Online Gambling Laws in Indiana – Who is Really Benefiting From Them?

Online gambling laws in Indiana are quite complicated they require an individual to undertake hours of study to have a thorough understanding of them so as to ensure that they are followed correctly. However, don’t be alarmed as there are a couple legal websites which are set up to provide you with the necessary information you may want – the basics of the gambling laws in plain English that anyone can understand. One point that we need to keep in mind though, there are federal laws which are set as a general basis from which all the states create their own laws, like for instance the online gambling laws in Indiana. This article is based on highlighting the advantages of the online gambling laws in Indiana that make them different from other states.

The online gambling laws in Indiana lie firmly in favor of the government. Even though the majority of the online gambling services are provided by private institutions, the rules set up by the government on Indiana leave the Indiana government with a certain degree of control over the entire system. Thus, there would be order, and once the online casinos as well as the online gamblers make themselves aware of the rules and regulations that they need to follow everyone would be able to enjoy the exciting world of online gaming peacefully and more important – legally.

Gambling laws in Indiana concerning internet gambling make it almost impossible for individuals to gamble legally online in Indiana. This is a good thing in the eyes of the government as it of course would reduce the chances of individuals becoming addicted to gambling as if you are gambling online you can participate in this in a much easier fashion than having to go out to a casino to gamble, it can be done at any time day or night and anywhere so a person wouldn’t even have to leave their home to gamble and so could secretly develop an addiction. Also it would be beneficial to the government as they would not have to spend money on setting up programs to help these individuals with their addictions. The third advantage of online gambling laws in Indiana would be in favor of the online casino itself. See there are specific procedures and regulations in which these online casinos need to follow in order to establish themselves, operate, even to advertise, therefore those adhere to these specific laws would not be able to operate once they are discovered. The fourth advantage of online gambling laws in Indiana would be to protect online gamblers from online fraud. This simply means that information is made available via websites which educate individuals on the various scams that are occurring at various casinos or which casinos don’t pay up when you go to cash out.

All of these supposed benefits however ignore the right to the pursuit of happiness underlined in the constitution and a well policed online gambling establishment could be the key to happiness for dozens of individuals in Illinois who are being denied it. Allowing online gambling would increase income in the state of Illinois which would be beneficial to the businesses all around. The most important part to consider though is that people are going to find ways to get around gambling laws and as such may get taken for all they’re worth by immoral online gambling casinos if online gambling weren’t outlawed we could protect all these unwary gamblers.

In closing we need to keep in mind that rules are put in place for our protect and they all serve a very important purpose no matter how small it may be, but some rules need to change with the times. Think about this when you vote for your laws.

Washington State Bans Online Gambling

In the ongoing battle of Internet poker and online casino gambling, the state of Washington passed a law banning online gambling making it illegal for any resident inside of the state to participate in online casino play.

If you are a resident in the state of Washington, and you are caught in the act of online wagering, you could face a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. The legislation, Senate Bill 6613, has turned online gambling into a Class C Felony. This severe type of felony is generally reserved for the prosecution of sex offenders who fail to register with the state.

Poker players across the state are angry, confused, and even slightly offended about the passage of the legislation. The state of Washington has 65 casinos and card rooms spread across the state, and even a state lottery, yet online gambling has been axed. There is much confusion and debate revolving around the fact that the state has both brick and mortar casinos and a state lottery.

Things seemed to move very quickly when the bill was put on the fast track and sent up to the governor, Democrat Christine Gregoire. The House received the bill on February 16th, and a mere few weeks later, it was passed by a vote of 93 to 5, and put into effect. In addition to banning online wagering, the bill also put a halt to the effort to allow the state lottery to be offered online.

Overturning the legislation probably won’t be easy. To overturn the bill and get the law changed would require a 60% majority vote by both houses of the state legislature, which would not be easy. Both residents and onlookers from other states feel that the ban of online gambling is a ban on freedom of choice and is an insult to poker players everywhere.

