What’s the Status of Online Poker in the US in 2021?

The online gambling industry is rapidly growing. According to research by Research & Markets, the market will be worth $92.9 billion by 2023, increasing at a compound annual rate of 11.6 percent. According to projections, emerging technologies such as IoT, Blockchain, and VR will propel the sector ahead, and North America's market will increase at a rate of 14.78 percent through 2025, keeping pace with the rest of the globe.

For the longest time, the Wire Act of 1961 controlled the industry in the United States. It's a piece of legislation designed to work with anti-racketeering laws, and it wasn't established before the internet, so it's not completely applicable to online gambling. In 2011, the Department of Justice (DOJ) granted states the authority to adopt legislation decriminalizing online gambling.

The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 was overturned by the US Supreme Court in 2018, reversing the federal ban on sports betting. However, the Department of Justice has determined that the 1961 Wire Act applies to online legal betting in the United States, limiting states to only provide such services to citizens.

Even as more states consider embracing gambling, there are opportunities where you can play real money online poker in the United States.

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States that have legalized online poker in the US

On a federal level, gambling laws in the United States make the activity legal. That is, each state has the power to regulate it, both in the physical and digital realms.

Gambling is a wide phrase that refers to the capacity to put bets on a variety of events, including athletic events, games of chance, and skill. As a result, there is a large list of states that allow online gambling, each of which controls each aspect individually. For example, twenty states allow people to bet on athletic events via the internet, making it the most widely available type of online betting in the United States. However, when it comes to casino and poker sites, most people are not as libertarian.

After a burst of activity in 2013, when three states (New Jersey, Nevada, and Delaware) legalized online poker within their borders, the industry has been sluggish to catch up.

In fact, it wasn't until 2017 that Pennsylvania, a fourth state, decided to regulate the game. Furthermore, the first hands were not dealt in the Keystone State until November 2019. Michigan is the newest state to join the legalized online poker "game." On January 29, 2021, Michigan became the first state to legalize and regulate internet poker. Although West Virginia has enacted laws allowing for online poker, no virtual hands have yet been dealt in the state.

So, who'll be the next in line? It's likely that additional states may move toward regulated online poker now that online gambling (especially sports betting) is becoming more generally recognized. However, as we've seen, it's not always a straightforward procedure.

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States where online poker remains illegal

In 48 states around the country, gambling is allowed in some form or another. Utah and Hawaii are the only two states that have not banned it entirely. Utah is home to a sizable Mormon community, which is intensely devout. It's only natural that the bulk of citizens' personal opinions influence municipal rules. A comparable climate may be found in Hawaii. In the Islands of Aloha, it is not so much the religious aspect that is at play, but rather the majority of inhabitants' belief that it will affect family ties and atmosphere.

Wisconsin and Idaho are two more states that look down on sports betting and have no desire in broadening their legal framework to allow for betting at both land-based and online venues.

The following is a complete list of states that presently provide a limited online gambling offer: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Arizona, Georgia, Missouri, and South Dakota are among the states where people have proposed legislation to modify politicians' attitude on iGaming. Many people feel that if New York pays attention to what's going on across the Garden State border, it will be able to make changes quickly.

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To Sum Up

The morality of gambling is a point of controversy and the most significant roadblock to greater internet gambling regulation in the United States. Others regard it as a threat to people's social and economic well-being, while some consider it as a pastime or a fun activity. The majority of sites, on the other hand, encourage fair and responsible gambling by allowing users to establish loss limits and self-exclude. Laws guarantee that trustworthy authorities oversee platforms that provide such services, and that any wrongdoing is addressed, ensuring the endeavor’s security.