There is so much going on in the US in regards to online gambling that it is almost impossible to write and all-encompassing article. I won’t try to cover all of it, but here is an overview of relevant developments.
Previously passed laws:
The Wire Act was enacted in 1961. It was intended to prohibit sportsbetting by telephone to bookmakers. Then U.S. Attorney General, Robert F. Kennedy, thought it woild discourage organized crime and bookmaking.
The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (Pub.L. 102-559) set out to define the legalization of sports betting throughout the United States. This act effectively outlawed sports betting nationwide, excluding a few states.
The sports lotteries conducted in Oregon and Delaware were exempt, as well as the licensed sports pools in Nevada. Also excluded from the reach of PASPA are jai alai and parimutuel horse and dog racing.
And of course we all know about the UIGEA. The Security and Accountability For Every Port Act of 2006 (SAFE Port Act, Pub.L. 109-347) was an Act of Congress in the United States addressing port security. An online gambling measure was added at the last moment. The House and Senate passed it on September 30, 2006. President Bush signed the Act into law on October 13, 2006. Title VIII of the Act is the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (or UIGEA). It (31 U.S.C. § 5361–5367) prohibits the transfer of funds from a financial institution to an “illegal Internet gambling site” and excludes fantasy sports, online lotteries, and horse/harness racing but does include online casinos, poker rooms and sportsbooks accepting real money bets.
Lobbying:
The BolaVerde Media Group (BVMG) recently released a new Internet Gambling Federal Lobbying report which estimates that $3.65 million was spent lobbying the U.S. government over online gambling during the third quarter of 2009. This includes both supporters and opponents. This money is a 50% increase from the previous year.