Is on-line gambling illegal?

It seems to be a common opinion that on-line gambling is illegal in the US. Does anyone know that to be a fact? I'm asking the question without having done my usual research on the subject. I guess the question is; is playing poker on-line illegle, or is it just illegle to run an on-line poker site? Interrnet gambling is pervasive to say the least, but I've never heard of anyone getting prosecuted for it.

Well.. there are like 20 online poker sites so I would say that it isn't illegal coz they would have been busted. But I don't live in the US and I don't know a lot about those things so it's a guess.

What I do know is that I can't register on bet365 coz im from The netherlands. A company in The Netherlands sued bet365 (reason I don't really know) and bet365 lost the case. Now I have to miss those big freerolls :'(

But on topic.. I guess it's legal

The Wire Act makes it illegal in the US to make a wager over a phone line. That is the law that has been used in the past to prosecute online gambling operations based in the US. That is why there are NO poker or internet gamong sites that have their headquarters or servers located in the US. So the answer is yes it is a fact that currently online gambling is illegal in the uS.

So if it is illegal to make a wager via over a phone line. How about cable or satellite??
Just curious...

twizzybop said:

So if it is illegal to make a wager via over a phone line. How about cable or satellite??
Just curious...

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Have wondered the same thing myself twizz

It is illegal, but has been said that it is so hard to stop, they have taken to turning a blind eye to it. But if you notice, all the sites advertising on tv, say its free, and its always .net. I think awhile back, China outlawed it and would prosecute anyone playing.

i hope not

rk92559 said:

. But if you notice, all the sites advertising on tv, say its free, and its always .net.

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I wondered about that....they always say "this is not a gambling website". Must have something to do with Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Riverboats. They probably think it will hurt their revenue.

All those .net sites are the playmoney fronts for the real money .com sites. I wonder what my chances of actually meeting Greg "Fossilman" Raymar at pokerstars.net is?

xdmanx007 said:

The Wire Act makes it illegal in the US to make a wager over a phone line. That is the law that has been used in the past to prosecute online gambling operations based in the US. That is why there are NO poker or internet gamong sites that have their headquarters or servers located in the US. So the answer is yes it is a fact that currently online gambling is illegal in the uS.

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Land of the Free eh! What a joke.

Four Dogs said:

I wonder what my chances of actually meeting Greg "Fossilman" Raymar at PokerStars.net is?

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C'mon he wouldn't lie to us would he? I'm sure he loves to "practice" for free with a bunch of people who wouldn't know a flush if it came and bit them in the arse.

robwhufc said:

Land of the Free eh! What a joke.

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Us Americans are protected from that little voice inside that says 'spend all your money on poker! just do it, its fun!'...then these online sites pop up and let us do that. What horrible little money taking programs these are.

...Oh, and vegas also