Legal Gambling Age In The United States. There are legal ways in which players in the United States are able to gamble online without having to worry about breaking online gambling laws.However, there is one facet of the law that is not flexible across the country in all phases of online gambling. 54 rows Minimum Age to Gamble in United States of America. In the 50 American states, some times you'll see a variance, this usually is due to Indian casinos having different age requirements in their casinos than state regulated casinos. Tribes are considered sovereign nations and as such sometimes have different games and age limits.
Gambling Law: An Overview
Minimum Age to Gamble in United States of America Below you will find the minimum legal age to gamble in various locations around the U.S., Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. In the 50 American states, some times you’ll see a variance, this usually is due to Indian casinos having different age requirements in their casinos.
Gambling, though widespread in the United States, is subject to legislation at both the state and federal level that bans it from certain areas, limits the means and types of gambling, and otherwise regulates the activity.
Congress has used its power under the Commerce Clause to regulate interstate gambling, international gambling, and relations between the United States and Native American territories. For example, it has passed laws prohibiting the unauthorized transportation of lottery tickets between states, outlawing sports betting with certain exceptions, and regulating the extent to which gambling may exist on Native American land.
Each state determines what kind of gambling it allows within its borders, where the gambling can be located, and who may gamble. Each state has enacted different laws pertaining to these topics. The states also have differing legal gambling ages, with some states requiring the same minimum age for all types of gambling, while for others, it depends on the activity. For example, in New Jersey, an 18-year-old can buy a lottery ticket or bet on a horse race, but cannot enter a casino until age 21. Presumably, the age 21 restriction is due to the sale of alcohol in that location.
A standard strategy for avoiding laws that prohibit, constrain, or aggressively tax gambling is to locate the activity just outside the jurisdiction that enforces them, in a more 'gambling friendly' legal environment. Gambling establishments often exist near state borders and on ships that cruise outside territorial waters. Gambling activity has also exploded in recent years in Native American territory. Internet-based gambling takes this strategy and extends it to a new level of penetration, for it threatens to bring gambling directly into homes and businesses in localities where a physical gambling establishment could not conduct the same activity.
Internet Gambling
Federal Regulation
In the 1990s, when the World Wide Web was growing rapidly in popularity, online gambling appeared to represent an end-run around government control and prohibition. A site operator needed only to establish the business in a friendly offshore jurisdiction such as the Bahamas and begin taking bets. Anyone with access to a web browser could find the site and place wagers by credit card. Confronted with this blatant challenge to American policies, the Department of Justice and Congress explored the applicability of current law and the desirability of new regulation for online gambling.
In exploring whether an offshore Internet gambling business taking bets from Americans violated federal law, attention was focused on the Wire Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1084 (2000). The operator of a wagering business is at risk of being fined and imprisoned under the Wire Act if the operator knowingly uses a 'wire communication facility' to transmit information related to wagering on 'any sporting event or contest.' 18 U.S.C. § 1084(a). An exception exists if that act is legal in both the source and destination locations of the transmission. § 1084(b). The Wire Act’s definition of “wire communication facility” appears to embrace the nation's entire telecommunications infrastructure, and therefore probably applies to online gambling. See § 1081.
The Department of Justice maintains that, under the Wire Act, all Internet gambling by bettors in the United States is illegal. U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary Hearing on Establishing Consistent Enforcement Policies in the Context of Online Wagers, 110th Cong., Nov. 14, 2007 (testimony of Catherine Hanaway, U.S. Attorney (E.D. Mo.), Dept. of Justice). The Fifth Circuit disagreed, ruling that the Wire Act applies only to sports betting, not other types of gambling. In re MasterCard Int’l Inc., 313 F.3d 257 (5th Cir. 2002).
In 2006, Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which made it illegal for wagering businesses to knowingly accept payment in connection with unlawful Internet gambling (though it does not itself make Internet gambling illegal). 109 Pub. L. 109-347, Title VIII (Oct. 13, 2006) (codified at 31 U.S.C. §§ 5301, 5361–67). It also authorizes the Federal Reserve System to create regulations that prohibit financial transaction providers (banks, credit card companies, etc.) from accepting those payments. See 31 U.S.C. § 5363(4). This Act, along with threats of prosecution under the Wire Act from the Department of Justice, has caused several Internet gambling businesses to withdraw from the U.S. market.
In response, House Representatives introduced multiple bills in 2007 to soften federal Internet gambling law. If passed, the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act and the Internet Gambling Regulation and Tax Enforcement Act would license, regulate, and tax Internet gambling businesses rather than prohibit them from taking bets from the United States. Alternatively, the Skill Game Protection Act would clarify the Wire Act to exempt certain games such as poker and chess.
