Federal Law Sports Gambling

One of the things we like to talk about the most at LegalSportsBetting.com is government regulated sports betting, which we are positive is coming soon. Yes, the Supreme Court has overturned PASPA (the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, 1992), finally allowing any state in the US to offer its own legalized sports wagering industry. However, most states are still on the fence about whether or not to pursue this new market, and in some states, there are even various tribal compacts and other agreements that provide hurdles (if not total roadblocks) to instituting ubiquitous sports betting. It is our opinion (based on both financial reality and the fact that people ought to be free to spend their money on whatever safe, fun pastimes they wish) that all US states should regulate their own sports betting markets. If they do not – and do not do so quickly – there is a good chance that the federal government (the architect of the disastrous PASPA, remember) will step in and foist their own sports betting regulations on the states, potentially to the detriment of individual municipalities and even entire regions.

- A federal judge ruled Monday that a law prohibiting interstate wagering applies only to sports gambling, setting aside a Justice Department opinion that some states feared would. The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (Pub.L. 102–559), also known as PASPA or the Bradley Act, is a judicially-overturned law that was meant to define the legal status of sports betting throughout the United States. This act effectively outlawed sports betting nationwide, excluding a few states.

Sports Gambling Decision is a Major Victory for Federalism The Supreme Court's invalidation of a federal law preventing state legalization of sports gambling strengthens protection for. States should have the right to decide whether to offer sports betting, recommended a board comprised of former top law enforcement officers. Sports gambling outside of Las Vegas currently is. The DOJ reversed their 2011 DOJ Opinion Memo on the Wire Act in 2019 to reflect a prohibition against all US-based interstate gambling. Casino, lottery, poker, sports betting, and information companies were given a 90 day period to meet new compliance standards or face violating Federal Law.

Sports Betting Is Extremely Popular In The USA

Betting on sports has grown from an occasional hobby to one of the most impactful economic activities in the world. Sports betting is a multi-billion dollar industry across the United Kingdom and in countries such as Spain, Australia, and Macau. In the United States, only Nevada and – so far – a handful of other states (like DE, MS, WV, PA, NJ, and a few others) – offer legal sports betting, leaving billions of dollars to be spent at offshore sportsbooks. Sports betting is extremely popular in the United States, and the lack of legal land-based options has not diminished the demand for the product in any way.

According to a report by UNLV’s Center for Gaming Research, the total amount bet on sports in Nevada from 1984 through 2018 was roughly $77.25 billion. If you add in the other post-PASPA legal betting states’ figures ($1.54 billion), you get a nationwide total handle of nearly $79 billion. While this may seem like a huge handle, it is peanuts compared to the “illegal” sports betting market. As a point of comparison to drive that point home, the American Gaming Association (AGA) estimates that over $10 billion is wagered illegally (or via overseas sportsbooks) on March Madness every single year.

The same group also estimated that over $90 billion is wagered through the same avenues during the annual NFL and NCAA football seasons. This means that in over 30 years of effectively having a legal sports betting monopoly in the US, Nevada (plus the few states currently also offering sports wagering services) took in a total handle that US bettors regularly surpass in a single half-year of sports betting. In other words, at best, NV accounts for 2-3% of all US sports betting on an annual basis (though there is not yet enough data to tell how much of the existing market other states will take from local bookies and overseas sites going forward).

The figures above prove that by not expanding government regulated sports betting, the states of the US – and the federal government itself – are depriving their coffers of billions of dollars in potential tax revenue. Americans want to bet on sports, and their spending behaviors show that the activity will be continued (and continue to grow) with or without regulations. Now that PASPA is no more, it is time for states to overcome any obstacles that currently prevent them from regulating sports betting on their own soil.

Why Was There No Regulated Sports Betting In The USA?

Up until recently, outside of NV, there was no regulated sports betting in the USA. This is because PASPA, the 1992 federal ban on sports betting, disallowed state governments from being able to implement their own regulatory frameworks on the pastime. PASPA limited sports betting to only four states – Nevada, Oregon, Montana, and Delaware. These four states were grandfathered into PASPA due to pre-existing sports betting laws on their books. That said, only Nevada had legalized single-game wagering (aka full-service betting) at its sportsbooks, while the remaining three states had glorified sports-themed lotteries. After a short time post-PASPA, knowing there was no room for growth or increased profit (and due to various NCAA protests), these three states abandoned their meager sports betting products altogether, leaving NV with a monopoly.

