The sports betting industry in the United States alone generates billions of dollars in revenue every month. It has become a big part of the overall gambling industry that includes horse racing, poker, real money slots and casino table games. When you throw in how much money is also spent on lottery tickets and other games of chance, it is safe to say that real money gambling plays a major role in this country’s economy.
When it comes to betting on sports, there are basically two different segments within the industry. The first would be considered land-based sportsbooks and the other would consist of all the online sportsbooks taking action from US sports bettors.
Land-Based Sportsbooks
Up until May of 2018, Nevada was the only state in the country with legal sports betting at land-based sportsbooks. Most of these books are part of the casino hotel and resorts that are located in areas such as Las Vegas and Reno.
A landmark US Supreme Court decision in May of 2018 dramatically changed the entire landscape of the US sports betting industry. This paved the way for each and every state to govern the legality of sports betting within their borders. New Jersey led the fight for control verse the federal government and became the second state with land-based sportsbooks located in Atlantic City casinos and horse racing tracks in other parts of the state.
The total list of states offering some form of legal sports betting continues to grow with West Virginia, Delaware, Mississippi, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Arkansas already on the short list. New York, Connecticut and the District of Columbia should all be up and running with legal sports betting some time this year according to PlaySlots4RealMoney.com.
You do not have to be a legal resident of any of the states on this list to bet on sports within state lines. Just like you can bet on sports while in Las Vegas, you can be on sports at any land-based venue in those other states as well.
Online Sportsbooks
Betting on sports online can be traced back to the mid-90’s when offshore sportsbooks in the Caribbean and Central America first started using the internet to expand their sports betting market. These books can legally operate in their country of origin which makes it very hard for the US to enforce any federal online gambling laws that are still on the books.
Technically, it is not illegal for any US resident to bet on sports at an online sportsbook that does accept customers from this country. Most of the federal laws enacted against sports betting where aimed at illegal operations operating within US borders. They were also aimed at stopping financial wire transfers of funds associated with these illegal activities.
Most of the states on the list with land-based sports betting venues are also in the process of offering online sports betting and casino options within their borders.
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