State Regulation
In addition to federal measures, some states have enacted legislation to prohibit some types of Internet gambling. In 2006, Washington State amended its Code to make knowingly transmitting or receiving gambling information over the Internet a felony. See Wash. Rev. Code § 9.46.240 (2006). Other states with similar prohibitions have made it a misdemeanor instead. See e.g., 720 ILCS 5/28-1 (2007).
States have not been particularly active in enforcing these laws, possibly due to a conflict with the dormant Commerce Clause doctrine. That doctrine theorizes that state law applying to commerce outside the state’s borders is unconstitutional because that power lies with federal, not state, government. In particular, federal preemption has obstructed states’ attempts to regulate gambling activity on Indian reservations within state borders. See Missouri ex rel. Nixon v. Coeur D’Alene Tribe, 164 F.3d 1102 (8th Cir. 1999). The federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, 25 U.S.C. § 29 (2000), governs gambling activity on Indian reservations, but the extent to which it and other federal gambling laws preempt state action in the Internet arena is uncertain.
menu of sources
Federal Material
U.S. Constitution and Federal Statutes
U.S. Code: Title 15, Chapter 24: Transportation of Gambling Devices
U.S. Code: Title 15, Chapter 57, Interstate Horseracing
U.S. Code: Title 18, Chapter 50: Gambling
U.S. Code: Title 18, Chapter 61: Lotteries
18 U.S.C. §1953 (Interstate Transportation of Wagering Paraphernalia Act)
18 U.S.C. §1955 (Illegal Gambling Business Act of 1970)
U.S. Code: Title 28, Chapter 178: Professional and Amateur Sports Protection
Code of Federal Regulations: Title 25, Chapter 3: National Indian Gaming Commission, Department of the Interior
Proposed Internet Gambling Prohibition Act of 1997 (not passed)
Federal Judicial Decisions
Greater New Orleans Broadcasting Association, Inc. v. United States, 527 U.S. 173 (1999)
Ratzlaf v. United States, 510 U.S. 135 (1994)
Chickasaw Nation v. United States, 534 U.S. 84 (1999)
State Material
Other References
'14 Charged in Internet Betting' (Washington Post, March 5, 1998)
wex
Find detailed information on US casinos in every state - both land-based and online. Our experts have compiled information regarding states who legalized online casinos and details about all legal USA online casinos. We have provided knowledge on gambling specifics for each state and what types of casinos are legal in each particular state. On American Casino Guide, you will find detailed lists of every US casino resort, riverboat casino and Indian casino in the country. Just choose a state from the below list of US casinos-by-state in order to bring up detailed information on what types of casinos are available in the respective state, a list of all casinos within the state borders, and slot machine payback statistics for all US casinos.
Click here to see a list of U.S. Casinos by city
Click here to see Maps of Casino Locations in Every U.S. State
Online gambling guide
The states who have now moved forward with legal online gambling are as follows:
Legal online casino:
Delaware
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Legal online poker:
Nevada
Delaware
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Legal Online Sportsbooks:
Rhode Island
West Virginia
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
USA online casinos
The online casino USA market is definitely starting to grow. The domino effect is taking place, now that states are seeing the financial benefits of legal online casinos. The laws surrounding USA online casinos are specific to the state where they are licensed. Ultimately it is up to the state to decide whether or not to legalize online casinos. We have seen the biggest impact of legalizing online casinos in the state of New Jersey thus far.
In New Jersey, the online casino market is flourishing. There is a long list of legal online casinos - all of which are remaining competitive in this flourishing market. The current list of legal NJ Casinos are as follows:
Golden Nugget
Virgin Online Casino
Caesars Casino Online
Borgata Online
Tropicana Online
SugarHouse Online Casino
Betfair NJ
888 NJ
Pala Online Casino
Harrah’s Online Casino
Resorts Online Casino
Mohegan Sun Online
DraftKings Casino
Party Casino
PlayMGM
Ocean Resort Online
PokerStars NJ
Hard Rock Online
BetAmerica
Unibet Casino
Legal online casino gambling was recently just passed through legislation in Pennsylvania, meaning online casinos are on their way in the Keystone State. The projected list of online casinos in Pennsylvania are as follows:
Harrah’s
Hollywood at Penn National
Mount Airy
Parx
SugarHouse
Valley Forge
Presque Isle Downs
Sands Bethlehem
Stadium Park Philly Live! Casino
Mohegan Sun Pocono
MGM Resorts
Golden Nugget NJ
The only other state in America with legal online casino gambling is in fact, Delaware, and just like the state’s size, the list is quite small. The legal online casinos in Delaware are as follows:
Rhode Island Casino
Delaware Park Online
Dover Downs
Harrington Online
Here at American Casino Guide, we have thorough reviews on each legal online casino in the USA. In our comprehensive online casino reviews, you will find useful information about each site and how it affects you as a player. Review briefs on the game selections offered at each site along with some of their most popular game titles. Learn about the software providers and interface design of these sites as well as their mobile apps and how efficient each application runs. See the banking options allowed at each site so that you can be sure your preferred withdrawal and deposit methods are available on your favorite online casinos. And finally, see what kinds of casino bonuses and special promotions are being offered at these casinos so that you can achieve the maximum amount of free play on your favorite casino games!
