Is it legal to bet on Superbowl Online?
Online gambling in the US in general and sports betting in particular have been a source of controversy ever since the UIGEA passed in 2006. Granting the act has made it far more difficult for Americans to bet on the Super Bowl online, the most popular match of the year is not off limits. A huge amount of money is being spent every year on Super Bowl bets and millions of Americans are placing a wager every year. With an estimated turnover of more than $6 billion, it goes without saying that people are keen on betting on this highly anticipated event.
Legal sports betting spread like wildfire
We are still a long way from having sports betting regulated nationwide and in states such as Utah, this may never happen. Having said this, there are plenty of reasons for optimism as legal sports betting is spreading from state to state. For decades, Nevada used to be the only place where people could bet legally on the Super Bowl, well before Internet gambling came around. The prospect of legal online betting is obviously appealing, as punters prefer this option to illicit bookmakers.
The fact that more states are embracing legal online sports betting has led to a surge in the number of people betting for the first time. 60% of punters who have wagered on this year’s Super Bowl online didn’t bet before on football matches or other sports because they feared legal consequences. Even though the prohibitive acts such as UIGEA target the bookmakers and those accepting financial transactions related to gambling the fear of breaking the law has had a deterring effect on prospective punters.
States where Legal Sports Betting is legal
Delaware and New Jersey have spearheaded the legalizing of online gambling, joining Nevada with its interstate compacts for casinos. Residents of this state can also bet on the Super Bowl online and do so legally, just like their peers from Mississippi. This state has added sports books in June 2018 so those living within its borders have no problem betting on the 2019 Super Bowl. New Mexico and Oregon residents have fewer options, but thanks to the tribes running legal businesses, they can bet on football.
Pennsylvania residents can consider themselves lucky to have the first bookmaker opening just a few weeks before the grand football final. Legal sports book also exist in Rhode Island and West Virginia, but the real victory will be the legalizing of online betting. This will greatly simplify the mission of punters from most American states, as they’ll be able to gamble from the comfort of their home and even from mobile devices. Nevada, West Virginia and New Jersey are the states who have proper online sports betting laws, but others are ready to follow their lead.