The issue of banning online gambling has been floating around Congress for a while now, but it seems that Congress decided that these types of decisions are better suited for government control on the state level, as opposed to the national level. In the past several weeks, a handful of well respected professional poker players have gone before Congress and stated their arguments in terms of supporting online gambling for any American who wishes to participate, whether it be for recreation or on a more serious level.

The thought of online poker players in the state of Washington receiving the same punishment as sex offenders is extremely offensive, not to mention absurd, and it’s causing a stir in the online poker community. There are plans in action to attempt to overturn the legislation, but, as of now, the bill has been passed.

Online Gambling: Legal or Illegal?

Internet casinos and sportsbooks have grown immensely in popularity over the past several years. From playing cards to betting on the Super Bowl to playing roulette, you can literally have Las Vegas in the comfort of your own home. However, is it legal to gamble online?

The answer is, yes and no. Currently, the law stipulates that online gambling is illegal, but given the fact that most online casinos continue to operate unfettered, it might seem that it is in fact legal to run an online betting or casino business.

What forms of gambling are available online? Well, you can play poker and other card games, you can bet on sports, or you can play games of chance, such as roulette, craps, etc.

Betting on sports seems like a perfectly legitimate form of online betting – the computer does not control who wins a pro football game. Games of chance should probably be prohibited. A computerized roulette wheel can easily be fixed, resulting in a few winning bets, but enough losing spins to insure the house wins.

So, of these activities, which ones are legal? According to the Wire Wager Act, betting on sports is the only form of online wagering that is illegal. The Wire Wager Act reads as follows:

“Whoever being engaged in the business of betting or wagering knowingly uses a wire communication facility for the transmission in interstate or foreign commerce of bets or wagers, or information assisting in the placement of bets or wagers on any sporting event or contest, or for the transmission of a wire communication which entitles the recipient to receive money or credit as a result of bets or wagers, or for information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years or both.”

This means that it is illegal for American based internet companies to accept bets on sports or other “contests.” However, most online gambling enterprises have moved their operations offshore to countries in Central America and other countries around the world. It is common for most of these companies to be incorporated in places like Antigua or the Caribbean islands. PartyPoker, the most popular website for playing poker for money online, is licensed and regulated by the Government of Gibraltar.

Online sportsbooks, often run by Americans offshore, still accept bets from Americans, and this is where the problem arises. Americans are the biggest betters, and most of the income stream for online sports betting comes from American wagers. These companies usually provide wire instructions to the gamblers so that the player can wire money into a pre-funded betting account before they can begin wagering.

So, the question is, is it legal for an offshore company to run their business offshore but still accept bets from the United States, where online sports betting is technically illegal? Yes and no. Theoretically it is illegal, but it is very difficult to compel an online sports betting service to shut itself down if they operate under the laws of a foreign government where it is legal.

It is been very difficult for the Department of Justice to enforce the Wire Wager Act when it comes to offshore companies, and the offshore betting business continues to get bigger and bigger. In 1998, the sum total of all internet wagers was estimated at $600 million, and has grown by 10 or more times that between then and the year 2006.

The Wire Wager Act was upheld when the U.S. Supreme Court, during 2001 and 2002, refused to review the conviction of Jay Cohen, who had been running an internet sportsbook based in Antigua. And, even though the Department of Justice has said in recent years that that the Wire Wager Act also declares online casino games, not just sports betting, to be illegal, the Federal Appeals Court has ruled that that interpretation is not correct.

However, in July of 2006, everything changed. On a vote of 317-93, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to ban financial payments to offshore casinos as part of the The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 H.R. 4411. The legislation also compels banks and credit card companies to cut off payments to the estimated 2,300 gambling sites located outside of U.S. jurisdiction. This legislation bans all forms of internet gambling, including card games and sportsbetting.

Ultimately, the U.S. Government is just trying to protect betters from getting screwed by online casinos that accept bets over the internet but do not pay out when someone wins. However, it does not seem fair to allow major casinos that operate in Las Vegas and Atlantic City to have a monopoly on the betting industry.

Online casinos and sports betting over the internet should be permitted. The United States simply needs to implement a system whereby the online casino industry is regulated, making it mandatory for these companies to disclose the details of their operations and apply for a casino or sportsbook license.