Even with sports betting being effectively banned in 49 states, US sports fans still managed to wager at offshore sports betting sites. These sites are licensed in countries such as Costa Rica, Antigua, and Panama where remote sports betting is legal. As they operate outside of the United States, they are not subject to the limitations of PASPA or other federal laws (like the Wire Act of 1961 or the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, both of which are solely focused on service providers and not bettors). While many of these sites are safe for US players to use, unregulated sportsbooks hold no accountability to operators, are not overseen by law enforcement, and there is an absence of consumer protections. That’s not a problem for the best online sportsbooks in the business, as each of these has been operating for nearly three decades and has earned its lasting reputation on fair lines and timely payouts, but the vast majority of the thousands of available online sportsbooks don’t fit that bill and are exceedingly risky to use.

Reasons To Regulate Sports Betting In The USA

Regulating sports betting in the United States presents benefits from state, federal, and consumer standpoints. One main argument against PASPA was that it violated the constitutional rights of the states (the 10th Amendment specifically and the traditional “Equal Sovereignty Doctrine” generally). A report by the Competitive Enterprise Institute explains exactly how the ban on sports betting undermines the 10th amendment by infringing on state sovereignty. With all other forms of gambling (casino gaming, poker, horse racing betting, etc.), states have been able to determine legality and regulation. Allowing state-government-regulated sports betting would restore power where it arguably belongs.

Numerous research studies and reports have shown the economic impact that government regulated sports betting markets would have on their respective states and the US itself. GamblingCompliance, an international gaming research firm, projected that a US betting market with legal casino, online betting services, and retail betting locations would produce up to $5.2 billion in annual tax revenue. Tax revenues could, in turn, be used for education programs, healthcare, and other public services in each state where sports wagering is supported. In terms of overall economic impact, Oxford Economics estimates that legal sports betting would generate $21.9 to $26.6 billion dollars. The estimate accounts for the aftereffects of the money spent by consumers on sports betting (i.e. money spent on ancillary services and money put back into the local economies in question).

Sports enthusiasts want more legal sports betting options for their enjoyment, but there are consumer advantages that would address other issues in the industry. Many of the sports leagues have argued that the widespread regulation of sports betting would damage the integrity of the games. In reality, regulated bookmakers would be more incentivized to report any questionable betting behaviors or corrupt practices, and they would be infinitely more scrutinized as a matter of course than black market or gray market bookmakers. Without regulation, there is no line of communication between offshore online sportsbooks and law enforcement (albeit, again, the most reputable offshore books do not engage in match-fixing or betting fraud of any kind). Regulated US markets would also make it easier to handle the issue of problem gambling. The government would be able to establish programs that better monitor problem gaming patterns and also implement more effective treatment protocols.

Current Initiatives For Legalized And Regulated Sports Betting

Though the options to bet on sports in the United States are still limited, proponents of government-regulated sports betting have been taking legal action to push the agenda. The state of New Jersey wrapped up a six-year push to establish legalized sports betting within its borders. Starting in 2011, the state has doubled down on its attempts to pass sports betting laws, all of which were struck down at the circuit court level. Finally, however, NJ got its PASPA challenge picked up by the Supreme Court, which expectedly found the law to be wildly unconstitutional, thus overturning it and opening the door to state-by-state sports betting legalization.

After New Jersey’s successful challenge, the burden fell on individual states to pass their own legal sports betting legislation. Many have risen to that task already, and 18 states now have fully operational sportsbooks, and five more have legalized sports betting but not yet launched it. Many more states have begun considering adopting legal sports betting, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the process of legalizing a new industry is long and difficult.

Legal sports betting means massive tax collections for states, which has become a big incentive in the post-coronavirus budget crisis. Online betting in particular is a potentially lucrative market, as demonstrated by Colorado’s recent success with its nascent sports betting market. It would be surprising if a good number of states don’t move to legalize sports betting quickly once the 2021 legislative session begins. Legalizing sports betting allows for more consistent tax revenues, more resources toward ensuring responsible gaming, and fairer rules for bettors.

Could There Be A New Federal Sports Betting Law?

Absolutely, there could be a new law for regulated sports betting in the USA at the federal level. While unfettered state regulation is the best option, there is movement in the US Congress to take back the power they lost when PASPA was overturned. While the federal government has no authority or charter to dictate sports wagering laws in the first place, that hasn’t stopped them before, and it likely won’t stop them now. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), one of the chief proponents of the blatantly illegal PASPA law, has teamed up with New York Senator Chuck Schumer (D) to introduce the “framework” for what they’re calling the Wagering Market Integrity Act of 2018.

In addition to a host of unnecessary regulations, this proposed legislation would give the federal government complete authority to approve or disapprove any state’s sports betting legislation. Essentially, this law – despite the precedent of PASPA and its overturning on constitutional state’s rights laws – would allow the US government to withhold sports betting from any individual state at its sole discretion. Hopefully, the state representatives in the US House and Senate have learned their lesson and will work to protect their states’ interest, rejecting any such federal proposal. For that to work, however, it will take a majority of states acting fast to get their own sports betting laws in place and their regulated sports betting products and services up and running.

