American online casinos may still be in the “to be determined” phase, but online casinos for us players abound, and you can use them legally in the united states mufasabet. The reason that a number of online casinos turned their backs on US customers starting in late 2006 had to do with a law that was passed by a Congress anxious to adjourn before midterm elections that prohibited transactions from US banks or similar institutions to online gambling sites illegal.
There are now many alternative methods of US players transferring money to these sites that are legal, and many online casinos the world over welcome players from the US. And, as you might expect, they are expanding their offerings to the world of mobile technology, allowing players to participate on their iphones, Android phones, and other types of mobile devices. Here is a brief snapshot of today’s mobile online gaming.
Online casinos know that playing on a mobile phone or other handheld device has great advantages. You don’t need a computer, and you can play from anywhere you can get a mobile data connection. Whether you use your mobile device for online gambling by going to the mobile versions of the websites or whether you use special apps for your device depends on the casino, the device, and where in the world you are located.
With the iphone, it’s still mostly a matter of going to the mobile versions of the sites and using them. Betfair, a big UK online gambling operation, did get Apple to approve an iphone app for their games, but it’s for use in the uk and Ireland only at this time. Many were surprised that the app was even approved, due to Apple’s strict rules about family friendly apps, but Betfair was able to do it. Shortly afterward, Paddy Power added an app for its UK and Ireland users, and both companies have seen quite a bit of success with their iphone apps.
Some recent model cell phones that are not smart phones still allow you to play casino games with JavaScript platform software. To use these, you sign up for the mobile casinos as you would using your computer. The software can be scaled to fit your screen and add and remove functionality based on your particular phone model. You do not get the great graphics and playability you do with your computer, but it’s still pretty amazing what you can do with mobile gambling. In general, mobile roulette, blackjack, video poker, and slots are the most phone-friendly games.
Android phones may be the next big thing when it comes to online casinos. Paddy Power was the first online gambling site to produce a mobile casino app for Android phones everywhere. The app gives players total access to Paddy Power’s website services. Players can open new accounts, make deposits and withdrawals, and place bets. It also includes a full history function so users can view all previous transactions. The app has received a great response in Europe so far. Online gambling in the usa has been on legal ground that is open to various interpretations ever since an appeals court ruling in 2002. In November of that year, the united states Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that the Federal Wire Act prohibited electronic transmission of sports betting information across telecommunications lines. However, it also affirmed a lower court ruling that the Wire Act does not prohibit Internet gambling on games of chance. This spared USA online casinos from having to stop operations, but only temporarily.
In 2006, before adjourning for midterm elections, both houses of Congress passed an amendment to an unrelated bill, the SAFE Port Act, that made transactions from banks or similar institutions to online gambling sites illegal. Signed into law in October 2006 by President George W. Bush, the law had the effect of causing numerous online gambling operators to suspend real money gambling for us customers.
Legalizing online gambling in the us flat out has been a constant battle ever since. Within the US, some states have seriously considered passing intrastate gambling online laws, which would permit online gambling only within those states. In November 2010, New jersey became the first state to pass an intrastate online gambling bill through both houses of its state legislature. As of this writing, it awaits the signature of New jersey governor Chris Christie.
New Jersey’s bill is unique among state online or internet gambling laws not only because it is the first to pass, but because it allows gamblers in other countries, but not in other states of the US, to participate in the state’s online gambling sites. Internet gambling operators in New jersey must be licensed Atlantic City casino operators, and all equipment used for conducting Internet gaming must be located in casinos in Atlantic City or at other secure Atlantic City locations.
What does New Jersey’s law mean for online casino USA operations? At the moment, not much. However, it does send the strong signal that clarification of the legality of gambling online in the us is on many people’s minds. Online gambling enthusiasts in the usa, who have had to undertake rather labyrinthine measures to ensure they are handling money legally, are strong proponents of national legislation, as are some Congressional representatives, and many land-based casinos.
The arguments for making online gambling clearly legal in the us are also bolstered by the enormous tax revenues that could be realized by such legislation – a very appealing source of revenue in an economy where the federal government is currently running enormous deficits.
Currently, USA online casino enthusiasts concerned about the numerous international sites that have shut themselves off to players from the US have to use independent money transfer businesses to fund their online gaming. The most prominent online casinos have clear directions on how to do this, and many of them are open to gamblers in the us.