# Is it legal to bet on sports over the internet? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 11, 2003, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-bet-on-sports-over-the-internet/154299 "2003-02-11T05:26:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![blakeformayor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@blakeformayor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blakeformayor)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-bet-on-sports-over-the-internet/154299/1 "2003-02-11T05:26:13Z")
I’ve seen several online sites billing themselves as ‘legal’ but they’re all based in Canada or somewhere else. I believe I’ve heard that it’s illegal to run such a site in the US, but is it legal for me to place a wager on one of these non-US sites? If not, would I ever be prosecuted if I were caught or is it regulated by the same guy who comes around to make sure you haven’t torn the labels off your matresses? ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-bet-on-sports-over-the-internet/154299/2 "2003-02-11T06:19:35Z")
Hmm, whatever happened to Googol’s “I’m feeling lucky” button that just went to the top site. Anyways, [This page seems to be a impartial FAQ](http://kenstange.com/psycsiteannex/GamblingAndPsychology/sports2.htm#S1) that also covers the little-known “Why must I bet $11 to win $10?” The off-shore (or Canada) issue is “ambiguous”. Keep in mind, Casino’s and bookmaker’s do not lose money. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-bet-on-sports-over-the-internet/154299/3 "2003-02-11T06:36:21Z")
> [@](#): > > Whoever being engaged in the business of betting or wagering knowingly uses a wire communication facility for the transmission in interstate or foreign commerce of bets or wagers or information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers on any sporting event or contest, or for the transmission of a wire communication which entitles the recipient to receive money or credit as a result of bets or wagers, or for information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both. Source: [http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/18/1084.html](http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/18/1084.html) > [@](#): > > Q: How can the Department prosecute Internet gambling under existing law? > > In two ways. First, as I discussed in my testimony, most ways of connecting to the Internet currently involve the use of a “wire facility” in the connection process. As a result, bets and wagers that would be prohibited under Section 1084 if placed by telephone, are still prohibited even if transmitted via the Internet. > > Second, many other federal statutes, such as 18 U.S.C. 1955, the “Illegal Gambling Business” statute, are predicated on a violation of state law. That is, the underlying activity must first be illegal in the state where the gambling occurs and then satisfy a certain monetary or operational threshold. It is the position of the Department of Justice that a wager, including an electronic or phone wager, occurs in the location it is placed and in the location in which it is received. To be legal, the wager must comply with the laws of the states at both ends of the transaction. Therefore, individuals or enterprises that solicit or accept wagers in states that have not authorized them to engage in such conduct violate state criminal law, and in many cases, federal criminal law as well. Source: [http://www.cybercrime.gov/kvd0698.htm#Q1](http://www.cybercrime.gov/kvd0698.htm#Q1) (Testimony of Kevin V. Di Gregory, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, addressing Gambling on the Internet before the Subcommittee on Crime, of the House Committee on the Judiciary (June 24, 1998)) ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-bet-on-sports-over-the-internet/154299/4 "2003-02-11T06:58:11Z")
The US government banned online gambling partly because it would take a huge amount of revenue away from Nevada. Also to prevent underage gambling. Yep, it’s illegal. A famous online sports gambling page is [sportodds.com](http://sportodds.com), where you can bet on just about anything. btw, Gambling is for loosers. ---
**Author:** ![SoulSearching](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@SoulSearching](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoulSearching)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-bet-on-sports-over-the-internet/154299/5 "2003-02-11T07:26:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by antechinus \* > \*\*The US government banned online gambling partly because it would take a huge amount of revenue away from Nevada. Also to prevent underage gambling. Yep, it’s illegal. > > \*\* If it banned online gambling, why do I get 5000000000 online casino spam every day? ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-bet-on-sports-over-the-internet/154299/6 "2003-02-11T08:12:04Z")
This again, from [The site I mentioned afore](http://kenstange.com/psycsiteannex/GamblingAndPsychology/sports2.htm#S1) > [@](#): > > Betting with offshore (international) sports books seems to be on the rise, and promises to spread from phone services to internet based online services. From the point of view of bets and odds offered, these books are similar to licensed Nevada Sports Books. The legality of these services is, at best, _ **ambiguous** _. There are claims and opinions on all sides of the argument, _ **but few legal precedents.** _ In addition, some offshore books are run by old trustworthy firms, some are fly-by-night scams, and many are somewhere in between. _ **Cavaet Bettor.** _ ( **annoying** _emphasis_ mine.) And as we all know (right?), these online casinos/bookies do **not** _lose_ money. I don’t know (not having looked) of any legal precedents - yet I can just imagine someone (say, me) having made some lucky bets and turning my measly $1000 into a cool $1,000,000. If Elliot Spitzer (NYS’s Attorney General) prosecutes me - I’m instantly a walking advertisment for sports betting - and as my gain is unrealized in an off-shore account in Bermuda or Barbados - utterly out of his jurisdiction. I’ll be transferring that money to a friend in Nigeria eventually. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-bet-on-sports-over-the-internet/154299/7 "2003-02-11T13:21:31Z")
FWIW, when I lived in Missouri a few years back, [then-] Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon appointed himself Protector of Missouri Citizens from Online Gambling and declared that on-line gambling in Missouri was illegal and would not be allowed. Just to tweak Mr. Nixon, a few days later I tried to log on to an on-line casino. It must have detected that I had a Missouri ISP, because I got this message that said (paraphrased) “We have detected that you are attempting to log in from a jurisdiction where on-line gaming is illegal. Sorry.” YMMV ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-bet-on-sports-over-the-internet/154299/8 "2003-02-11T13:24:09Z")
Also-- IANAL, but I believe I heard a radio sports commentator state that **ALL** college betting is technically illegal, and that if the NCAA had the time, money and wherewithal to do it, they would gleefully prosecute every Joe Sixpack who ran one of those basketball tournament bracket pools. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-bet-on-sports-over-the-internet/154299/9 "2003-02-11T16:51:11Z")
Oh, and since no one’s addressed this yet: > [@](#): > > If not, would I ever be prosecuted if I were caught or is it regulated by the same guy who comes around to make sure you haven’t torn the labels off your matresses? There is no law against tearing the label off of your mattress. The law is against the STORE tearing the label off of the mattress. That’s why it says it’s illegal “for anyone but the consumer” or words to that effect.