What Can I Do To Get Legal Sports Betting In My State?

In most states, legal sports betting can be achieved simply by lawmakers passing a bill through both legislative chambers and then getting that bill signed by the governor. As a citizen, you can call and email your local representatives to let them know this is something you want. The more interest they see from their citizens, the more likely they are to take action.

Will I Still Be Able To Use Offshore Sports Betting Sites After My State Legalizes Sports Betting?

From what we’ve seen so far, yes, you will still be able to use those sites. No bill that has been signed into law yet has put a ban on using these types of sites or has even mentioned them at all. Using these sites to shop lines will still be an option even when your state has online sportsbooks of its own.

Why Are Lawmakers So Slow To Adopt Legal Sports Betting?

The answer depends on the state. In some states, there is strong opposition from influential groups, like the Mormon Church’s anti-gambling efforts in Utah. In other states, legislatures are slow to adopt sports betting legislation because that’s simply the nature of the legislative process. Passing a bill through two houses of Congress and getting it signed by the governor when all three of those parties likely have different goals is extremely difficult. But even curmudgeonly states like Washington have begun to figure it out, and experts expect two-thirds of states to have legal sports betting by 2022.

Why are Offshore Sports Betting Sites Legal to use in the US?

Due to these sportsbooks being based in foreign countries, they are outside the jurisdiction of US law. There is not law prohibiting a US resident to use these websites, only to operate them. The offshore sportsbooks are legal in their country to operate and accept US customers.

Can I Run A Legal Sportsbook In My State?

In the United States, it would depend on what state you are in to legally run a sportsbook. This is because since the repeal of PASPA, states are allowed to decide individually whether or not sports betting is legal and how the industry will work. The best thing to do is to contact your local attorney to determine if it is legal to run a sportsbook in your specific location. You could also try and contact your state’s gambling aouthority or commision and ask. There are different rules and regulations in each area, so it is important to do your research and get accurate information to avoid any legal consequences.

Is There A Difference Between Offshore Sportsbooks And State-Sanctioned Sportsbooks?

The only real difference between offshore sportsbooks and state-sanctioned sportsbooks lies in the location of the operators. Each are both legal ways for sports bettors to gamble on sports. Of course, there will be a few minor differences outside of location like offshore books being accessible through a phone’s search engine while state books offer apps for their sports wagering platforms. The selection of events is also different as offshore sites tend to offer more games from all over the globe that are open for wagers and like with any sportsbook comparison, the odds on bets will vary based on operators’ calculations.

When discussing legal online sports betting, the majority of America's government has a very regressive, prohibition-style attitude towards it, buying into a negative perspective concerning the morality of gambling entertainment. This is what has led to a variety of state gambling laws in the past.

There are no US federal laws that make it a crime for Americans to place bets at offshore sportsbooks that are operating legally within the industry. There are two states that legally prohibit all online gambling, domestic or offshore, leaving residents in Connecticut and Washington without legally sanctioned online betting options, though they have yet to start enforcing those restrictions.

Us Federal Law Sports Gambling

For the most part, state lawmakers are becoming more progressive concerning betting entertainment and recognize the value that this type of revenue stream can bring to a state. Individual states are actively analyzing what the legalization of domestic sports gambling can provide them with in terms of opportunities, tourism, and tax revenue, and many have already taken action one way or the other through new legislation.

Iowa, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and West Virginia currently permit state-regulated online sports gambling, with nearly two dozen additional states having launched land-based sportsbooks. Individual territories began embracing sports betting the moment that PASPA was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in the infamous NJ case, with multiple states having had their legislation ready and waiting should the ruling go in the Garden State's favor.

Below we'll take a look at the relevant US federal gambling laws, and explain how state gambling laws intersect with federal laws to impact online and brick and mortar sportsbook gambling, as well as what these laws have to say about the legal status of offshore sports betting entertainment.

The Federal Laws on the Books

The sections below will detail and explain how each major federal law affects domestic gambling opportunities in the US.

The Federal Wire Act

Passed back in 1961, the Federal Wire Act was made law in an effort to curtail the illegal gambling activities taking place over the phone by organized crime syndicates. It prohibited the transmission of wagers or betting information from being carried across state lines via telegraph or telephone. The Federal Wire Act targeted these illegal bookie operations as a means to curb the mafia from manipulating games and making a profit through these tactics.

