure environment. These options can be found in the form of daily fantasy sports and sweepstakes casinos, but even these are restricted in some markets.
New York, for example, does not offer iGaming despite the fact that Churchill Downs is one of the most famous horse race tracks in the world. However, the New York legislature has attempted to pass bills that would allow residents to wager on iGaming in the past. New York is also home to several popular land-based casinos.
The same can be said for Texas, which doesn’t allow people to play at real money online casinos, but does permit social casino games. These games are played for fun and use virtual chips. They can be accessed via Facebook or other social media platforms. Players can even share their achievements with others in these sites.
On the other hand, Nevada, Delaware, and New Jersey all have regulated online casino sites where real money bets can be placed. Pennsylvania and West Virginia have recently joined this club as well.
Another state that allows iGaming is Michigan. The Great Lakes State is also planning to launch its first legal online poker sites soon. New Mexico and Florida are expected to follow suit and allow sports betting over the internet soon, too.
As for the rest of the country, only Utah and Hawaii ban gambling altogether. The former is a Mormon state with a deeply religious community, while the latter is simply concerned about how it might affect family life.
The states that do allow some sort of iGaming tend to have fairly strict privacy and security standards. This is particularly true for legal gambling websites based in the US, as they have to adhere to more rigorous standards than most other international operators.
As for the other states, most have loosened up their gambling laws over time. In 2023, for instance, North Carolina will be allowed to launch its own iGaming market. The Tar Heel State is also home to a number of in-person casinos and offers several land-based racetracks for its residents.