The legality of cricket betting varies according to the laws in most states. New Jersey – is a state that happens to offer legal online gambling – apart from being able to offer sports betting. On the other hand, you can technically bet online and get away with going around certain loopholes if that’s your thing. Certainly, there is a risk to sports betting online in the United States and that’s a fact. So, if you were looking to learn more facts and give this a quick read, then scroll down to know more: 

Is Cricket Betting In The USA Safe?

Is Online Sports Betting Legal in the USA? 

According to a couple of laws, sports betting is legal in most states. But there are old, outdated laws in this field to check out: 

The first of which is the Wire Act of 1961. According to this law, it prohibits how bets are made – namely by phone which makes it a bit outdated in the day and age of cell phones and the internet. Here’s an excerpt of The Wire Act: 

The term “wire communication facility” means any and all instrumentalities, personnel, and services (among other things, the receipt, forwarding, or delivery of communications) used or useful in the transmission of writings, signs, pictures, and sounds of all kinds by the aid of wire, cable, or other like connection between the points of origin and reception of such transmission.”

On one hand, it’s tough to say if this applies in today’s world where the internet exists, since it was made way before the internet existed. In any case, it’s never been used to go after sports bettors.

Secondly, there’s also the PASPA – the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act.

This act was passed in the early 1990s and it limited what states could allow sports betting within its borders. A few states such as Nevada, Delaware, Oregon and Montana were included to name some. But isn’t this an act from the 1900s? What about the 20th century or even the 21st? 

Either way, these are the biggest laws that apply to sports betting except that there’s one more law, but it applies to banking. 

Each state also has its own laws which may or may not make sports betting legal. The only way to know for sure is to check your local laws, and perhaps seek an appointment with an attorney.

Why you cannot bet for cricket in the USA: 

So how can people bet online in the states? Easy! Most people can do online betting as most laws target companies and not the customers.

The one exception that comes to mind is offhand gambling arenas that are in the legal states like Nevada or New Jersey – or upcoming states like California – that have laws that say customers are at fault for playing at offshore casinos.

Otherwise, the laws speak to companies. And all companies that continue to accept US players are offshore companies that are miles and miles apart. They’re out of the country, located in the UK, Costa Rica or parts of Asia. Places the USA has no jurisdiction in.

On top of that most offshore sports booking sites use non .com domain names – like .lv and .eu. That’s because the US tends to have jurisdiction over .com domains, which is how they got ahold of PokerStars, Full Tilt, and all the other gambling businesses back in April 2011 (the day dubbed ‘Black Friday’).

What’s the hardest part of sports betting in the USA?

Banking is the hardest part of online betting in the USA AS it affects online gambling. According to a law called the UIGEA – Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act, the premise of the bill is this:

Banks, credit unions and third party processors are strictly banned from processing transactions to/from illegal/offshore gambling companies. It does NOT make gambling illegal for you though which is what so many people tend to think. 

As this was snuck in with another bill in 2006, many congressmen even claim not to have seen this bill. But it was passed nonetheless.

The problem this creates is many banks will not do business with these (offshore) companies. Or, they get found out and/or shut down. This happens on both ends – for the gambling company and for the person who wants to bet on cricket matches. 

This results in processing delays, which means it can take weeks – sometimes months – for you to get your money cashed out. And because so many companies that operate in the US are doing trades under the desk never really know if it’s a processing problem or a we-don’t-or-can’t-pay-you sort of problem.

It’s also possible the company was seized by the American government which ultimately means that your money will also be seized.

Don’t worry – there’s a good chance you’ll get it back unless the company is insolvent. then in that case it can be years before you get your money back. IF you get your money back. Like with what happened with Full Tilt players. It took a couple of years before they got their money back. And, that’s only because PokerStars bought them out.

And that’s not the only risk you face.

Is cricket betting in the USA risky? 

As we’ve mentioned above, one of the biggest risks to playing online is that if you’re ever ripped off, you have no recourse. No way to get your money back. That means that SOME gambling companies can take your money and skip town and never even legally be obligated to pay you back which is more common than you think. 

It also means you may be doing a gambling business with certain online companies that are not licensed or regulated. So there’s no risks or consequences for any of their actions (good or bad) and you’ll have to be ready to lose money to even think about gaining money. 

Then you also need to remember that you’re giving these companies semi-private information like where you live, your phone number, and possibly banking information.

Lastly, a lot of states have laws against online gambling. So it’s possible you may face consequences if you’re ever caught. 

All in all, do your research and meet with a lawyer for current and insider updates of the scene.