 What
is legal and what is not? Gaming
(and gambling) in the United States has
undergone a great boom. During the past
decade most states have expanded legalized
gaming, including regulated casino-style
games and lotteries. There has been an explosion
in opening Native American casinos. Gambling
online has increased exponentially.
The word "gambling"
is generally used here to discuss an activity
that may run afoul of applicable criminal
laws. The word "gaming" is usually
reserved for those instances where the activity
has been specifically legalized by applicable
laws or where the activity is exempted from
the criminal laws.
Thus, playing a casino-style game at a for-profit
website online in the United States is referred
to as gambling, since no state has yet finalized
any law specifically authorizing a for-profit
website operator to offer any casino games.
The two words are not mutually exclusive.
That is, a gaming activity could turn out
to be gambling where applicable laws regulating
that particular gaming are violated. Similarly,
a gambling activity may turn out to be gaming
if it is exempted from a given criminal
statute.
For example, playing a card game for money
in a purely social setting where no one
earns anything from the game other than
as a mere player would be gaming if such
social games were excluded from the reach
of the criminal laws in the state where
the game takes place.
Poker Law Resources
Legalize
Holdem - articles relating
to Poker, Texas Hold 'em and the law.
State
Summary - conclusions
on five basic issues under every state law.
State
Laws - text of the basic
gambling law of every state.
Federal
Laws - articles and
notes on various matters.
Articles
& Notes - summaries
of most of the federal laws applicable to
gambling.
Thanks and we'll see you at the tables!
KAP
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