Is sports gambling legal in the united states? That question has been in the news a lot lately.
The short answer is”yes.” Unless you live in a state that has expressly made it illegal, you, as an American, can legally make a sports bet at many different online gambling sites.
The long answer is more complex, but not so complicated that it can’t be explained in simple terms. Below, we provide our top 10 best picks of the most powerful gaming websites for bettors in the united states and a crash course on the legality of sport gambling in the USA.
USA
UNITED KINGDOM
EUROPE
ASIA
AFRICA
MEXICO
1
Bovada
Bovada lives up to their reputation as a consistently impressive online betting experience.
https://www.bovada.lv
Overall Rating:
5 Welcome Bonus: 50% bonus up to $250
Terms & Conditions Apply
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2
BetOnline
Their massive maximum bonus dimension is a true head-turner for bigger bettors but BetOnline offers something for everyone.
https://www.betonline.ag
Total Rating:
5 Deposit Bonus: 50% up to $1,000
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3
SportsBetting.ag
New ownership has radically enhanced about this sportsbook – and simply to show they are serious, their bonus offer is becoming more generous than ever before.
http://www.sportsbetting.ag/
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5 Deposit Bonus: 50% up to $1,000
Terms & Conditions Apply
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4
GTbets
GTbets, or’Game Time’ bets, has always had our attention because of its specific promos that cater to fans of major North American sports.
http://www.gtbets.eu
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5 Deposit Bonus: 100% up to $500
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5
Xbet
XBet.ag is just one of the newer sportsbooks therefore it has its perks, fantastic performance on mobile devices and competitive bonuses to mention a couple. They have been shown to be a trusted sportsbook in a relatively brief period of time.
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4 Deposit Bonus: 100% Nominal bonus up to $300
Terms & Conditions Apply
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6
MyBookie.ag
MyBookie is newer on the scene and has been making a strong case for itself. From rush payout options to ancient lines they are showing they have hustle.
Premiere Sports Betting, Sportsbook Sign Up | Legal Online Sports Betting
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5 Deposit Bonus: 50% up to $1,000
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7
BetNow
BetNow is a newer sportsbook that’s highlighted by a wide range of futures, teasers, and parlays, plus diverse casino offerings.
https://www.betnow.eu/
Overall Rating:
4 Deposit Bonus: 50% up to $1,000
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8
Skybook
Skybook offers a free half point on NFL and NBA stinks and spreads. Lots of betting options for major league sports: NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB.
https://www.skybook.ag
Overall Rating:
3 Deposit Bonus: 100% up to $1,000
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9
BookMaker
BookMaker isn’t a bad choice for anybody, but it especially caters to people who bet big money on the regular. With its large list of early traces, props, and parlays, it’s truly an industry pioneer.
http://www.bookmaker.eu
Total Rating:
5 Deposit Bonus: 50% up to $300 deposit
Terms & Conditions Apply
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10
5Dimes
5Dimes is the Yankees of all sportsbooks–they’re secure, established, and offer a premium merchandise –but they also have exciting promotions reminiscent of minor league ballparks! It’s the best of both worlds.
https://www.5dimes.eu
Total Rating:
3 Deposit Bonus: 50% bonus up to $520
Terms & Conditions Apply
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We’ve consistently found that Bovada, Bet on the internet, and SportsBetting.ag provide US bettors the maximum quality betting experience. They have got excellent track records of financial reliability and sound security, with well-developed mobile and desktop interfaces to boot. What is more, they’ve had the time to find song their server servers so they can provide stateside bettors a reactive, contemporary web platform to lay wagers on. With these publications, you won’t need to hit the refresh button or constantly wait for pages to load. You’ll be able to action on lines that are enticing fast, easily, and economically.
Legal
There Are Two Different Forms of Sports Betting
Two different types of sports gambling are possibly available to Americans, and they all have their particular legal framework:
Sports gambling within the united states, either at casinos, racetracks, or authorities authorized websites.
This was banned nearly everywhere in the US besides Nevada until the Supreme Court decision in NCAA vs Murphy (April 2018), which ruled that the prohibition on sports gambling contained in the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act [PASPA] was unconstitutional.
