There’s no shortage of options when it comes to online gambling. A quick Google search will yield an array of results. The best casinos, however, are often not the first to appear. In fact, regulators have long raised concerns about making casinos so widely available that they’ve become an easy target for unscrupulous operators. There’s a lot to be said for regulation. Fortunately, there are many ways to identify a legitimate online gambling site.
Consumer protection laws have not kept up with the rapid growth of online gambling. In fact, they’ve slipped – some offshore operators operate without the proper licensing or regulatory oversight, making them a hazardous place to stake money. Still, the enticement of online gambling is too strong to ignore. But how can players tell which sites are legitimate? Here are some things to look for. These guidelines can make the process easier and help players avoid scams.
Addiction. Gambling addiction is hard to resist. It affects different people differently. Some people become addicted to gambling for a short period of time, and then lose interest. But others become emotionally and financially ruined by it, and find themselves unable to carry out daily tasks or social obligations. For those affected, recognizing the signs of an online gambling addiction can help them avoid falling into the trap of losing control. However, there are no guaranteed measures to prevent addiction to online gambling.
Games of skill. Games of skill are legal to play online, and their UIGEA carve-outs make them legal for residents in Nevada to play. Among the major offerings in skilled gaming, Fantasy Sports. It’s a season-long affair, and there are several major players, including ESPN, Yahoo! Fantasy Sports, and CBS Sports. This gap has been filled by daily fantasy sports wagering. However, the legalities of online gambling are still in flux.
Legalizing online gambling is inevitable. While the federal government has imposed a federal ban on gambling, individual states can still enact their own laws. For example, Nevada recently passed legislation to legalize online poker, while Republican Senator Dean Heller has introduced a bill to legalize online gambling. As pressure mounts for uniformity across state laws, online gambling is a hot topic in Nevada. But despite the potential for lawsuits, there are also some legal ways to regulate online sports betting in Nevada.
Fortunately, many states are now legalizing online gaming. A 2011 case from California involved an online sports betting website that refused to pay a plaintiff’s winnings. This case also highlights the fact that not all online gambling sites are equal. The U.S. Department of Justice ruled that sports betting operations are governed by the Wire Act. Despite this, these cases are still rare. A legal opinion from the Justice Department may help ease the legal snag in online gambling in the US.