Internet Betting Legal
internet betting legal
Is internet gambling legal in California? Do you know any safe sites for a variety of games?? Poker/ blackjack
I don't want to bet a lot or lose a lot but I want to play with real money!!
It's funny to see a bunch of affiliates for offshore casinos posting here telling you that internet gambling is legal. Of course they're going to say that! 
Technically, it's illegal, but the US hasn't prosecuted anyone for it, and my guess is that they won't do so anytime soon. The laws can appear somewhat gray, but a strict interpretation of US Code, and legislation like the very old Wire Act, all seem fairly clear in deeming it illegal. (A couple friends who work for the FBI say they won't touch those sites, but then another buddy who works for the police has no issues with it: haha!)
That said, a lot of legislation is pending (some to make it clearly illegal; some to allow for more time to research whether it should be legal). Hard to say where it'll go. The New York Times had a very interesting article yesterday where they discussed the topic. I'd recommend reading it.
In the meantime, if you want to play online poker without any question of legal issues, and you want to play for real money, your options are fairly limited. In California, luckily you can go to the card clubs.
Online, you have a few options. CardPlayer lists a few of them, but the one I know about because my friends play there is BetZip.com. They're based in the US and abide by US laws, so I feel a bit better about trusting them. Additionally, you can play for free there, and win real cash. I think you only have a limited free trial of the service (like 14 days), after which you have to pay a small monthly fee, but at least it's legal and there are real prizes.
I think CardPlayer also listed a brand new site that just started and is also doing video poker, but I can't remember the name off the top of my head.
| Account limit of 2052 requests per hour exceeded. |
Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative CNBC Interview - 6/8/07