After the Murphy decision, each state is free to legalize sports betting within its borders, and we are closely monitoring the legal status of sport betting in each state on this webpage.
Sports betting at websites hosted outside of the USA.
This is definitely the more popular type of sports gambling for Americans and, as such, is the principal focus of this report.
Is Online Sports Betting Legal in the United States?
Betting at offshore sportsbooks is often referred to as”illegal” or known as a”legal grey area,” but it’s really not. Unless your state’s sports-betting laws make it illegal to use an offshore sports-betting site, it does not appear to be contrary to the law for Americans to place wagers at these websites.
At the time of writing, the following states had active prohibitions on online sports betting:
Hawaii
Illinois
Indiana
Louisiana
Michigan
South Dakota
Utah
The huge majority of states don’t expressly prohibit gambling at offshore sportsbooks and, consequently, the huge majority of Americans use such sites to generate their sport wagers. It is estimated that 12 — 15 million Americans were active online sports bettors in 2017 alone.
There are federal laws in place that prohibit:
Offshore betting sites from offering their services to American citizens (see the Wire Act), and also Financial institutions and overseas betting sites from accepting/making certain kinds of financial transactions from Americans.
However, the framework made by the Wire Act and UIGEA does not mean it is illegal for Americans to utilize online betting websites. As Las Vegas attorney Barry Lieberman stated in 2007,”Bettors that are recreational and not in the company of wagering most likely don’t have to worry about Wire Act offenses”
In a sense, online gambling is somewhat like underage smoking (although not as hard in your lungs). In the united states, it is illegal for anyone to sell cigarettes to minors, but, broadly speaking, it isn’t illegal for minors to smoke cigarettes, like it is not illegal for (many ) Americans to use an internet sportsbook.
The final result is that, provided that you use a respectable sportsbook using a solid track record of safeguarding user funds and supplying timely payouts (two of the most significant factors we consider when rating and advocating online gambling sites), your bankroll should be safe. No person American has ever been prosecuted for using, financing, or trying to fund an account at an offshore sportsbook, according to a November 2017 article by Allen Moody.
That said, the national laws in place in the moment have a practical effect on the ability of Americans to use online sportsbooks, especially when it comes to withdrawing and depositing money.
The next section explains what you want to know before you register so you are not taken by surprise.
Banking
While Americans shouldn’t be worried about being prosecuted for gambling at an online sportsbook, the practical effect of the Wire Act and UIGEA is that Americans have limited choices when it comes to earning withdrawals and deposits.
Which options are available depends on which website you are using. All our testimonials details the available deposit and withdrawal options at the site, and the sites, themselves, will even offer this advice before you join, frequently under the FAQ, Help, or Getting Started section.
Without getting too bogged down in the specifics, here’s what you can generally expect.
Deposits Options for US Bettors
Most-common Less-common Unavailable
Visa American Express PayPal
Master Card Person to Person wire transfer Apple Pay
Bitcoin Money Order Google Purchase Visa gift cards Cashier’s Check —
Prepaid Credit Cards NetTeller —
Withdrawals Options for US Bettors
Most-common Less-common Unavailable
Check Wire Transfer PayPal
Bitcoin Skrill Apple Pay
— NetTeller Google Pay
— Money Order —
Price fluctuations notwithstanding, our professional view is that Bitcoin will be the best deposit and withdrawal alternative as
It does not need sensitive personal information to be transmitted on the web;
It lends itself to secure trades;
It helps for rapid deposits and withdrawals; and
Many USA gaming websites offer generous Bitcoin-specific bonuses.
If you are not knowledgeable about the cryptocurrency, read our guide to sports gambling with Bitcoin.
Signing Up
If you now feel comfortable that your online gaming actions will not land you in any legal problem (which you should), then you may be ready to sign up for your very first sportsbook account. The factors you will want to consider when choosing the best website array beyond deposit and withdrawal options, of course; our research indicates that the five most-important factors behind US bettors are:
safe transactions
trustworthy reputation
Free, simple, & quick transactions lucrative/generous bonuses
Broad choice of sports
So do your research, contrast and compare the benefits of each website, then join the 15 countless other Americans who are currently in on the action!
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