Gambling Laws in the United States That Pertain To Gambling For Real Money On Your Mobile iPhones

The number-one reason many would-be gamblers in the United States steer clear of gambling is that they do not understand the current gambling laws. They believe that gambling is illegal across the board, and that depositing money and betting on games of chance may lead to an early morning FBI raid or worse.

Though while gambling legislation may be lengthy, complicated and full of legalese, it is actually not that difficult to understand once broken down into a palatable format. This is one of the main things we aim to do with our resource guide for US iPhone casinos.

Is iPhone Casino Gambling Legal for USA Players?

There are no specific US iPhone casino gambling laws per se; everything basically falls under broader legislation like found with the UIGEA – the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 and the Federal Wire Act. Though there are other gambling-specific bills and acts, these are the ones freshest in people’s memories.

Keep in mind that US federal gambling laws only pertain to US based gambling businesses, and that there are not any federal laws which prohibit US players from participating in legally licensed and regulated mobile casino gambling on your iPhone as long as the gambling site operations are located outside of the United States.

What is the UIGEA Bill and Does it Make iPhone Casino Gambling Illegal?

Basically, the UIGEA is a way for the United States government to keep gambling establishments from setting up on US soil. This Act was expressly put forth and voted through specifically for online gambling, and it prohibits all US-based businesses from knowingly accepting monetary payments for the purposes of gambling.

It is directed at online gambling site operators and payment processors, and does not affect players at all. It simply places regulatory restrictions on how US based businesses and banking institutions can process gambling related transactions.

A big part of the reason the UIGEA came into being was that the Federal Wire Act, the government’s previous go-to law for cracking down on gambling, wasn’t thorough enough to cover Internet-based gambling via poker and casinos. And as one might imagine, if the government is not happy with something, they are completely free to make any such law they wish to prohibit any such act they wish.

While the UIGEA does a great job at deterring US-based casinos, it in no way prohibits a player from depositing money and playing with a casino that is outside of the United States’ jurisdiction.

What is the Federal Wire Act, and Does it Affect US Options for iPhone Casino Gambling?

The Federal Wire Act applies only to sports betting, and so nothing on the casino end of the spectrum could be covered. The DOJ determined recently that this law only applies to sports betting, and it does effectively prohibit USA based online sports betting businesses from operating on US soil. It has no bearing on casino or poker gambling, and does not have any affects on the licensed offshore gambling sites accepting US players.

Conclusion

If you are a player concerned with breaking iPhone casino gambling laws for US players, all you really need to do is play with a casino that is operating out of the UK, Australia, the Canary Islands, or another location that is outside of US jurisdiction. As long as the casino accepts your money and is legally licensed and regulated, you are free to play.

Do not make the mistake as viewing this as a slippery backdoor through which you can enter and get one over on the government. To the contrary, this is perfectly legal – to the point, in fact, lawmakers are fully aware of the loophole and have done nothing to close it. What this means, to put it simply, is that the government is not concerned about you depositing your money with an offshore establishment. As long as the casino is not operating under US jurisdiction, you are free as a bird to gamble ’til your heart’s content.

Exercising Caution in Legal iPhone Casino Gambling

We want to urge some caution here, however. Some players learn about this law and instantly go deposit with the first offshore casino they can find. You should show more patience. Take your time, weigh your options carefully, and select the best casino for your needs. Use our resource to navigate the field of iPhone casinos and bonus structures before you deposit money. Be an informed, cautious gambler.

As the landscape changes, so too will our information. Stay tuned for information concerning iphone casino bonuses, reviews on new iPhone casinos, and any potential changes to gambling laws.