In September 2006, the United States House of Representatives and Senate passed legislation that would make it illegal for financial institutions to conduct monetary transactions with online gambling sites. This legislation, termed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), was "tacked on" in the final hours (shortly before adjourning for the midterm elections) as an amendment to the unrelated and virtually unstoppable SAFE Port Act, which was intended to improve the security of American ports. The Act was signed into law by then U.S. President Bush on October 13, 2006. The specific UIGEA part of the Act can be read here.
Several large online gambling operators including 888.com, Party Gaming and Bwin immediately stopped accepting bets from U.S. customers, and saw their stock prices tumble accordingly. However, many other operators have continued to accept customers from the United States despite the legal uncertainty this law has created.
Curiously, no part of the UIGEA defines what exactly "unlawful Internet gambling" is and no part of the Act prohibits anyone from gambling online. A couple of years of hindsight has revealed the effects of this legislation to be:
- A minor inconvenience for U.S. players who would like to play poker or casino games online;
- A flourishing industry of smaller, less visible, and largely unregulated operators happy to accept customers from the USA;
- Most of the largest, most professional, and well regulated operators unwilling or unable to accept U.S. customers;
- Billions of potential tax revenue lost by State and Federal U.S. governments.
Below you can find an archive of all UIGEA related news articles we have posted to the site.
3 March 2017 by Dustin Jermalowicz
This week a New Jersey state senator took moves to protect the Garden State's online gaming business by introducing a resolution that calls on the US Congress to "oppose any actions that would prohibit states to conduct Internet gaming."
2 March 2017 by Dustin Jermalowicz
The Wolverine State appears determined to take some action on internet betting, as four new bills related to the legalization of the activity have been introduced this week.
2 March 2017 by Dustin Jermalowicz
The Wolverine State appears determined to take some action on internet betting, as four new bills related to the legalization of the activity have been introduced this week.
24 February 2017 by Dustin Jermalowicz
One of the founders of the online poker group Absolute Poker turned himself in to US authorities this week to face charges related to the 2011 Black Friday indictments, ending more than 5 years of exile in the Caribbean.
22 February 2017 by Dustin Jermalowicz
A bill introduced by three New Jersey representatives last month which would legalize online betting has some analysts confused, as the bill simply would legalize online gambling in the state without establishing any regulations or taxes on operators.
22 February 2017 by Dustin Jermalowicz
A bill introduced by three New Jersey representatives last month which would legalize online betting has some analysts confused, as the bill simply would legalize online gambling in the state without establishing any regulations or taxes on operators.
31 January 2017 by Dustin Jermalowicz
This week New Hampshire state representatives Nick Zaricki, Robert Fisher, Eric Schleien introduced a bill that would legalize and regulate online gambling in the state.
31 January 2017 by Dustin Jermalowicz
This week New Hampshire state representatives Nick Zaricki, Robert Fisher, Eric Schleien introduced a bill that would legalize and regulate online gambling in the state.
26 January 2017 by Dustin Jermalowicz
This week New Jersey Assemblyman Vincet Mazzeo introduced a resolution into the New Jersey Assembly that would urge newly minted US President Donald Trump and the US Congress to avoid banning online gambling at a federal level in order to protect his state's thriving online betting business.
26 January 2017 by Dustin Jermalowicz
This week New Jersey Assemblyman Vincet Mazzeo introduced a resolution into the New Jersey Assembly that would urge newly minted US President Donald Trump and the US Congress to avoid banning online gambling at a federal level in order to protect his state's thriving online betting business.
Roaring 21 Casino
Slots.lv
Everygame Casino
Casino Extreme
Slotland
Bovada Casino