American Casino Guide - land-based establishments
There are many different kinds of casinos throughout the United States. Depending on your location in the country, there could be a mix of the following casinos:
Indian casinos
Pari-mutuel casinos
Land-based casinos
Riverboat casinos
Casino boats
Just choose a state from the American casino guide below, organized by state, and have a look at the detailed information of each. The information provided includes:
List of every casino in the state
Details about each casino
Forms of casino gambling available in that state
Slot machine payback statistics for all U.S. casinos
Each casino listing will explain its hours of operation, games offered, hotel rates, buffet prices, minimum gambling age, photos, maps, directions and more! You can even read and write your own review for each casino.
Indian Casinos
Indian casinos, also known as Tribal casinos, are usually located on federally recognized Indian reservations. They range in size from small truck stops and convenience stores to some of the largest casinos in the country. At a small truck stop casino, you would generally find a handful of machines and these would be located in places such as Oklahoma or Wisconsin. Connecticut is home to one of the world’s largest casinos - Foxwoods Casino.
Different states have different legal agreements regarding Indian casinos. Depending on the agreement made, these Indian casinos can offer either Class II gaming or Class III gaming.
Class III (Class 3) gaming is what most people would describe as “normal” casino gaming. This is kind of casino gambling you would find at the majority of casinos in the country, such as Las Vegas. Class III gaming involves the player playing against “the house” like in blackjack, craps, roulette, or any other table game, as well as slot machines.
Class II (Class 2) gaming, on the other hand, is slightly different. These are games where players compete against other players such as in poker and bingo. Over the years, casinos have found ways around this to offer other casino games similar to Class III games, however, adhering still to Class II rules. A great example of this would be Class II slot machines that closely resemble a normal, Class III machine but you will notice a small bingo card in the corner of the screen. So, in essence, you are actually playing a quicker version of virtual bingo against other players in the casino. The reels spin and you can see winning combinations. The reels, however, are “for entertainment purposes only” and your chances of winning are based entirely on the bingo card in the corner.
Another example of Class II games would be player-banked table games where a player would compete against other players rather than against the casino. These look identical to traditional table games. The difference lays in the fact that players have to pay an ante of around $0.50-$1 per hand. In most cases there is someone who supplies the money to be the “bank” and the only money the casino receives is the ante made by each player.
Pari-Mutuel Casinos
Some states such as Arkansas or Delaware only allow casinos in pari-mutuel facilities. Pari-mutuel refers to locations with legalized wagering on horse or dog races; or in Florida, jai-alai games. Since a vast majority of pari-mutuel facilities in the United States are racetracks, these types of casinos are often also known as “racinos,” a combination of the words racetrack and casino.
Besides having legal on-property betting on horse racing, dog racing or jai-alai, these casinos are almost identical to most other land-based casinos. However, depending on the laws of the states where they are located, some may not offer live table games, or may only have slot machines.
A somewhat new development at pari-mutuel facilities in states where traditional casino gambling is illegal is something called “historical racing machines.” These are considered Class II machines similar to the bingo-based machines at many Indian casinos but instead of being based on a bingo card, the results of these games are based on racing results from previous horse races.
Land-Based Casinos
Land-based casinos refer to the typical casinos that people often think of when they think of a casino. An example of this would a popular casino in Las Vegas or Atlantic City. Casino gambling was legalized in Nevada in 1931 and it was the only state to offer that type of gambling until 1977 when New Jersey legalized casinos for its seaside resort town of Atlantic City. It is these land-based, stand-alone, casinos that were the original forms of casinos until riverboat and Indian casinos came along in the 1990s.
Riverboat Casino Locations
Riverboat casinos are exactly what they sound like - casinos located inside riverboats. These are found in many states throughout the South and the Midwest such as Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, and Mississippi. However, they have evolved over the years as the laws and regulations have been quite relaxed. Originally, they were required to leave the dock and cruise for several hours periodically throughout the day. In the beginning, some states even required the casinos to enact loss limits during these cruises.
Eventually, the loss limits were lifted, as were the requirements for them to cruise periodically, and they began operations constantly docked on the river. Some states later allowed the casinos to be built on floating barges in man-made lagoons fed from the rivers. That is where most of the states are now, however some states such as Mississippi have now allowed their “riverboat” casinos to operate on land. As much as that does not make sense, the rules still require these facilities to be built within a certain distance from the water.
Legal Gambling Age By State Casinos
Try an online casino for FREE. We have over 15 No Deposit Bonus Codes. No credit card needed, just sign up and start playing!