Until the advent of the Internet, there was no legal regulation of online gambling sites. In the early ’90s, these types of sites began to appear. They were an easy way for US-based players to access a wide range of betting options. Eventually, the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) was passed, and online gambling became illegal.
Since then, individual US states have taken their time to regulate online gambling. The first state to legalize online poker was Nevada in 2011, and the first state to legalize online casinos was New Jersey in 2013.
While the laws vary from state to state, there are several things to know when it comes to gambling. The best way to find out what you’re up against is to do your research.
Firstly, there’s the obvious: make sure the site you choose is legitimate. This means you should take the time to review the site’s rules and regulations. You should also check to see if the site you choose accepts your payment method. You may want to use a pre-paid card to help you keep track of your spending, and to keep gambling transactions off your primary card statements.
It’s not uncommon for some banks to allow you to transfer money to your online gambling account from your bank account. However, many of these payments are slow and cumbersome. Some sites will not accept pre-paid cards. In some cases, you will only be able to deposit or withdraw through PayPal, which will require an extra step to log into your PayPal account.