The legality of online poker in the United States has been a hotly contested issue for years. Despite the popularity of the game and its potential to generate significant revenue for states, online poker has yet to be fully legalized in the US.
So, will online poker ever be legal in the US? Let’s take a closer look at the current state of affairs.
Firstly, it’s important to understand that online poker was effectively outlawed by the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in 2006. This Act made it illegal for banks and financial institutions to process transactions related to online gambling, including online poker. However, it’s worth noting that the UIGEA does not make playing online poker illegal – it simply makes it harder to fund your account.
Since then, several states have taken matters into their own hands and passed laws legalizing and regulating online poker within their borders. These states include Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and West Virginia. However, players outside of these states are still unable to legally play on these sites.
The biggest hurdle facing nationwide legalization of online poker is opposition from powerful lobbying groups such as Sheldon Adelson’s Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling. These groups argue that expanding access to internet gaming will increase problem gambling and potentially lead to money laundering and other criminal activities.
Despite this opposition, there has been some progress towards nationwide legalization of online poker. In 2019, a bill was introduced in Congress called the “Internet Poker Freedom Act,” which would have legalized and regulated online poker at the federal level. While this bill ultimately failed to pass, its introduction shows that there is support for legalizing online poker among lawmakers.
So what does all of this mean for the future of online poker in America? While it’s difficult to predict with certainty what will happen next, there are reasons to be optimistic.
As more states continue to pass laws legalizing and regulating online poker, it’s possible that the federal government will eventually follow suit. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge in online gaming, which could help to shift public opinion in favor of legalizing online poker.
In conclusion, while online poker is currently only legal in a handful of states, there is reason to believe that this will change in the future. As more states pass their own laws legalizing and regulating online poker, it’s possible that we will eventually see nationwide legalization at the federal level. Whether this happens sooner rather than later remains to be seen, but one thing is clear – the fight for legalizing online poker in America is far from over.