This law was strictly focused on interstate gambling, and only targeted those accepting bets and not the individuals placing the bets. The goal was to crack down on illegal gambling services, not prosecute bettors. Between the DOJ Legal Opinion of 2011 and the repeal of PASPA, today's application of the Wire Act prohibits any gambling business from accepting bets across state lines or from foreign sources.

With the changes still being implemented, we are not sure yet how this will affect those states that had entered into interstate gambling pacts with one another, sharing player pools for their online gambling initiatives. Once that aspect of the legal situation becomes more clear we will update that information here.

The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act

Also known as the Bradley Act, or just PASPA, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was a sweeping federal regulation that passed in 1992, with the supposed intent of protecting the integrity of sports by making sports betting illegal.

At the time the bill was passed, there were sports lotteries in Delaware, Montana, and Oregon, as well as licensed and regulated sports betting in Nevada, so those four states were exempt.

The law effectively prevented the expansion of the sports betting market throughout the United States in what many categorized as a discriminatory law that favored a few states while restricting others.

New Jersey took on the mission of challenging the law and after several years of court battles, was given a favorable outcome by the highest court in the land as SCOTUS ruled PASPA as unconstitutional, nullifying the law.

As of May 14, 2018, each individual state now has the authority to dictate sports betting laws within their borders. They can now choose to authorize or prohibit sports betting at their pleasure. Following PASPA's repeal, we have seen multiple states move forward with legislation that legalizes sports gambling at the state level.

The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act

This is the big one that shook the gambling industry to its core. Online gambling really started to explode during the early 2000's, especially in the realm of online poker. In 2006, then-President Bush signed into law the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, known all over as the UIGEA. In a nutshell, the UIGEA placed very stringent regulatory restrictions concerning how gambling-related transactions could be processed.

The most reputable sites started a countdown and allowed Americans to withdraw and closeout their accounts. Many trusted gambling sites left the US market at this time. After the dust settled, and the financial and gambling industries learned how to comply with the regulatory oversight provided by the UIGEA, many of these reputable gambling sites have returned to provide services to US sports bettors.

Federal Law On Sports Gambling

The UIGEA did end up making the online gambling market safer for both the bettors and the operators by imposing a more reliable and stricter regulatory structure for how gambling-related transactions are processed. Gambling sites invested in top tier payment processors while all parties implemented higher-level security protocols to ensure the validity and safety of those transactions that are processed.

While US online gambling funding options are still somewhat limited in some regards, things have stabilized. The emergence of cryptocurrencies have filled the void left by the elimination of US-friendly e-wallets and failed credit card transactions. The UIGEA does not make it illegal for Americans to gamble online. The law simply regulates how online gambling transactions are processed.

The 2011 Department of Justice's Interpretation of Federal Laws

With the growth of online commerce, several states became interested in offering lottery game services online. This raised questions concerning the application of the Federal Wire Act, driving the DOJ to issue a clarification of the law's reach.

The Department of Justice ruled, and accurately so, that the federal government had no right to tell states that they could not sanction online gambling and therefore established that each US state has the authority to determine their own fate concerning online gambling with the exception of sports betting.

The repeal of PASPA took care of freeing sports gambling as the last remaining federally prohibited form of state-regulated online gambling. As of now, all 50 states have the legal ability to legalize and offer online gambling such as casinos, poker, bingo, and sports wagering. To date, only a handful of states have taken advantage of legal domestic online gambling. However, many states have pending bills to allow various forms of sports betting.

The 2019 DOJ Interpretation of Federal Gambling Laws

Following the repeal of PASPA in 2018, the reach of the Federal Wire Act has again come into question. In a new interpretation, which many believe was coerced by anti-online gambling activist Sheldon Adelson, the Department of Justice has indicated that the Wire Act prohibits not only interstate wagers but also the sharing of information across state lines.

Federal Law Sports Gambling Laws

This determination will certainly harm those states that have entered into interstate gambling compacts to share player pools and resources with other states. The opinion is being formally challenged through a lawsuit headed up by New Hampshire. As the situation unfolds, we will provide updates here.

Federal Law Sports Gambling Rules

What You Need to Know Going Forward

All of this legal information is good knowledge to have under your belt, no doubt about it. However, all you really need to know going forward is that there are no federal laws making gambling illegal in the United States either online or offline, and this includes domestic and offshore sports betting. States now determine the legal status of all gambling entertainment within their borders. As a sports betting resource guide, we want to make this point clear.

Federal Law Against Sports Gambling

For those of you interested in betting on sport but who live in a state that has not authorized state-regulated sportsbooks, you'll have to either travel to a state with legalized sports betting or use a legitimate offshore sportsbook such as the ones you find listed on this site. You can check out our list of states that allow sports betting here or follow our list of recommended online sportsbooks.

Federal Law Sports Gambling Laws

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